STANDARD 12

• SSWH12 The student will examine the origins and contributions of the Ottoman,

Safavid, and Mughal empires.

a. Describe the geographical extent of the Ottoman Empire during the rule of Suleyman the Magnificent, the Safavid

Empire during the reign of Shah Abbas I, and the Mughal Empire during the reigns of Babur and Akbar.

b. Explain the ways in which these Muslim empires influenced

religion, law, and the arts in their parts of the world.

Suleyman the Magnificent

• Suleyman came to power in 1520 and ruled for 46 years. Suleyman was a great military leader who captured the European city of Belgrade in 1521.

The next year, Turkish forces captured the island of Rhodes in

the Mediterranean Sea giving them domination over the eastern Mediterranean. Using their

massive naval forces, the Ottomans captured the city of Tripoli on the

north African coast.

They continued to conquer people along the coastlines of North Africa

which was very important. Although they never went into the interior parts of Africa, they were still able to control all trade routes that went from the coast into the

interior parts of Africa.

In 1526, Suleyman advanced into Hungary and Austria causing

central Europe to go into a panic. His armies eventually pushed to

the edge of Vienna, Austria.

He reigned from Istanbul, Turkey and waged war with central

Europeans, North Africans, and Central Asians. He was the most

powerful monarch on earth besides Charles V, head of the Hapsburg Empire in Europe.

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GOVERNMENT

• Keeping the Ottoman Empire together was Suleyman’s biggest achievement. He created a law code to handle both criminal and civil actions. He reduced government bureaucracy and simplified the tax system. This made daily life for the citizens much easier.

Religion:

• Christian areas conquered–Christian boys were kidnapped and brainwashed.

Trained, educate them and convert them to Islam. An elite force of 30,000 soldiers known as janissaries was trained

As a practicing Muslim, Suleyman granted freedom of worship for other religions = little conflict.

Arts

• Suleyman liked the arts. He studied, poetry, history, geography, astronomy, mathematics and architecture. world’s best architect at the time, Sinan, (Albania) to build the Mosque of Suleyman.

It is topped with domes and included 4 schools, library, bath

and a hospital. Art and architecture also flourished during this time and has been likened to

the European Renaissance. Painters and Poets used Persia and

Arabia as a model.