Final answer:
A gunpowder empire is an empire that heavily relied on gunpowder for military expansion. The Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires are examples of gunpowder empires that used advanced military technologies like firearms and cannon.
Step-by-step explanation:
A gunpowder empire can be defined as an empire that relied heavily on gunpowder for military expansion. These empires, including the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal realms, viewed the entire state as a military force, coordinating political, economic, and cultural resources to strengthen the army and maintain security. They were able to research, develop, and deploy new military technologies like firearms and cannon more quickly than their enemies. These empires were highly influential in their respective regions and earned respect and fear from their contemporaries in Europe, Africa, and Asia.