HIST 311B Gunpowder Empires of Islam: the Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals
In the early modern period, while Spanish explorers were crossing the Atlantic, the Islamic world was dominated by three highly complex, religiously distinct empires. The Ottomans of Europe and the Middle East, the Safavids of Iran, and the Mughals of India have left us some of the world's major cultural landmarks, from the Taj Mahal to Istanbul's Blue Mosque. This course explores the major role played by these three empires in the history of the early modern world. In particular, we will examine each empire's society and economy, their relations and rivalries with each other, and their evolving connections to European powers from the 14th to the 19th centuries. A variety of secondary and primary sources will facilitate an in-depth view of three empires whose legacies are still felt in the modern societies of Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia.