The research done to produce this detailed story of the Ottoman sultans is impressive. This is the story of Suliman the Magnificent and the 25 sultans who followed him; men who fought, loved and dissipated their great gifts into nothingness. Long before the end of the Ottoman Empire, it was called the "Sick Man" in European circles.
Between 1520 and 1566, the Ottoman Empire reached its zenith with the leadership of Suliman the Magnificent. Surprisingly, the seeds of decay were sown by Suliman himself when he allowed his second wife to convince him to kill his own (eldest) son and to kill his best friend, the Grand Vizier.
Each sultan seemed to be more decrepit than the last; after Suliman, the remaining sultans avoided military service, drank and spent much of their time in the harem. In fact, the harem soon controlled the sultans. One convinced her son to kill his 19 brothers so he would have no one to argue with his ascension to the throne. Other sultans grew up in cages until it was time to be the next sultan. By the time one was released from the cage, some had lost the ability to speak and were totally incapable of governing. Madness became rampant amongst the sultans.
This is a fascinating book with all the treachery and violence one can imagine. The final chapters were about Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the man who recreated Turkey in 1923 and beyond. The shocking thing is that this book tells of Kemal's changes in his country but also tells the negative side of this larger-than-life person. It was a shock to learn how vicious Ataturk was. The common man considers Ataturk to be the Father of Turkey. History shows a less-benign person in the leadership role. Books in Barber's bibliography support the author's descriptions and evaluations.
Between 1520 and 1566, the Ottoman Empire reached its zenith with the leadership of Suliman the Magnificent. Surprisingly, the seeds of decay were sown by Suliman himself when he allowed his second wife to convince him to kill his own (eldest) son and to kill his best friend, the Grand Vizier.
Each sultan seemed to be more decrepit than the last; after Suliman, the remaining sultans avoided military service, drank and spent much of their time in the harem. In fact, the harem soon controlled the sultans. One convinced her son to kill his 19 brothers so he would have no one to argue with his ascension to the throne. Other sultans grew up in cages until it was time to be the next sultan. By the time one was released from the cage, some had lost the ability to speak and were totally incapable of governing. Madness became rampant amongst the sultans.
This is a fascinating book with all the treachery and violence one can imagine. The final chapters were about Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the man who recreated Turkey in 1923 and beyond. The shocking thing is that this book tells of Kemal's changes in his country but also tells the negative side of this larger-than-life person. It was a shock to learn how vicious Ataturk was. The common man considers Ataturk to be the Father of Turkey. History shows a less-benign person in the leadership role. Books in Barber's bibliography support the author's descriptions and evaluations.
