The development of monumentality narrative in Islamic architecture:A case study of the Islamic early modern empires

Monuments, as instruments of urban life, hold profound significance as symbols of empire patronage and national identity. The birth of three great early modern empires, the Ottomans in the Mediterranean (1299–1923), the Safavids in Iran (1501–1736), and the Mughals in India (1526–1857) marked a transformative era in Islamic art and architecture. These empires skilfully blended shared heritage with local nuances, resulting in grand, ambitious architectural and urban projects that proudly celebrated their unique geopolitical expressions. This thesis is an examination of the monumentality of the early modern Islamic empires, and the way in which monumentality is constructed through palatial and religious architectural portrays. The way in which these examples functioned in the social life of the city, and the dialogue it interacted in with other empires. Moreover, this thesis challenges the assumption that the monuments of the early modern Islamic empires were novel independent creations disconnected from proceeding tradition, rather they challenged the past without denying the cultural heritage. it was a monumental powerful narrative that exclaims; that the 'contemporary' is more advanced than the 'traditional'. Ibn Haldun states 'The monuments of a given dynasty are proportionate to its original power.' The study primarily defines monumentality in relevance to Islamic architecture. Moreover, it explores the monumental expression and motivation of the architectural language depicted in the monuments of each empire, in relation to the philosophy of Ibn Khaldun. The thesis enhances the larger discussion of the architectural accomplishments of the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal realms by deepening understanding of the intricacies encompassing the monumentality narrative in Islamic architecture through the early modern period. It also provides significant insights into the cultural and historical context of Islamic early modern empires.