I.I. Introduction
a.A. Muslim world essentially destroyed by those pesky Mongols b.B. But then…out of nowhere…came the return of the Muslims i.1. Ottoman Empire – the biggest
ii.2. Safavid Empire – Afghanistan and Iran
iii.3. Mughal – the northern part of India
c.C. These “gunpowder empires” could be compared with Russia and the West i.1. In fact…they probably will be on a test not far, far away 1.a. All militarily important
2.b. Interacted far less with west than Russia
3.c. Maintained control over how much they wanted to deal w/ West
II.II. The Ottomans: From Frontier Warriors to Empire Builders a.A. Introduction i.1. Turkic-speaking peoples 1.a. Some fleeing Mongols, some looking for booty
2.b. Osman leads one of these peoples – the Ottomans
ii.2. Ottomans attack Byzantine Empire 1.a. Finally Mehmed II defeats Constantinople
2.b. Big bad guns too much for big bad walls
iii.3. Extending the Ottoman Empire 1.a. Scary naval power in Mediterranean
2.b. Spread empire down to Egypt and across N. Africa a.1. Looks kind of like what the Roman Empire looked like, w/out Europe
3.c. Threatened Vienna, but didn’t take
4.d. But…Europe afraid of Ottomans for centuries…always in back of mind a.1. Near the hypothalamus area
b.B. A State Geared to Warfare i.1. Economy and social class based on warfare 1.a. Warrior class goes to top…surprise…guess who got to make the rules
2.b. Competed for power with religious leaders and administrators
ii.2. Army of Janissaries 1.a. aka “Really Good Christian Slave Soldiers that Fight For Us” a.1. Some given by parents, some taken forcibly
b.2. Schooled and could become bureaucrats
c.3. Hey…this is another type of coerced labor…interesting
2.b. Became more powerful than cavalry – threatened aristocracy a.1. What’s scarier…Mr. Ed the Horse or a canon and gun?
