Janissaries are the elite guards of the Ottoman Turks. Children were taken from local christian populations, forced to convert to Islam, and they were trained in weaponry. They protected the Sultan and other high-status officials, but most just served in the military. They were known for being disciplined.

Shah Esmail: used forces to take much of Iran and Iraq, Sent shia preachers into the Anatolian Peninsula to convert Turkish tribes in the Ottoman Empire

The Adi Granth is the holy book of Sikhism. It was compiled by the 5th Guru, Arjan.

The first Mogul ruler was Babur. He crossed into india from the Northwest and used advanced artillery and weapons to conquer territories.

The British and the French
Main British Forts:
Surat, Fort Williams, and Madras
Main French Forts:

Divided by occupation: 4 main groups besides the Sultan
1. Peasants: farmer land the state leased
2. Artisans: organized into craft guilds (each one provided financial services, social security, and training)
3. Merchants (most privileged, almost no gov. regulations and taxes)
4. Pastoral people (Mostly Sunni)
Women in the Ottoman Empire:
Their positions were somewhat better than other Muslim societies. Laws were more tolerant in defining legal status. Turkish traditions regarded women as almost equal to men. They were allowed to own and inherit property. No forced marriages, and sometimes allowed divorce.
Architecture in the Ottoman Empire:
Borrowed from the Byzantines to model there mosques. Sihan: greatest Ottoman architect who built 81 mosques
Art in the Ottoman Empire:
Produced pottery, rugs, silks, jewelry, arms, and amor. Flourishing of textiles and rugs in the 16th century.

The pressure to conform to traditional religious beliefs, called religious orthodoxy, increased. For example, Persian women had considerable freedom during the early empire. That changed as they were now forced into seclusion and required to wear a veil. Treatment of non-Muslims deteriorated as well.

Sikhism also known as Sikhi is an Indian religion that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, around the end of the 15th century CE.
Nanak, the first Guru, founded Sikhism. He taught that God is formless, all-powerful, all-loving, and without fear or hate. God revealed that everyone was a child of God and all faiths are different paths towards the same creator. Achieve unity with God through service to humanity, meditation, and honest labor. Prohibited discrimination on caste, race, religion, or gender.

Mehmed II: Mid 1400s; Defeated the Byzantine Empire; Captured Constantinople; Conquests included the Anatolian and Bulkan Peninsula.
Selim I: Early 1500s; Conquests include Mesopotamia, Egypt, Arabia, and a portion of Hungary; Declared himself the new Caliph; Theocratic Rule; Expanded the Empire
Suleyman I: Mid 1500s; Dominated the Mediterranean Sea; Conquests include North Africa; Longest Reigning Sultan; Doubled the Empire; Ruled During the "Golden Age"; Called the "Lawgiver" because he was very strict
Selim II: Succeeded Suleyman. Was called the "Sot" or "the drunken sultan"; He allowed ministers to exercise more power; Training of officials declined and senior positions were assigned to the sons/daughters of elites; Members of the elite formed a group seeking power and wealth (Sultan became servant of ruling class); Local officials became corrupt.

Took the Safavid Empire into its golden age, created an empire that took the best out of all neighboring cultures including Ottomans and Persians, reformed military and civilian life in the empire.

The Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful buildings in India, was built by Shāh Jahān as a Tomb in memory of his wife. It took 20 years to construct and brought peasants into complete poverty since the government paid for it. Even so, it is a gorgeous example of the Mogul architectural style (a style influenced by Indian and Persian architecture).

He is an aggressive British Empire Builder, and chief representative of East India company. His forces redistricted the French to a few small territories.

Sultan: The supreme authority in a political and military sense under the Selijuk Turks and the Ottomans, hereditary (caused division).
Grand Vizier: A chief minister who carried the main burdens of the state, led the meeting of the council
Pashas: Appointed officials of the Ottoman Empire who collected taxes, maintained law and order, and was directly responsible to the Sultans Court.
Topkapi Palace: Center of the Sultan's power, built in 15th century by Mehmed II, had an administrative purpose but also private residence
Ulema: A group of religious scholars who served as advisors to the Sultan, administered the legal system and schools
Religious tolerance in the Ottoman Empire: Non-Muslims tolerated. They had to pay a tax, but were allowed the practice their religion or to convert to Islam.

Esmail sent shia preachers into the Anatolian Peninsula to convert Turkish tribes in the Ottoman Empire. Angered Ottoman Emperor.
Battle of Tabīz:
In 1508, Esmail ordered the massacre of Sunni Muslims when he conquered Baghdad. Selim I, advanced against the Ṣafavids in Persia. With their muskets and artillery, the Ottomans won a major battle near Tabrīz. However, a few years later, Esmā‘īl regained Tabrīz.
1580s:
Ottomans captured Azerbaijan and used their fleet to take control of the Caspian Sea. This forced Shah Abbās to sign a peace treaty and the Safavids lost much of their northwestern territory. They moved the capital to Eşfahān.

The five K's: collection of items Sikhs must carry at all times. They are the markers of the Sikh identity.
Kesh (uncut hair)
Kara (a steel bracelet)
Kanga (a wooden comb)
Kaccha (cotton underwear)
Kirpan (steel sword)

An English company formed in 1600 to develop trade with the new British colonies in India and southeastern Asia. Officials offended Indian allies, alienated local populations. (DO NOT CONFUSE WITH THE WEST INDIA COMPANY WHICH IS DUTCH)

-Europeans's opened sea trading routes with East Asia and used the overland trade routes (which were in the Ottoman Empire) less, causing economic problems for Empire
-Ottomans did not invest in manufacturing
-Guilds had strict price regulations, could not compete with inexpensive manufactured goods from Europe (little money for military expansion).

janissary - a soldier in the elite guard of the Ottoman Turks
successor - one that follows, especially one who succeeds to a throne or an office
gunpowder empire - an empire formed by outside conquerors who unified the regions they conquered through their mastery of firearms
sultan - “holder of power”; the military and political head of state under the Seljuk Turks and the Ottomans
domain - a territory over which control is exercised
harem - “sacred place”; the private domain of an Ottoman sultan, where he and his wives resided
grand vizier - the Ottoman sultan’s chief minister who carried the main burdens of the state and who led the council meetings
pasha - an appointed official of the Ottoman Empire who collected taxes, maintained law and order, and was directly responsible to the sultan’s court
ulema - a group of religious scholars who served as advisors to the Ottoman sultan; this group administered the legal system and schools for educating Muslims
shah - the ruler of Iran or Persia













administrator - one who manages the affairs of a government or a business
successor - a person who follows someone else in an office or a job.
conform - to adhere to rules or standards; to fit in
orthodoxy - traditional beliefs, especially in religion
anarchy - political disorder; lawlessness
zamindar - a local official in Mogul India who received a plot of farmland
authority - power; person in command
principle - a fundamental law or idea; when said of people someone is highly principled), it means a devotion to high codes or rules of conduct
suttee - the Hindu custom of cremating a widow on her husband’s funeral pyre
bazaar - market that provided citizens with a variety of goods and merchandise

Battle of Plassey in 1757 by the British under Clive over Siraj-ud-daula that established British supremacy over Bengal.