AROUND THE AP WORLD DAY 64: MUGHALS & TOKUGAWA JAPAN

Summary

This video script covers the history of two powerful land-based empires: the Mughal Empire and the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Mughals, descendants of the Delhi Sultanate, used gunpowder to expand their territory and practice religious tolerance under their greatest ruler, Akbar the Great. The empire ultimately fell under Aurangzeb’s less tolerant reign. The Tokugawa Shogunate, while geographically isolated, maintained control over Japan by implementing a closed-country policy, restricting foreign influence except for Dutch trade. The script explores how these empires rose to power, their governance styles, and how they dealt with foreign influences, ultimately shaping their respective legacies.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Mughals inherited the Delhi Sultanate by overthrowing its rulers, using gunpowder as a critical tool for their conquest.
• 😀 Gunpowder was essential for the rise of many early modern empires, not just Islamic ones, but also the Manchu, Russian, and Spanish empires.
• 😀 Akbar the Great was the most famous Mughal ruler, known for his religious tolerance and efforts to understand different belief systems.
• 😀 The Mughal Empire ruled over a diverse population, including a large Hindu majority, which required them to practice religious tolerance for stability.
• 😀 The Mughal tax system involved local elites called zamindars, who were tasked with collecting taxes, a method similar to tax farming.
• 😀 The Mughal Empire began to decline under Aurangzeb, whose lack of tolerance contributed to resistance from Hindu groups like the Marathas.
• 😀 The Mughal Empire is known for its monumental architecture, such as the Taj Mahal, which remains a symbol of their legacy.
• 😀 The Tokugawa Shogunate was a land-based empire that ruled Japan, but it did not engage in global expansion like European empires.
• 😀 The Tokugawa Shogunate implemented the policy of sakoku (locked country), isolating Japan from most foreign influences, except China, Korea, and the Dutch.
• 😀 Japan’s knowledge of the outside world during the Tokugawa period came primarily through the Dutch, and this was referred to as 'Dutch learning.'
• 😀 The Tokugawa Shogunate's isolationist policies lasted until the 1850s, when the United States forced Japan to open up through military pressure and steamships.

Q & A

What was the Mughals' connection to the Delhi Sultanate?

The Mughals were the inheritors of the Delhi Sultanate, but they took power through invasion, overthrowing the previous rulers of the Sultanate, much like the Ottomans did with the Byzantine Empire.

What role did gunpowder play in the rise of empires like the Mughals?

Gunpowder played a critical role in the rise of empires like the Mughals, as it enabled them to conquer and maintain power. The Mughals, like other empires of the period, were considered 'gunpowder empires,' relying on gunpowder-based military technology to establish dominance.

How did the Mughals rule over such a diverse population?

The Mughals, particularly under Akbar the Great, practiced religious tolerance to govern their vast and diverse population. Akbar sought to understand and respect different belief systems, ensuring peace and stability in the empire.

What is unique about Akbar the Great’s approach to religious tolerance?

Akbar went beyond mere tolerance by actively engaging with and trying to understand various religious beliefs, making him one of the most notable rulers in terms of religious policy during that period.

What was the Mughal tax collection system like?

The Mughals used a system where local elites, known as zamindars, were responsible for collecting taxes. This system resembled tax farming, where elites would gather taxes on behalf of the Mughal rulers.

Who was the last competent Mughal ruler, and what led to the empire’s decline?

The last competent ruler of the Mughal Empire was Aurangzeb. Under his rule, the empire reached its largest territorial extent, but his lack of tolerance and increasing resistance from groups like the Marathas contributed to the empire's decline.

How did the Tokugawa Shogunate maintain control over Japan despite being an island?

Despite being an island, the Tokugawa Shogunate was a land-based empire due to its political and military control over Japan. It implemented a policy of isolationism, known as sakoku, to maintain internal stability and limit foreign influence.

What was the sakoku policy, and why was it implemented?

The sakoku policy was Japan's system of isolation, implemented by the Tokugawa Shogunate to prevent European missionaries and traders from disrupting Japanese society. It restricted foreign influence, allowing trade only with China, Korea, and the Dutch.

Why were the Dutch allowed to trade with Japan during the sakoku period?

The Dutch were allowed to trade with Japan because they were considered the least invasive European group. They were restricted to trading at a designated location in Nagasaki, where they provided the Japanese with knowledge of the outside world, referred to as 'Dutch learning.'

What event led to the end of Japan’s sakoku policy?

The arrival of the United States in the 1850s, with steamships and modern military technology, pressured Japan to open its ports and end the sakoku policy, marking the beginning of Japan’s modernization and re-engagement with the outside world.