Term | Definition |
Seljuks | Turkish group who migrated into the Abbasid Empire in the 10th century and established their own empire in the 11th century |
Malik Shah | Seljuk sultan who greatly supported the arts and architecture, and adopted much of the Persian culture in the empire. |
Tang Taizong | Seized the throne in China then used his military experience to expand Chinese borders, while reforming government and law codes later adopted throughout Asia. |
Wu Zhao | One of Tang Taizong's secondary wives who when her husband became ill virtually ruled by China until assuming power for herself as the first and only woman emperor of China |
Moveable Type | Blocks of metal or wood, each bearing a single character, that can be arranged to make up a page for printing |
Gentry | Class of powerful, well-educated and wealthy people who enjoy a high social status in China |
Genghis Khan | Effective general who united the Mongol tribes and conquered the largest land empire in history |
Pax Mongolica | Period of peace and stability imposed by the Mongols across Eurasia |
Kublai Khan | Mongol leader who defeated the Song Dynasty and established the Yuan Dynasty in China |
Marco Polo | European who traveled throughout Asia and then reported the glories of China back to Europe |
Bushido | The strict code of behavior that was followed by Samurai warriors in feudal Japan |
Shogun | Supreme military commander in feudal in Japan, who ruled in the name of the emperor |
Tamberlane | Mongol leader who defeated and halted the expansion of the Ottoman Empire by destroying the capital of Baghdad |
Mehmed ll | Sultan of Turkey and founder of the Ottoman Empire. Conquered Constantinople in 1453 and made it his capital |
Suleman the Lawgiver | Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Empire reached its fullest extent under his rule. |
Safavid | Member of the Shi'a Muslim dynasty that built an empire in Persia in the late 16th-18th centuries |
Mughals | Nomadic group who invaded the Indian subcontinent in the 16th century and established a powerful empire |
Akbar | Mughal emperor of India who conquered most of northern India and excersied religious tolerance |
Sikhism | Religion developed in northern India, combining both Hindu and Islamic beliefs. Sikhs believe in one God, which can only be known through meditation |
Taj Mahal | Beautiful tomb in India, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his wife and one of the seven wonders of the world. |