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The Ottomans

Khans, Caesars and Caliphs
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( 1,671 ratings, 238 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Ottomans by Marc David Baer is a comprehensive exploration of the Ottoman Empire, spanning from its emergence in the 13th century to its dissolution in the early 20th century. The book delves into the empire's multifaceted impact on global politics, culture, and religion, highlighting its legacy in shaping modern Europe and the Middle East. The author portrays the empire not merely as a military powerhouse but as a vibrant, multicultural society that fostered artistic and intellectual innovations.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you are fascinated by rich historical narratives and the diverse influences of empires, this book may captivate you. It skillfully examines the intricate legacy of a formidable dynasty, offering a comprehensive look at the cultural, political, and social impacts it has had throughout history. Perfect for those with an interest in how empires both influence and are influenced by the world.

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A major new history of the six-hundred-year dynasty that connected East to West as never before.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Ottoman Empire has long been depicted as the Islamic-Asian antithesis of the Christian-European West. But the reality was starkly different: the Ottomans' multiethnic, multilingual, and multireligious domain reached deep into Europe's heart. In their breadth and versatility, the Ottoman rulers saw themselves as the new Romans.

Recounting the Ottomans' remarkable rise from a frontier principality to a world empire, Marc David Baer traces their debts to their Turkish, Mongolian, Islamic, and Byzantine heritage; how they used both religious toleration and conversion to integrate conquered peoples; and how, in the nineteenth century, they embraced exclusivity, leading to ethnic cleansing, genocide, and the dynasty's demise after the First World War. Upending Western concepts of the Renaissance, the Age of Exploration, the Reformation, this account challenges our understandings of sexuality, orientalism, and genocide.

Radically retelling their remarkable story, The Ottomans is a magisterial portrait of a dynastic power, and the first to truly capture its cross-fertilisation between East and West.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Marc David Baer's The Ottomans is praised as an ambitious and entertaining exploration of Ottoman history that spans over seven centuries. Critics highlight the book's engaging narrative, rich with vivid characters and events, and commend its ability to blend the sacred with the secular and the personal with the political. The work is celebrated for its balance of readability and scholarly depth, offering new insights into the Ottoman Empire's influence on European history and modernity. It's described as a major achievement that challenges traditional views of East and West and provides a comprehensive perspective on one of history's great empires.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781473695719

Publisher: John Murray Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 14 October 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Basic Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 44.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 232.0mm

Weight: 740g

Pages: 560

About the Author

Marc David Baer is professor of International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is the author of five books, including Honored by the Glory of Islam: Conversion and Conquest in Ottoman Europe, which won the Albert Hourani Prize.

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