How Did The Millet System In The Ottoman Empire

    Around the years of 632-750 C.E., Islamic followers created an empire that reached across North Africa into Europe and dominated the Middle East. Due to several aspects leading up to expansion such as war, geography, and establishing an organized impressionable government, the Islamic empire grew rapidly.

The Ottoman and Safavid Empires share many similarities. Their courts were set-up alike, each empire advanced artistically, and both were deeply rooted within the Islam religion. Although these empires were alike in many ways, the form of Muslim each empire adopted were different. This paper will focus on the religion used by both empires as a pillar to governing its people, but also the differences between the sub-cultures adopted by each empire.

The Islamic empires of the Ottoman, Safivid, and Mughal were unique as they were some of the most dominant, powerful, and influential Islamic empires during their time and were considered more stable than their Islamic predecessors. These empires existed in some of the same and different eras and physical locations in the world; the Ottoman Empire existed in the 13th century through the 20th century in the modern day parts of Eastern Europe, North Africa, West Asia, and the Middle East, the Safavid Empire existed in the 16th century through the 18th century in the modern day parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, specifically in modern day country of Iran (Persia), and the Mughal Empire existed in the 16th century through 19th century in the modern day parts of Southern Asia. These empires have had a continuing influence on civilizations years beyond their existence. These empires’ Islamic religion was also directly part of their politics, but they still were able to effectively control many areas with people that did not have the same religious or political beliefs.

On a religious point of view for all the empires. The Governments in all 3 were muslim based. Mughals were the only group that was not predominately Muslim. Muslims were only a small minority Ottomans were Sunni Muslims. The Ottoman titles were claimed to be caliphs. They maintained Islamic law called Sandri'a. Only applied to Ottoman Muslims. Ottoman minorities were mostly

• Class system, those that were upper class or a minister received better land and status in community.

A medieval European social system in which land was divid into hundreds of small holdings.

The “glue” for the Ottoman Empire was ethnic and religious tolerance. Islam was also a benefit to the Empire because it was a common religion throughout the Empire, which united many people together.

It is said that the Islamic culture mirrors that of the Roman Empire in terms of expansion and longevity. The now widely practiced faith began in an area called Arabia, which neither Rome nor Persia dared conquer. From its creation, it contributed several important things to Medieval Europe and the World as a whole. It conquered a large region and gained thousands of followers.

Sultan Mahmud II and other educated Ottomans with European influence, started one of the largest reform movements in the history of the Ottoman Empire . With the Tanzimat, life in the Ottoman Empire changed significantly, changing the way Ottomans lived. The Ottoman Empire was home to a variety types nationalities, races, religions, and cultures. The Ottomans issued a new policy known as Ottomanism , where they wanted to unite these people under Tanzimat. Some of the results from this policy was the creation of a national anthem

Social classes were based on the religion. The Ottoman Empire was considered an Islamic empire because its founder was a Muslim. Unlike any other state or empire, classes were taken by religion. Muslim millets were the highest class society and were treated equally as the other millets but other religions had to pay more

Throughout history there has been many religious conflicts. Of those, the Habsburg and Ottoman Empire are two of them. The Habsburg Empire was considered a Catholic Empire and the Ottoman was an Islam Empire. Charles V owned the Habsburg Empire. He inherited castile-Aragon (Spain) and the Habsburg territories. He also became the ruler of Aztec and Inca Empires in the Americas. (Sivers, Desnoyer, Stow 2012 Pg. 537) After battling against France in 1519, Charles was the title of emperor. In 1299, Osman Bey was in charge of the Ottoman Empire when he established independent rule in Anatolia. The expansion of the Ottoman Empire began in 1453.

History has consisted of many different empires. Two of the earlier empires are known as the Ottoman Empire and the Safavid Empire. The Ottoman Empire was established around 1299 by Osman I, who was also a leader of the Turkish tribes (History.com). The Ottomans began in Asia Minor during the break down of the Turks, which later led the Ottoman Empire to expand and conquer land across Asia and Europe. While the Safavid Empire was established in 1501 east of the Ottoman Empire. The Safavid Empire emerged in modern day Iran, which was east of where the Ottoman Empire started and expanded. Both of these empires were strong in power and had many resources available to them.

The Ottoman empire began at the end of the thirteenth century when Othman united the decentralized, lawless clans. The expansion that occurred after the Mongols, instituted the Ottoman conquering technique, defeat than tax. Religious tolerance was granted within the empire, but there was a jizya, special tax, for non-Muslims. Every aspect of the complex Ottoman social order was connected, and Sufism was intertwined into some of the social groups, mainly merchants. The pattern of Sufism lead to kinship among the merchants which facilitated trade. With the psychological intimidation of gunpowder weapons and aggressive expansion, some of the Ottomans emperors even gained respect that rivaled Caesar’s. That respect was not only from a political view but also a religious view, for the emperor was also the pope. For the first time in Islamic history, a ruler of a primarily Muslim region had a role mirroring the Caesaropapism of Rome.

Because of the Ottoman and Mughal Empire being tolerant of other beliefs, people of all religions living in the empire lived in peace. The Ottomans granted freedom of worship to

At eighteen the young men began training as eirens or cadets. They probably could not fight as front-line soldiers, but might have been able to serve in the army. Eirenes acted as role models and prefects, carrying whips and administering punishments when necessary. This continued the legacy what Plato called education "not by persuasion but by violence" . The training of the young men moved to a large school, where they were drilled by older youths in a martial style. They were also expected to marry soon, but contact with wives was restricted to secret meetings.