Unit 3 land-based empires Flashcards
Qing Dynasty
The last imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Ming Dynasty and succeeded by the People’s Republic. Formed the territorial base for the modern Chinese state. Founded in 1644 by the Manchus and ruled China for more than 260 years, until 1912. Expanded China’s borders to include Taiwan, Tibet, Chinese Central Asia, and Mongolia.
Manchus
Northeast Asian peoples who defeated the Ming Dynasty and founded the Qing Dynasty in 1644, which was the last of China’s imperial dynasties.
Mughal Empire
Muslim state (1526-1857) exercising dominion over most of India in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Ottoman Empire
Islamic state founded by Osman in northwestern Anatolia. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire was based at Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) from 1453-1922. It encompassed lands in the Middle East, North Africa, the Caucasus, and eastern Europe.
Safavid Empire
A Shi’ite Muslim dynasty that ruled in Persia (Iran and parts of Iraq) from the 16th-18th centuries that had a mixed culture of the Persians, Ottomans and Arabs.
Songhai
a West African empire that conquered Mali and controlled trade from the into the 16th century; eventually defeated by the Moroccans who were broke after fighting with Portugal
Devshirme
‘Selection’ in Turkish. The system by which boys from Christian communities were taken by the Ottoman state to serve as Janissaries (elite military units utilized by the Ottomans)
Janissary
elite Ottoman guard (trained as foot soldiers or administrators) recruited from the Christian population through the devshirme system, that often converted to Islam
Samurai
Class of warriors in feudal Japan who pledged loyalty to a noble in return for land.
Divine Right
the idea that monarchs are God’s representatives on earth and are therefore answerable only to God.
Absolute Monarchy
A system of government in which the head of state is a hereditary position and the king or queen has almost complete power
Versailles
Palace constructed by Louis XIV outside of Paris to glorify his rule and subdue the nobility.
Zamindars
Archaic tax system of the Mughal empire where decentralized lords collected tribute for the emperor.
Taj Mahal
beautiful mausoleum (tomb) at Agra (India) built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (completed in 1649) in memory of his favorite wife; illustrates syncretic blend between Indian and Arabic architectural styles
Tax Farming
To generate money for territorial expansion Ottoman rulers used this tax-collection system. Under this system the government hires private individuals to go out and collect taxes for them.