Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book offers a comprehensive introduction to the three empires, intended for students and other readers with some general familiarity with world history and Islamic civilization. It attempts to bridge the gap between general texts on world and Islamic history, such as Marshall G. S. Hodgson's The Venture of Islam and Ira Lapidus's A History of Islamic Societies, and the specialized literature on the three empires. The book explains the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal success in maintaining larger, more centralized, and more enduring polities than their predecessors. It describes the common heritage of political ideas and the governmental and military institutions and practices that the three empires shared. The book provides a chronological narrative and discusses topics such as sovereignty, faith, and law; expansion and military organization; central and provincial administration; economy, society, and culture; and transformation or decline.