Global 11.3 Muslim Empires

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 * Muslim armies invaded and overtook India. India was a country of diversity with Hindus, Buddhists, and now Muslim leaders.
 * A mix of the Muslim and Hindu beliefs originated in India during this time period, called Sikhism. It tried to combine the hatred of idol worship and the "unity of god."
 * The Mughal empire was an Islamic Indian state. A young ruler named Jahangir was a weak ruler that let his wife, Nur Jahan, do most of the leading. After her death, he was devastated, and built a massive tomb for her, the Taj Mahal.
 * Thanks to the rise of new weapons, the Turkish Ottomans and the Safavids ruled the Middle East and parts of eastern Europe. This is sometimes called the "Age of Gunpowder Empires."
 * The most famous Ottoman ruler was Suleiman the Magnificent, or, as he was called by his own people, the "Lawgiver." Suleiman was an excellent military leader and capable political ruler.
 * The Ottomans separated their society into four parts:
 * Men of the Pen
 * Scientists, lawyers, poets, a philosophers
 * Men of the Sword
 * Soldiers
 * Men of the Negotiation
 * Tax collectors, merchants, and artisans
 * Men of Husbandry
 * Farmers and herders
 * The Safavid were Turkish Muslims that ruled in present day Iran, stuck between the Sunni Ottomans and the Mughals in India. The Shiite Safavids were constantly at war.
 * Shah 'Abbas the Great' is the most well-known Safavid ruler. He centralized government power and created a strong military. He reduced tax on farmers, encouraging industry and created tolerant policies for non-Muslims. The Safavid culture flourished under his rule.