👩‍💻👨‍💻Discussion # 8, Hist 1.1: Tolerance in the Islamic Empires

Topic: Tolerance in the Islamic Empires

Image: Ottoman Court  

Three powerful Islamic empires emerged in India and southwest Asia after the fifteenth century. Turkish warriors and charismatic leaders established first the Ottoman empire, then the Safavid dynasty in Persia (1502), and finally the Mughal dynasty in India (1526). Three distinct empires emerged by blending a variety of cultures and traditions. Yet there are some striking similarities, including:

• Autocratic rule. All three empires began as military states in which all power and prestige centered on the person of the ruler. All three were plagued by problems of succession from one ruler to the next.
• Islamic faith. All three empires embraced Islam. Sizeable Christian minorities in the Ottoman Empire and a large Hindu majority in India forced those rulers to craft policies of religious toleration. The Safavid dynasty followed the Shia sect of Islam, which brought them into conflict with their Sunni Ottoman neighbors.
• Inward-looking policies. Although all three Islamic states maintained power through the military, neither the Safavid nor the Mughal dynasties developed a navy or a merchant fleet. Military resources were concentrated on defending inland borders. The Ottoman did have a powerful navy at one time, but by the eighteenth century, Ottoman armaments were outmoded and usually of European manufacture.
• Agricultural economies. Agriculture was the basis of the Islamic empires, and the majority of the population was engaged in raising and processing food. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Ottoman and Safavid populations grew slowly; the population in India grew more dramatically.
• Ambivalence toward foreign trade. All three empires existed along important historic trade routes and derived benefit from their locations. The Safavids actively encouraged foreign trade. However, none of the three states sent merchants abroad or encouraged new industries.

Directions: Write two posts, first answer the questions, and then respond to a classmate

Post # 1: Read your textbook and notes, do some careful research, and watch the videos. This involves some role-playing: Pretend you are an adviser to one of the rulers of the Islamic Empires (Ottoman, Safavid, or Mughal). You think tolerance of other cultures and faiths makes the empire stronger and prosperous. What advise would you give to your ruler to encourage him to be tolerant and open to other cultures and faiths? How would this tolerance favor your empire? How would it favor the ruler?

See the Discussion Guidelines for more information. This post should be concise and address all parts of the prompt. Your points will be based on completion of the assignment (based on the rubric) and whether you use support from the text, lecture, or internet--6 points total, 3 for your initial post and 3 for replying to someone's post. Your post should be about a paragraph long and your reply to someone's post should be a paragraph as well.

I recommend that you create your initial post by July 27, at 11:59 pm so that others may have an opportunity to reply.

Post # 2: You must also contribute a Response to 1 classmate's post: Pretend you are a different adviser and you think that tolerance of foreign ideas and cultures undermines your religion and weakens the political stability of the empire. How would showing more tolerance make your society unstable? How would foreigners have a negative influence on your people? Read another adviser's post encouraging tolerance and reply to their statement.

Posts can have more than one reply. Follow the netiquette guidelines below and use evidence to support or disagree with the original post. This is not a place for insults or arguments. Please use proper language such as "Your ideas are interesting, but I disagree..."

Your Response is due by July 28, at 11:59 pm.

• • • • • This assignment is worth 6 points, 3 for your initial post and 3 for your reply to someone else's post
        • Turning this assignment in late will result in loss of 1 point per day, up to 3 points
        • Click on the reply button, below to get started

Expected Learning Outcome:

Students will critically analyze two different points of view about tolerance in the Islamic Empires

Rubric: To view the rubric attached to this discussion, click on the gear box in the upper right and select Show Rubric

Netiquette:

• Be kind and respectful to others
• Use full sentences
• Avoid jargon and acronyms
• Use language that supports others