Summary
Highlights
Rulers legitimized their power by communicating who is in charge, and consolidated power by taking it from other groups for themselves.
Land-based empires like the Ottoman Empire used large imperial bureaucracies to administer their expanding territories. The Devshirme system, for instance, enslaved Christian boys who were educated to become elite administrators or Janissaries, an elite military unit.
Rulers used religion, art, and architecture to legitimize their rule. European monarchs claimed Divine Right, while the Aztecs used human sacrifice to appease their sun god and assert authority. In art, Qing Emperor Kangxi used imperial portraits reflecting Confucian values to legitimize his rule to his Chinese subjects. Architecturally, France's Palace of Versailles showcased Louis XIV's power and consolidated it by housing nobility, while the Inca Sun Temple in Cusco highlighted the divine connection of Inca rulers.
Empires financed their administration, military, and monumental projects through taxation. The Mughal Empire used the Zamindar system, employing local landowners to collect taxes, which extended imperial authority. The Ottoman Empire implemented tax farming, where the right to collect taxes was sold to the highest bidder, providing a reliable income and avoiding salaries for tax collectors.