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The Man Who Stopped the Sultan

Gabriele Tadino and the Defence of Europe
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Brief Description
An extraordinary account of how one man defied the most powerful ruler of his age and in doing so changed the course of European history. Throughout the 16th century, wars raged across Europe as kings and republics jostled for wealth and power. Yet one man exceeded... Read More
Format: Hardback
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An extraordinary account of how one man defied the most powerful ruler of his age and in doing so changed the course of European history.

An extraordinary account of how one man defied the most powerful ruler of his age and in doing so changed the course of European history.

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

An extraordinary account of how one man defied the most powerful ruler of his age and in doing so changed the course of European history.

Throughout the 16th century, wars raged across Europe as kings and republics jostled for wealth and power. Yet one man exceeded all these medieval princes of Christendom: Suleiman the Magnificent. As ruler of the Ottoman Empire, he governed 25 million people from Constantinople, his realm stretching from Persia to the Atlantic Ocean. Turning his gaze to Europe, Suleiman attacked Rhodes, the island fortress of the Knights Hospitaller, but was opposed by Gabriele Tadino – an Italian who had risen through the ranks thanks to his genius as a military engineer.

This is a fascinating history of crusading knights and gunpowder, of spies and tunnels, and of a crossroads in history when the medieval age gave way to the Renaissance. Delving deep into Italian source material, Edoardo Albert weaves together the story of an ordinary man alive in an extraordinary time and performing extraordinary feats of military genius.

Through the lens of his life, we discover how military tactics and fortifications rapidly changed thanks to the discovery of gunpowder, and how Europe, divided by power-hungry rulers and religion, almost fell to one of the greatest rulers the world has ever seen, but was prevented by a humble engineer.

The Man Who Stopped the Sultan provides a riveting narrative of a pivotal moment in history.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781472869999

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 29 January 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Osprey Publishing

Illustration: 8-page plate section in colour

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 158.0mm

Height: 236.0mm

Weight: 521g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Of Italian and Sri Lankan heritage but now based in the UK, Edoardo Albert is the author, with Paul Gething, of Warrior: A Life of War in Anglo Saxon Britain (Granta 2019), which published to rave reviews. He has for a number of years worked with the archaeologists who are redefining our knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon era, bringing these findings to a wider public. Edoardo has written features for the Sunday Times, History Today and Country Walking, among many others.

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