The Ottoman Empire
By (Author) Mehrdad Kia
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Greenwood Press
23rd December 2008
United States
Hardback
248
The Ottoman Empire was one of the most powerful empires in history, known for its military prowess, multi-cultural make-up, and advances in art and architecture. Positioned at the crossroads of East and West, at its height it encompassed most of Southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. In existence from the late 13th century until 1922, the Ottoman legacy can still be felt today throughout the Balkans and the Arab world in the areas of politics, diplomacy, education, language, and religion. This comprehensive volume is a valuable addition to world history curricula and adds a level of historical understanding to the current conflicts within the Western and Islamic worlds.
Kia (Central and Southwest Asian history, U. of Montana) offers an introductory survey of the political history of the Ottoman state from the final decade of the 13th century to the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. The state began in western Anatolia, he says, but grew to encompass vast territories and many peoples, each contributing to the economic power and cultural richness of the empire. * Reference & Research Book News *
Mehrdad Kia is Professor of Central and Southwest Asian History at the University of Montana.