Ottoman and Spanish Empires (1450-1750)

OTTOMAN EMPIRE: 1.The Ottoman Empire was the Islamic world’s most important empire in the early modern period 2. long conflict (1534–1639) between Sunni Ottomans and Shia Safavids 3. the Ottoman Empire was the site of a significant cross-cultural encounter a. in Anatolia, most of the conquered Christians converted to Islam b. in the Balkans, Christian subjects mostly remained Christian i. few Turkish settlers in the region ii. Ottomans accommodated the Christian churches 4. in the Balkans, many Christians welcomed Ottoman conquest a. Ottoman taxed less and were less oppressive b. Christian churches received considerable autonomy c. Balkan elites were accepted among the Ottoman elite without conversion 5. Jewish refugees from Spain had more opportunities in the Ottoman Empire 6. devshirme: tribute of boys paid by Christian Balkan communities a. boys were converted to Islam, trained to serve the state b. the devshirme was a means of upward social mobility 7. the Ottoman state threatened Christendom a. Europeans worried about a Muslim takeover of all Europe 8. some Europeans admired Ottoman rule a. philosopher Jean Bodin (sixteenth century) praised Ottoman religious tolerance b. European merchants evaded papal bans on selling firearms to the Turks c. Ottoman women