Ottoman Centuries

Ottoman Centuries traces the Ottoman Empire from its beginnings in 1300 under the almost legendary Osman I. It follows the empire to its height in the sixteenth century under Suleiman the Magnificent, whose forces threatened the gates of Vienna, and through the long decline that followed. The story ends with Mehmed VI sent into exile by Mustafa Kemal, known as Ataturk.

Lord Kinross keeps the larger economic, political and social issues in view throughout the narrative. He also pays close attention to the people who shaped events, portraying them with evident relish and showing their extravagance, audacity and, at times, ruthlessness.