The Great Safavid Empire

The Safavid Empire can be seen as one of the greatest of the empires in the Middle East. There are multiple reasons why I feel this way, some of which are the trade networks, art, culture, and the growth of Isfahan. As trade grew in this empire, other countries such as Europe were astounded by the variety of goods that the Safavid Empire had to offer. Some of the goods that the Safavid Empire offered were sugar, bread, and silk. Due to trade, culture as well the growth of Isfahan developed. As quoted in class Isfahan was considered "half the world." I feel that this is true due to the beauty and prestige of this capital.

The Safavid Empire is truly one to be admired by the rest of the world. For centuries, it was one of the most powerful empires aside from the Ottomon Empire. It shared various aspects with the Ottomon Empire (such as the establishment of well put out laws), but the Safavids stood out in different ways. While the Ottomons used much of the Kanun law, the Safavids were less secular about their laws.

In these different ways, the Safavids shined out from their fellow empire builders and established themself as extremely successful.

The Ottoman Empire and Military Prosperity

I was amazed to hear that during the Ottoman Empire’s reign, they developed one of the most powerful militaries along with weaponry. From 1299 to 1923 the Ottoman Empire was feared by a multitude of countries including Europe. During their reign, they acquired complex military techniques as well as advanced weapons. Their military system consisted of Janissary, Sipahi, Akinic, and Mehterân. Each unit played a significant role in the way the Ottoman military functioned. Another attribute that the Ottoman Empire obtained, that no other empire or country attained, was gun powder. With the discovery of gun powder, the Ottoman military was able to delve into the technology of modern weapons. For example instead of using daggers, the Ottoman soldiers were able to develop weapons such as muskets and cannons. Because of this, Ottoman soldiers were able to vanquish their enemies from any distance.

World Religions

After today’s class I was interested in how easy it is to practice the Islamic religion. Unlike other religions, such as Catholicism and Buddhism, Islam is relatively easy to practice due to its one teaching. The religion Islam teaches that if you just practice the five pillars you are being a devoted worshiper of Islam. The five pillars consist of faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophet-hood of Muhammad, the establishment of the daily prayers, the concern for and almsgiving to the needy, self-purification through fasting, and the pilgrimage to Makkah. With the completion of these of the Five Pillars you can be considered devoted to the Islamic faith.