Heimler's History: Unit 3 AP World History
Major Theme: Land-Based Empires (1450-1750)
- How did empires gain and maintain control?
- Key strategies: consolidation of power and legitimization of power
Major Empires
- Qing Dynasty (Central & Southeast Asia)
- Mughal Empire (South & Central Asia)
- Ottoman Empire (Southern Europe, Middle East, North Africa)
- Safavid Empire (Middle East)
Consolidation of Power
- Centralizing Bureaucracy
- Qing Dynasty: Reintroduced Civil Service Exam to ensure aligned leadership
- Ottoman Empire: Utilized the Devshirme system to create a loyal bureaucratic and military base
- Songhai Empire: Controlled trade routes, alliances, military expansion; used court rituals to show power
- Aztec Empire: Used a tribute system to manage a diverse empire without central bureaucracy
- Tax Collection Systems
- Mughal Empire: Emperors appointed Zamindars for tax collection based on land/production
- Ottoman Empire: Used tax farming where tax farmers collected and kept surplus taxes
- Aztec Empire: Created tribute lists for goods and people needed for religious sacrifices
- Military Support
- Relied on taxes for military funding
- Emphasized elite military units for power enforcement
- Eurasia: Gunpowder-based weapons were common
- Americas: Relied on fierce intimidation (e.g., human sacrifice)
- Elite Military Units:
- Ottomans: Janissaries (enslaved Christians)
- Safavids: Ghulams (loyal to Shah)
- Aztecs: Used a "blood tax" of enslaved people
Legitimization of Power
- Religion
- Islamic Emperors: Used title 'Caliph' to claim legitimacy
- European Kings: Claimed 'Divine Right of Kings'
- Songhai Empire: Converted rulers and nobles to Islam
- Religious Conflicts:
- Protestant Reformation in Europe split Catholics and Protestants
- Ottoman-Safavid conflict (Sunni vs. Shia)
- Art and Architecture
- China (Qing Dynasty): Commissioned emperor portraits
- Europe: Rulers patronized artists
- Monumental Architecture:
- Mughal Empire: Taj Mahal commissioned by Shah Jahan
- France: Louis XIV built Palace of Versailles to symbolize power
Conclusion
Understanding these strategies helps gain insight into how empires maintained control and influence over diverse populations through both practical governance and symbolic gestures.