Islamic Gunpowder Empires: Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals

The Islamic Gunpowder Empires in World Historyis an accessible introduction to and a provocative interpretation of the history of the Ottoman, Safavi, and Mughal empires. It provides a succinct and comprehensive account of their political, military, economic and social histories, which reflects current historiography. Its comparative methodology clarifies the military and institutional structures of the empires and their evolution from earlier political formations and reveals the political consequences of the diffusion of gunpowder weapons in different contexts. Usable as text for courses in Islamic civilization or world history, it also offers new and stimulating insights for serious scholars of the subject.

Douglas E. Streusand has studied Islamic civilization for thirty years. He is associate professor of international relations at the US Marine Corps Command & Staff College and holds adjunct appointments at the Institute of World Politics and American Military University. He has previously taught at the University of Maryland College Park, University of Maryland University College, and The Johns Hopkins University School of Continuing Studies. His publications include The Formation of the Mughal Empire and numerous articles and reviews.