Land-Based Empires (1450-1750) Glossary

Chinese merit-based system selecting officials through competitive exams on Confucian classics.

Ottoman system of recruiting Christian boys for conversion and training as Janissary soldiers or administrators.

Imperial palace complex in Beijing built by the Ming dynasty as the symbolic center of the universe.

Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires whose power rested on firearms and artillery.

Elite Ottoman infantry corps originally composed of devshirme recruits.

Tax levied on non-Muslim subjects in Islamic empires.

Chinese concept that the right to rule is granted by heaven and withdrawn from unjust rulers.

Ottoman system granting religious communities internal self-governance.

Manchu-founded dynasty (1644-1912) that expanded China to its largest territorial extent.

Persian empire (1501-1736) that established Shia Islam as the state religion.

Branch of Islam believing leadership should follow the Prophet Muhammad family line through Ali.

Ottoman sultan (r. 1520-1566) who presided over the empire at its cultural and territorial peak.

Largest branch of Islam, following the elected caliphs after Muhammad.

Chinese diplomatic framework where neighboring states acknowledged Chinese superiority in exchange for trade access.

Mughal revenue collection system using local elites to gather taxes from peasants.