In a concise and colourful style, Saraiya Faroqui lays out the history of one of the most powerful empires of the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern era. At its height, the Ottoman Empire spread over three continents and matched the size of the Roman Empire, covering the territories of modern day Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and parts of Greece.This text traces the political history of the Ottomans from the 14th century to the dissolution of the empires after WWI, and it employs a balanced approach that encompasses economic, social, and cultural history. The result is a unique, colourful picture of the Ottoman empire that depicts soldiers such as Mehmed II the Conqueror and the janissary corps; the wars with Persia, Russia and Venice; court life in Istanbul, including patronage of the arts; the role of the sultan as defender of Sunni Islam; the tax system; agriculture and trade; life in the cities and the country; the relationship between Europe and the Ottoman Empire; the rise of nationalism; and upheaval during the 19th century.

About the Author
Saraiya Faroqhi, University of Munich and visiting professor at Harvard University, is author of several books on the Ottoman Empire, some of which have been translated into English, such as The Ottoman Empire and the World Around It. Shelley Frisch's numerous translations from German include most recently biographies of Einstein, Kafka, and Nietzsche.

Reviews
The author sets the record straight about several long standing false theories, such as a division of labor between different ethnic and religious groups, and an Ottoman women's culture, which make the book especially worth reading. The book emphasizes social and economic developments more than political ones, following the methodology of Fernand Braudel. Deutsche Viertelsjahresblatter



Book Information
ISBN 9781558764491
Author Saraiya Faroqhi
Format Paperback
Page Count 220
Imprint Markus Wiener Publishing Inc
Publisher Markus Wiener Publishing Inc
Weight(grams) 335g