Section IV: The Ottoman and Safavid Section IV: The Ottoman and Safavid EmpiresEmpires

(Pages 190-193)(Pages 190-193)

This section is about:This section is about: How the Ottoman Turks How the Ottoman Turks

realized their dream to realized their dream to unite Muslims in the unite Muslims in the Middle East and parts of Middle East and parts of Europe under one vast Europe under one vast empire.empire.

The Safavids – Shiite The Safavids – Shiite Muslims who took Muslims who took power from the Sunni power from the Sunni Muslims of the Ottoman Muslims of the Ottoman EmpireEmpire

While the While the MughalsMughals ruled in India, the ruled in India, the Ottomans and the Ottomans and the Safavid Empires Safavid Empires dominated the dominated the Middle East and Middle East and parts of Europe.parts of Europe.

They wanted to expand their Muslim Empire throughout the Middle East and Europe.

The OttomansThe Ottomans expanded their empire expanded their empire and even conquered some Byzantine and even conquered some Byzantine

territoriesterritories By 1354, they were in part of By 1354, they were in part of

Europe and much of Turkey.Europe and much of Turkey. By 1450, all that was left of By 1450, all that was left of

Byzantine control was the Byzantine control was the Constantinople area.Constantinople area.

In 1453, even that was gone. In 1453, even that was gone. People thought it couldn’t be People thought it couldn’t be

attacked ( a big chain kept attacked ( a big chain kept ships from getting in to the ships from getting in to the harbor)harbor)

The Ottoman ruler had his The Ottoman ruler had his ships taken apart and re-ships taken apart and re-assembled on the other side.assembled on the other side.

The last Byzantine emperor The last Byzantine emperor (Constantine XI) was killed (Constantine XI) was killed and the city fell.and the city fell.

The greatest Ottoman sultan was SuleimanThe greatest Ottoman sultan was Suleiman(This was the golden age of the Ottomans)(This was the golden age of the Ottomans)

Laws were re-written Laws were re-written and made more fair.and made more fair.

Mosques, schools, Mosques, schools, baths, hospitals, baths, hospitals, bridges, and covered bridges, and covered markets were built.markets were built.

Most homes had water.Most homes had water. Markets sold things Markets sold things

from all over the world.from all over the world. Artists, craftspeople Artists, craftspeople

and writers developed and writers developed their skills.their skills.

The Ottomans did have 4 social The Ottomans did have 4 social classesclasses

The SultanThe Sultan Men of the Pen (scientists, judges, lawyers, and poets)Men of the Pen (scientists, judges, lawyers, and poets) Men of the Sword (soldiers who protected the Sultan)Men of the Sword (soldiers who protected the Sultan) Men of Negotiation (tax collectors, merchants, and Men of Negotiation (tax collectors, merchants, and

artisans)artisans) Men of Husbandry (herders and farmers who produced Men of Husbandry (herders and farmers who produced

food)food)

The Ottomans organized all non-The Ottomans organized all non-Muslims into groups called millets Muslims into groups called millets

(religious communities)(religious communities)

This helped reduce This helped reduce conflicts (they didn’t conflicts (they didn’t live in the middle of live in the middle of each other).each other).

Ottomans also Ottomans also required Christians to required Christians to give their sons to the give their sons to the sultan to be trained sultan to be trained as soldiers or as soldiers or government officialsgovernment officials

They would then They would then probably lose contact probably lose contact with their families.with their families.

The Ottoman’s stayed in power The Ottoman’s stayed in power until the late 1700’suntil the late 1700’s

When it lost some When it lost some land to Russia…land to Russia…

……and in the and in the 1800’s when 1800’s when Greece won it’s Greece won it’s independence.independence.

They also lost They also lost some territory to some territory to France and Great France and Great Britain.Britain.

By 1914 – all goneBy 1914 – all gone

The Safavid Empire lasted The Safavid Empire lasted (in Persia) from 1501-1722(in Persia) from 1501-1722

They were Shiite They were Shiite Muslims who Muslims who enforced their enforced their beliefs throughout beliefs throughout their empire.their empire.

The Ottomans The Ottomans were Sunni were Sunni Muslims (who Muslims (who hated the Shiites)hated the Shiites)

So there were So there were constant wars constant wars between the two.between the two.

Shah Abbas I…Shah Abbas I…((ShahShah means king) means king)

Was leader at the height of Was leader at the height of their power.their power.

He kept Spain and Portugal He kept Spain and Portugal out of his empire.out of his empire.

Europeans even asked for Europeans even asked for his help against the his help against the Ottomans.Ottomans.

Persian culture had a re-Persian culture had a re-birth at the time (paintings, birth at the time (paintings, porcelains, cloths, rugs)porcelains, cloths, rugs)

Improved the capital - Improved the capital - Isfahan – with religious Isfahan – with religious monuments, mosques, monuments, mosques, palaces, gardens, hospitals...palaces, gardens, hospitals...

Strengthened the military, Strengthened the military, the government, and Islam.the government, and Islam.

But Shah Abbas trusted no-oneBut Shah Abbas trusted no-one He had his sons blinded or He had his sons blinded or

put to death to avoid power put to death to avoid power struggles.struggles.

He disguised himself and He disguised himself and walked around with regular walked around with regular people to try and find out people to try and find out what was going on – and if what was going on – and if they said they had a they said they had a problem with something, problem with something, he’d do what he could to he’d do what he could to help.help.

After he died, there was a After he died, there was a struggle between the Sunni struggle between the Sunni and Shiite Muslims.and Shiite Muslims.

A group of Afghan Sunni A group of Afghan Sunni Muslims rebelled and Muslims rebelled and captured Isfahan.captured Isfahan.Shah Abbas: British exhibition

Of Abbas' five sons, three had survived past childhood, so the Safavid Of Abbas' five sons, three had survived past childhood, so the Safavid succession seemed secure. He was on good terms with the crown succession seemed secure. He was on good terms with the crown prince, Mohammed Baqir Mirza. In 1614, however, the shah heard prince, Mohammed Baqir Mirza. In 1614, however, the shah heard rumors that the prince was conspiring against his life. Shortly after, rumors that the prince was conspiring against his life. Shortly after, Mohammed Baqir broke protocol during a hunt by killing a boar before Mohammed Baqir broke protocol during a hunt by killing a boar before the shah had chance to put his spear in. This seemed to confirm Abbas’ the shah had chance to put his spear in. This seemed to confirm Abbas’ suspicions and he no longer trusted any of his three sons. In 1615, he suspicions and he no longer trusted any of his three sons. In 1615, he decided he had no choice but to have Mohammed killed. A Circassian decided he had no choice but to have Mohammed killed. A Circassian executed the Shah’s orders and the prince was murdered. The shah executed the Shah’s orders and the prince was murdered. The shah almost immediately regretted his action and was plunged into grief.almost immediately regretted his action and was plunged into grief.

In 1621, Abbas fell seriously ill. His second son thought he was on his In 1621, Abbas fell seriously ill. His second son thought he was on his deathbed and began to celebrate his accession to the throne with his deathbed and began to celebrate his accession to the throne with his supporters. But the shah recovered and punished his son with blinding, supporters. But the shah recovered and punished his son with blinding, which would disqualify him from ever taking the throne. The blinding which would disqualify him from ever taking the throne. The blinding was only partially successful and the prince’s followers planned to was only partially successful and the prince’s followers planned to smuggle him out of the country to safety with the Great Mughal whose smuggle him out of the country to safety with the Great Mughal whose aid they would use to overthrow Abbas and install Mohammed (2aid they would use to overthrow Abbas and install Mohammed (2ndnd) on ) on the throne. But the plot was betrayed, the prince’s followers were the throne. But the plot was betrayed, the prince’s followers were executed and the prince himself imprisoned where he would later be executed and the prince himself imprisoned where he would later be murdered by Abbas’ successor.murdered by Abbas’ successor.

His third and last son, now became the crown prince. Abbas groomed His third and last son, now became the crown prince. Abbas groomed him carefully for the throne but, for whatever reason, in 1627, he had him carefully for the throne but, for whatever reason, in 1627, he had him partially blinded and imprisoned.him partially blinded and imprisoned.

Unexpectedly, Abbas now chose as heir the son of Mohammed Baqir Unexpectedly, Abbas now chose as heir the son of Mohammed Baqir Mirza (1Mirza (1stst), Sam Mirza, a cruel and introverted character who was said ), Sam Mirza, a cruel and introverted character who was said to loathe his grandfather because of his father’s murder. It was he who to loathe his grandfather because of his father’s murder. It was he who in fact did succeed Shah Abbas at the age of seventeen in 1629, taking in fact did succeed Shah Abbas at the age of seventeen in 1629, taking the name Shah Safi. Abbas’s health was troubled from 1621 onwards. the name Shah Safi. Abbas’s health was troubled from 1621 onwards. He died at his palace in 1629.He died at his palace in 1629.

The Shah-namehThe Shah-nameh

is a long epic poem written is a long epic poem written between c. 977 and 1010 between c. 977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic AD and is the national epic of Iran and related of Iran and related societies. societies.

Consisting of some 60,000 Consisting of some 60,000 verses, the verses, the ShahnamehShahnameh tells mainly the mythical tells mainly the mythical and to some extent the and to some extent the historical past of Iran from historical past of Iran from the creation of the world the creation of the world until the Islamic conquest of until the Islamic conquest of Persia in the 7th century.Persia in the 7th century.

The work is of central The work is of central importance in Persian importance in Persian culture, regarded as a culture, regarded as a literary masterpiece, and literary masterpiece, and definitive of the cultural definitive of the cultural identity of Iran. identity of Iran.

This book was given to Shah Abbas in 1614. It’s now at the New York Public Library.

60,000 verses

It’s the history of the kings of Persia from mythical times