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Empires of Power: Consolidation and Legitimization
Apr 30, 2025
Heimler's History: AP World History Unit 3 Overview
Key Theme
How land-based Empires gained and maintained power (1450-1750):
Consolidation of power
Legitimization of power
Major Empires (1450-1750)
Manchu Empire
: Chin Dynasty (China)
Mughal Empire
: South and Central Asia
Ottoman Empire
: Southern Europe, Middle East, North Africa
Safavid Empire
: Middle East
Consolidation of Power
Centralization of Bureaucracy
China
: Reinstitution of the Civil Service Examination (Chin Dynasty)
Ottomans
: Devshirme system (enslaving Christian boys)
Songhai Empire
: Control through trade, alliances, military, and court rituals
Aztec Empire
: Tribute system (less central bureaucratic power)
Tax Collection
Mughal Empire
: Zamindars as tax collectors based on land/production
Ottomans
: Tax farming system
Aztec Empire
: Tribute lists specifying goods and people (human sacrifice)
Military Support
Eurasian Empires
: Gunpowder-based weapons
Americas
: Fierce military without gunpowder
Elite Soldiers
:
Ottomans: Janissaries (enslaved Christians)
Safavids: Guls (enslaved minorities)
Aztecs: Elite enslaved soldiers (blood tax)
Legitimization of Power
Use of Religion
Islamic Empires
: Title of Caliph
Europe
: Divine right of kings
Songhai Empire
: Conversions to Islam
Religious Conflict
:
Protestant Reformation (Catholic vs. Protestant)
Ottoman-Safavid conflict (Sunni vs. Shia)
Art and Architecture
China
: Emperor portraits
Europe
: Patronage of artists
Monumental Architecture
:
Mughal Empire: Taj Mahal (tomb for Shah Jahan's wife)
France: Palace of Versailles by Louis XIV
Conclusion
Understanding these methods of consolidation and legitimization provides a framework for analyzing how historical empires maintained control.
Key to achieving high marks in AP World History exams.
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