1. The Muslim Empires Chapter 15

2. Expansion of Ottoman Empire In the late thirteenth century a new group of Turks began to build power & by the early fourteenth century had began to expand westward The Ottomans were able to build a strong military by developing an elite guard called janissaries The janissaries were recruited from the Christians & converted to Islam These men were trained as foot soldiers or administrators for service to the sultan The janissaries were a well armed infantry that was trained in the use of new technology, firearms, which made them very powerful

3. The Byzantine Empire Over the next three hundred years the Ottoman ‘s expanded into western Asia, Europe, & North Africa Under the leadership of Mehmet II the ottomans would conquer the Byzantines at Constantinople killing the emperor After the defeat the city lie in ruins as it was plundered & destroyed in a three day period

4. Western Asia and Africa With their new capital at Constantinople, later renamed Istanbul, the Ottoman Turks dominated the Balkans and the Anatolian Peninsula From 1514-1517, under the leadership of Sultan Selim I, the Turks also took control of Mesopotamia, Egypt, & Arabia-the heartland of Islam This gave Selim control of several of Islam’s most holy cities (Jerusalem, Makkah, & Madinah) Anatolian Peninsula

5. Western Asia and Africa Selim declared himself the new caliph or the new defender of the Muslim faith & successor to Muhammad Where possible Selim administered the conquered lands through local rulers The central government appointed officials, or pashas, who would collect taxes, maintain law & order, & were responsible to the Sultan in Constantinople

6. Expansion in Europe In Europe the Turks marched up the Danube valley only to be temporally stopped by the Hungarians In 1526 at the Battle of Mohacs the Hungarians would be defeated allowing them to not only control Hungry but move into Austria They would eventually be defeated in 1529 at Vienna & at Lepanto in 1571 by the Spanish In eastern Europe the Turks remained silent, due to internal problems, until the mid seventeenth century when they went on the offensive laying siege to Vienna They were repulsed by a European army never again to be a threat to central Europe Monument to the Battle of Mohacs

7. The Nature of Ottoman Rule Under the rule of the sultans the Ottoman Empire grew strong with religious tolerance, unique architectural designs, as seen in their mosques, were among the Ottomans greatest strengths & contributions The ottoman Empire is often labeled a “gunpowder empire” because they were formed by outside forces who unified the regions they conquered The empires success was largely based on its ability to master the technology of firearms At the head of the empire was the sultan who was the supreme leader in political & military affairs The sultan would be succeeded by his son, not necessarily the eldest This often led to power struggles with the loser being executed

8. Imperial Sultans As the empire expanded the sultan took on a more imperial role as they became more & more isolated from the people The private domain of the sultan was known as the harem or sacred place This is where his wives were kept, usually four as his favorites The sultans mother, known as the queen mother, would serve as his advisor & enjoy considerable power in affairs of the state

9. Imperial Sultans The sultan controlled his bureaucracy through an imperial council that would meet four days a week The meetings would be led by the grand vizier, chief minister, who carried the main burdens of the state The empire would be divided into provinces & districts that were ruled by officials Senior officials would be given land by the sultan in which they were responsible for collecting taxes & supplying armies to the empire The Topkapi or Iron Gate was the Palace in Istanbul that served as the center of the sultans power as well as the residence for himself & his family

10. Religion in the Ottoman World The Ottomans were Sunni Muslims with the sultan claiming the title of caliph or religious leader In fact the sultan gave their religious duties to a group of religious leaders known as the Ulema This group administered the legal system & schools for educating Muslims The Ottoman system was generally tolerant to non-Muslims & their faith Most people in the European areas of the empire remained Christian while large numbers in the present-day Bosnia converted to Islam

11. Architecture and the Arts The sultans were enthusiastic patrons of the arts supporting the production of pottery, rugs, silk, jewelry, & arms of armor The greatest contribution came in the form of Ottoman architecture especially evident in the design of Mosques The greatest of all the Ottoman architects was Sinan Each of his mosques is characterized by an imposing dome framed with four towers or minarets

12. Society and the Role of Women The people of the ottoman Empire were divided by occupation In addition to the ruling class, there were four main occupational groups: peasants, artisans, merchants, & pastoral peoples or nomadic herders Ultimate ownership of the land rested with the sultan Artisans were organized by craft guilds Each guild would provide financial services, social security, & training

13. Society and the Role of Women Outside the ruling elite the artisans were the most privileged class & were exempt from many taxes, government regulations, & in some cases able to amass great wealth Pastoral groups were in their own separate group with their own regulations & rules When it came to the role of women the Turks were more tolerant than other Muslim societies as they regarded women as almost equals They were allowed to own & inherit property, could not be forced into marriage, & in some cases even seek divorces In a few instances women even served as governors of provinces

14. Problems of the Ottomans The Ottomans reached their high point under the reign of Suleyman I or the Magnificent as he was called As great as his reign was the beginning of the empires downfall also began under his rule Probably most damaging was the execution of his two most able sons, suspicion of treason, leaving the empire to his surviving son, Selim II After the death of Suleyman I the empire began to lose territory & future sultans became less involved in governmental affairs The ministers began exercising more power, the training of officials declined, & senior positions were given to unqualified sons & daughters In the end corruption & poor leaders would spell the end of the Ottoman Empire