The Ottoman Empire began in 1300 under the leadership of Osman I, reached its apogee in the sixteenth century under Suleiman the Magnificent, whose forces threatened the gates of Vienna, and gradually diminished until Mehmed VI was sent into exile by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. In this definitive history, Lord Kinross traces the Ottoman Empire back to its origins amongst the nomadic people of Central Asia and the Middle East, and follows it through its decline. Kinross brings historical figures to life, displaying them in all their extravagance, audacity and ruthlessness. At the same time, he never loses sight of the larger economic, political and social issues that influenced this powerful dynasty.

John Patrick Douglas Balfour, Third Baron Kinross (1904 - 1976), studied at Oxford University. He was the author of many books, including Atatürk: The Rebirth of a Nation, Portrait of Egypt and Between Two Seas: The Creation of the Suez Canal.

"This massive five-century fresco ... should be on every university's list of Great Books." -- The New Republic

Book details

• Format Paperback
• Pages638 pages
• LanguageEnglish
• ISBN100688080936
• ISBN139780688080938