Description
Book Synopsis: A gripping exploration of the fall of Constantinople and its connection to the world we live in today. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 signaled a shift in history and the end of the Byzantium Empire. Roger Crowley's readable and comprehensive account of the battle between Mehmet II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and Constantine XI, the 57th emperor of Byzantium, illuminates the period in history that was a precursor to the current conflict between the West and the Middle East. For a thousand years Constantinople was quite simply "the city": fabulously wealthy, imperial, intimidating - and Christian. Singlehandedly it blunted early Arab enthusiasm for Holy War; when a second wave of Islamic warriors swept out of the Asian steppes in the Middle Ages, Constantinople was the ultimate prize: "The Red Apple." It was a city that had always lived under threat. On average it had survived a siege every forty years for a millennium – until the Ottoman Sultan, Mehmet II, twenty-one years old and hungry for glory, rode up to the walls in April 1453 with a huge army, "numberless as the stars."
1453 is the taut, vivid story of this final struggle for the city, told largely through the accounts of eyewitnesses. For fifty-five days a tiny group of defenders defied the huge Ottoman army in a seesawing contest fought on land, at sea, and underground. During the course of events, the largest cannon ever built was directed against the world’s most formidable defensive system, Ottoman ships were hauled overland into the Golden Horn, and the morale of defenders was crucially undermined by unnerving portents. At the center is the contest between two inspirational leaders, Mehmed II and Constantine XI, fighting for empire and religious faith, and an astonishing finale in a few short hours on May 29, 1453 – a defining moment for medieval history. 1453 is both a gripping work of narrative history and an account of the war between Christendom and Islam that still has echoes in the modern world.
Details
Welcome to a gripping journey through history with "1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West"! This remarkable book by Roger Crowley delves deep into the fall of Constantinople, an event that shaped the world we live in today. Immerse yourself in the battle between Mehmet II, the formidable Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and Constantine XI, the brave emperor of Byzantium.
Step back in time and explore the period that set the stage for the ongoing conflict between the West and the Middle East. For a millennium, Constantinople stood as an imperial and wealthy city, revered as the heart of Christianity. It acted as a powerful deterrent to early Arab Holy War ambitions and became the ultimate prize for Islamic warriors who swept through the Asian steppes in the Middle Ages. The Red Apple, as it was known, had always lived under threat, surviving countless sieges.
In April 1453, the ambitious and young Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II marched towards Constantinople, hungry for fame and glory. What ensued was a nail-biting struggle that lasted 55 days. Witness the intense battle fought on land, at sea, and underground. Picture the world's most formidable defensive system pitted against the largest cannon ever built. Imagine Ottoman ships incredibly hauled overland into the Golden Horn. Feel the morale of the defenders wavered by eerie portents.
This book puts you at the heart of the fray, with narratives extensively based on the accounts of eyewitnesses. Experience the clash between two great leaders, Mehmet II and Constantine XI, both fighting vigorously for empire and religious faith. Finally, relive the extraordinary climax that unfolded in just a few hours on May 29, 1453 – an event that forever altered medieval history.
With "1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West," Roger Crowley masterfully weaves together gripping narrative history and illuminating insights into the war between Christendom and Islam. Be captivated by a story that continues to resonate in today's modern world. Get your hands on this riveting book and discover the threads that connect our past and present.
Click here to embark on this captivating journey through time and history.
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