Gunpowder Empires Dbq

The Ottomans,Safavids,and Mughals were powerful Muslim empires that were successful due to their access to gunpowder,and good leadership early on in the start of the empires.The 3 gunpowder empires had difficulty sustaining power due to mistreatment of peasantry,and poor leadership, which led to their decline in 1700 CE. One of the reasons that the empires were so successful, was because of gunpowder,which gave them an advantage over other nations.This is shown when Father Paul Simon wrote about Shah Abbas the Great and his soldiers.Describing how the soldiers were experienced with muskets,and little behind the soldiers back in Europe.Father Simon goes on to describe Shah Abbas' great experience with warfare, and Abbas' great liking for war and weapons of war.(Doc.1)Father Paul Simon was probably worried about the Safavids,because they were very experienced and not far behind the European army.The Imperial Mughal Revenue and Expenditure document shows that most of the money that is spent is used for warfare.For example 2038.9 (millions) where spent on heavily armed Calvary and regional troop,which was used to dominate in war.(Doc.2) Great leadership early on in the Muslim empires helped maintain dominance.According to Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq,Suleiman the Magnificent,who was the Ottoman Sultan from 1520-1560 ,chose leaders and high ranked officials based on how their work ethics are."Those who receive the highest offices from the Sultan...do not believe that high qualities are either natural or hereditary... but are partly a gift of God,and are partly result of good training..."Which shows that the empires chose leaders and high ranked officials are chosen very strictly ,which led to great leaders in the dynasties.(Doc.3) Abdul ul-Qadir Bada' uni was a Muslim cleric who wrote about how the emperor Akbar the Great,Mughal ruler from 1556 CE to 1605 CE, who further educated himself from different perspectives,from Brahmans,Priest,Buddhist monks and many