Muslim Empires The importance of Islam to Europe between 1500 and 1800 lies in the contributions it made to European society such as architecture, military, medicine and technology. Even though Europe had an ethnocentric attitude and thought that other civilizations were “inferior,” they used their knowledge for themselves. Like the military, everything about the Muslim social order revolved around warfare, which was how empires prospered and conquered lands. They were ready for war. But they weren't just power-hungry, they knew how to rule their empire and make it run smoothly. One example is their agriculture, they had restricted planting and harvesting to science and used overproduction to feed millions of people. Muslim empires also developed in the arts, sciences, and mathematics, which is why the teaching of Islam was the foundation of what we are learning today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayOne of the Muslim empires that expanded into what is now Iraq and Egypt were the Ottoman Turks. These people were mostly war-oriented, which is how they defeated their rivals and rapidly expanded their empires. The Turks grew so quickly thanks to strong leadership and maintained a warrior aristocracy. This social class of soldiers was given control over the land and peasants. As they grew up, they wanted direct control of the Ottoman bureaucracy. Captured prisoners who were strong enough to fight were placed in an infantry division called the Janissaries. They too were legally slaves, were educated and later converted. The Janissaries were vital in defending against enemy attacks from Christian and Muslim adversaries. As the Ottoman Empire continued to prosper, the future sultans began to weaken, due to their riches and good fortune. Sultans focused on being remembered by building elaborate mosques rather than strengthening communication and security throughout the empire. The fact that the sultans were relaxed and thought that no one could conquer their empire led to their downfall. Another important empire was that of the Mughals, who were Muslims. Shah Akbar made huge reforms to society during his rule, such as giving women the opportunity to pursue education and encouraging widows to remarry. Along with these reforms Akbar tolerated different religious practices during his rule, such as Hindu and Muslim. It also provided education to the lower classes, so that they could advance in life. It also gave women power over political offices. It was the first time in history that women realized they could assume an influential position. What many people don't realize is that Europe's knowledge comes from the Islamic teaching of mathematics and design that is put into buildings. They also brought spices, different clothes and the Islamic religion to Central Asia. Islamic societies set high standards when it comes to beautiful places of worship, expensive courtyards and gardens. It is not known that Europe took them as an example and tried to build palaces and courts in their image. We haven't really realized how mixed our society is and where foreigners and natives begin. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The Ottomans ruled with ambition, took over the lands of fallen Constantinople, and conquered villages and kingdoms until the Empire expanded.