Contents

List of Illustrations

Acknowledgments

Linguistic Conventions

Notes on Contributors

Series Introduction: Reordering an Imperial Modern Asia

Jack Fairey and Brian P. Farrell

Concepts and Historiography

Definitions

Revisiting Empire in Asia

Introduction: Making Imperial Asia

Jack Fairey and Brian P. Farrell

1Inner Asia, 1100s–1405: The Making of Chinggisid Eurasia

Florence Hodous

The Nomadic Empires of Inner Asia

Formation of the Mongol Empire

Building the Empire

Imperial Identity

A Mandate to Rule the World

Legacies of the Mongol Empire

Mongol Decline and Successor States

2The Great Ming and East Asia: The World Order of a Han-Centric Chinese Empire, 1368–1644

Jinping Wang

Political Legitimacy

Imperial Governance

Monarchy and Bureaucracy

Community

Frontier Management

Foreign Relations with Other East Asian States

Conclusion

3East Asia under the Expanding Qing

Frederik Vermote

Introduction

Jurchen Origins

Formation of the Manchus

Imperial Consolidation and Expansion

Institutions of Empire

The Banner System

Manchu Language

Government Ministries

Control of Frontiers and Subjects

The Qing in Decline

Qing Legacies

4Southwest Asia, 1300–1800: Ottomans, Safavids, and the Turco-Persianate Imperial Tradition

Jack Fairey

Introduction

History of the Imperial Idea: Persia

History of the Imperial Idea: Greco-Roman World

History of the Imperial Idea: Caliphate

The Türkmen Dynasties

Ottomans: From Beylik to Sultanate

Ottomans: Imperialism as Crisis Management

Safavids: From Sufi arīqah to Millenarian Empire

Imperial Self-Understanding

Imperial Visions of World Order

Borderlands

Institutions

Ottoman and Safavid Legacies

5South Asia, 1400–1800: The Mughal Empire and the Turco-Persianate Imperial Tradition in the Indian Subcontinent

Murari Kumar Jha

Introduction

Mughal Conquests and Imperial Expansion

Structure and Institutions of the Mughal Empire

Process of Decline

The South Asian Context of Mughal Notions of Kingship and Sovereignty

Mughal Imperial Ideas and the Articulation of Legitimacy

Mughal Interactions with Other Empires

Legacy of the Mughal Empire

6Northern Eurasia, 1300–1800: Russian Imperial Practice from Tsardom to Empire

Paul W. Werth

Introduction

Russia, Asia, Europe

The Rise and Growth of Muscovy: A Brief Sketch

Legitimation and Imaginings

Motivations

Institutions and Practices

Conclusion

7In Search of “Empire” in Mainland Southeast Asia

Bruce M. Lockhart

Introduction

Historiographical Overview

Toward a Synthesis

Kingship and Ideology

Comparative Observations

8In Search of “Empire” in the Insular Malay World

Sher Banu Khan

Srivijaya, 700–1400: Seventh-Century “Harbor City” or “Imperial Construct”?

Melaka, 1400–1600: Islamic City-State or a Global Malay/Islamic Center?

State-Formation and the Creation of “Absolutist States” in Insular Southeast Asia, ca. 1500–1700: Toward “Genuine Empire Formation”?

The Beginnings of “Empire-Building” in Insular Southeast Asia? The Case of Aceh

The Beginnings of “Empire-Building” in Insular Southeast Asia? The Case of Johor

Mainland/Island Southeast Asia Dichotomy: A Case Study of Success and Failure in the Empire Project?

9Iberian Maritime Asia, 1497–1700s: The Portuguese and Spanish Empires in Asia

Anthony Rendell Disney

Introduction

The Hybrid Character of the Iberian Empires: Seaborne, Maritime, and Territorial

Transportation Networks

Networks of Trade

Catholic Mission Networks

Formal Imperium and Territorial Empire

The Iberian Empires and the Great Powers of Asia

The Spanish Territorial Empire in the Philippines

Informal Conquests and Freelance Conquistadores

Imperial Lines of Defense

Social Interaction and Cultural Exchange

The Iberians and the Other European Empires in Asia

Twilight of Empire

Conclusion

10Chartered Companies and Empire

Peter Borschberg

Introduction

Research

What Is a Chartered Company?

Era of the East India Companies

Why Companies?

Were the East India Companies Successful?

Importance of the Charter Territory

Were All Chartered Companies Instruments of Empire?

From Companies to Company States

Legacies of the Chartered Companies

Index