Abstract :
The 16th century was an era of great monarch’s. In Austria, the Habsburg Emperor Charles V. managed to claim Iberia for the imperial crown. In Russia, Ivan the terrible was busy subjugating the former Tatar khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan, and in England, Henry the VIII began building up Britain’s naval power. These figures have received sufficient scholarly attention from western historians. Disappointingly, few western scholars have written biographies of Suleiman the Magnificent. This seems odd, given Suleiman was arguably the most accomplished leader of the Early Modern Age. Andre Clot’s ‘Suleiman the Magnificent’ seeks to correct this injustice. His work is split into two. The first half deals chronologically with the major events in the sultan’s life, from his early campaign against Belgrade to his failed attempt on Vienna. The author also covers the sultans later disagreements with his son, Mustafa, and ends with Suleiman’s death on campaign in the Balkans. The second half of the book deals with thematic issues, painting a picture of life in 16th century Turkey, as well as outlining the fragilities in the Early Modern Ottoman economy.
