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Osman Bey founded the Ottoman Empire. He put pressure on the Byzantines by taking border towns and continually pushing in. Before dying of old age, he successfully led a force against the Byzantine city of Bursa, which became the Ottoman capital. In the years after his death he became a legendary figure in Ottoman literature, much like George Washington in the America.
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Discover the OttomansOne of the Gunpowder Empires. At it's height it stretched accross three continents. It played an important role in the interactions between the East and West for over 600 years.
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Mehmed II was a great conqueor. Under his guidance the Turks took Constantinople, Anatolia, and land as far toward Europe as Bosnia and Croatia.
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Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks following a lengthy seige. This signified the end of the Byzantine Empire and the end of the Post Classical Era. The city would become the new capital of the Ottoman Empire.
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Shah Ismail I founded the Safavid Dynasty. He was intrumental in converting Iran from Sunni to Shia Islam. He reined until his death in 1524
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Info on the SafavidsOf the Islamic Empires, the Safavids had the strictest adherance to an offical state sect of Islam. They reestablished Persia as the power between the East and West.
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Under Selim's rule, the Ottoman Empire expanded greatly. The Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt fell and Sham, Hejaz, Tihamah, and Egypt joined the growing empire.
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A battle that was fought between the Ottomans and the Safavids. The Ottomans, equipped with modern weapons, won easily. This almost destroyed the Safavids. Ishmail I retired from government after this battle. However, this battle led the Safavids to institute major reforms.
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Suleiman I, also known as Suleiman the Magnificent began his reign which lasted from 1520-1566. Under his rule, the Ottoman Empire reached its golden age.
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Under the leadership of Suleyman the Magnificent, the Ottomans capture Belegrade. This opened up a path into Europe.
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Shāh Tahmāsp was the son of Ishmail. He took the throne following a civil war over succession. He helped the Mughal Emperor Humayun regain his throne following a rebellion.
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Brief History of the Mughal EmpireOne of the Gunpowder Empires. The Muhgals were the first imperial power in India following centuries of fragmentation.
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Babur was a Central Asian conqueor who established the Mughal Dynasty. He was descended from Timur and Genghis Khan.
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The Mughal Empire reached its height under him. Art reached a zenith and other religions were tolerated.
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Ahmad Sirhindi was an important religious leader. He earned the nickname "reviver of the second millennium" because of his work reviving Islam in the Mughal Empire.
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Seeking to convert him and India, Jesuits visited the court of Akbar the Great. He welcomed them but declined to convert as he felt that it would alienate his countrymen.
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The Safavid Empire was troubled when Abbas I began to reign. The Ottomans and the Uzbeks were pushing in and political choas abounded at home. Abbas instituted reforms to reorganize the army and reduce the influence of the Qizilbash.
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Following Ottoman attacks, the capital of the Safavid Empire was relocated from Baghdad to Isfahan. As a result Isfahan became a prosperous and cultured city.
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Treaty between the Ottomans and the Safavids. It was signed after a successful Safavid campaign to regain lost territory. The Ottoman Empire was weakened by a long war with the Holy Roman Empire and both the Ottoman Army Commanders died, leaving the army without strong leadership.
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The Safavids combined forces with the English to expel the Portuguese from Hormuz. This would profoundly change Middle Eastern trade.
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It is a tomb for the third wife of the Emperor Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Majal. Many regard it as "the jewel of Muslim art in India". It is perhaps the most iconic monument in India today.
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Aurangzeb was the last of the great Mughal rulers. He successfully expanded into the south. He abandoned the policies of toleration Akbar had followed and instead persecuted non-Muslims. He also started the 27 Years War, which would lead to the downfall of the Mughals.
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Aurangzeb invaded the Maratha Empire. Despite a large military advantage, the Mughals would lose this war. This destroyed the faith of the people in the government. The Mughals would retain control over only Delhi for the next century.
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The Empire came under pressure from many sources: the Mughals to the East, Ottowmans to the West, Russians to the North, and British/Dutch to the South. As a result, the government went into decline and eventually was overthrown.
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The last Mughal Emperor supported the Indian Rebellion of 1857. This led the British to take over Delhi, ending the Mughal Dynasty.
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The Empire had been in decline for years, racked by corruption and poor governance. Finally, the Sultanate was abolished, ending the Ottoman Empire after 623 years.
