State-Building and Belief Systems: Land-Based Empires (c. 1450–1750)

Gunpowder Empires

Large, multiethnic states that relied on firearms to conquer and control territories.

Centralized Bureaucracy

Government system where power is stripped from nobility and given to appointed officials loyal to the monarch.

Devshirme System

A system in the Ottoman Empire where Christian boys were enslaved, converted to Islam, and trained to serve the state.

Janissaries

Elite military units in the Ottoman Empire formed from the Devshirme System.

Zamindars

Local officials in the Mughal Empire who collected taxes from peasants.

Tax Farming

A system where the government auctions off the right to collect taxes in a region, allowing for potential exploitation.

Sankin-kotai

The alternate attendance policy in Japan requiring Daimyo to live in Edo every other year.

Taj Mahal

A monumental structure built by Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife, showcasing Mughal architecture.

Divine Right of Kings

The belief that a king is God's representative on earth and rebellion against the king is rebellion against God.

Shi'a Islam

Branch of Islam that believes in the leadership of Muhammad's family, claimed by the Safavid Shahs.

Protestant Reformation

A religious movement beginning in 1517 that led to the fragmentation of the Catholic Church in Europe.

95 Theses

A document by Martin Luther criticizing the Catholic Church, initiating the Protestant Reformation.

Council of Trent

The Catholic Church's response to the Protestant Reformation, reaffirming Catholic doctrine.

Counter-Reformation

The Catholic Church's efforts to reform and counter the Protestant Reformation.

Battle of Chaldiran

A significant battle in 1514 where the Ottomans defeated the Safavids, defining regional religious boundaries.

Sikhism

A religion founded in the Punjab region that blended elements of Hinduism and Islam.

Din-i Ilahi

A syncretic faith created by Mughal Emperor Akbar to promote harmony among different religions.

Queue

A braided hairstyle imposed by the Qing Dynasty on Han Chinese men as a symbol of submission.

Kangxi Emperor

A Qing emperor known for expanding China's borders and ruling as a Confucian scholar.

Tokugawa Shogunate

The feudal government of Japan that enforced isolationism and established the Great Peace.

Louis XIV

The French monarch known as the 'Sun King,' who epitomized absolute monarchy.

Peter the Great

The Russian czar who modernized Russia and expanded its territory, focusing on Westernization.

Millet System

The Ottoman system that granted autonomy to non-Muslim communities in exchange for taxes.

Mughal Religious Tolerance

The policies of Akbar promoting coexistence among Hindus and Muslims during his reign.

Mughal Intolerance

The repressive policies of Aurangzeb, reinstating the jizya tax and destroying Hindu temples.

Absolutism

A political system in which a single entity rules with absolute power and authority.

Cultural Syncretism

The blending of different cultural beliefs and practices, evident in Sikhism and Din-i Ilahi.

Indulgences

Payments made to the Catholic Church to reduce punishment for sins, criticized during the Reformation.

Eastern Orthodox

Branch of Christianity dominant in Russia, influencing their religious and political identity.

Islamic Gunpowder Empires

Empires in Southwest and Central Asia that expanded using gunpowder technology, including the Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals.

Ming Dynasty

Chinese dynasty known for its reestablishment of the Civil Service Exam, affecting bureaucratic structure.

Harem Politics

Succession struggles in empires that involved intrigues within the royal household influencing governance.

Han Chinese Majority

The ethnic group that predominantly populated China and faced governance from foreign rulers like the Manchus.

Westernization

The process of adapting Western culture and technology, notably implemented by Peter the Great in Russia.

Great Schism

The division of Christianity into Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic branches in 1054.

Anglicanism

The Church of England established by Henry VIII as a result of the Protestant Reformation.

Jesuits

A religious order founded during the Counter-Reformation focused on education and conversion.

Militarization of Empires

The shift from feudal armies to professional standing armies loyal to the state in various empires.

Manchu vs. Mongol

Distinction between two foreign groups ruling China; the Qing were Manchu, while the Yuan were Mongol.

Sengoku Period

A time of political conflict in Japan before the Tokugawa Shogunate established peace.

Cultural Authority

The influence of art and architecture in legitimizing rulers' power and authority.

Gunpowder Technology

Military technology involving explosives and firearms that enabled empires to expand and consolidate power.

Religious Art as Propaganda

Use of art and architecture to promote religious legitimacy and reinforce rulers' power.

Economic Systems in Empires

Various methods used by empires to collect taxes; examples include tax farming and zamindari.