Skip to content

Defenders of the Faith: Charles V, Suleyman the Magnificent, & the Battle
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

Defenders of the Faith: Charles V, Suleyman the Magnificent, & the Battle for Europe, 1520-1536 Hardcover - 2009

by James Reston, Jr

  • Used
  • Hardcover
  • first

A bestselling historian recounts sixteen years that shook the world-the epic clash between Europe and the Ottoman Turks that ended theRenaissance and brought Islam to the gates of Vienna

In the bestselling Warriors of God and Dogs of God,James Reston, Jr., limned two epochal conflicts between Islamand Christendom. Here he examines the ultimate battle in thatcenturies-long war, which found Europe at its most vulnerableand Islam on the attack. This drama was propelled by twoastonishing young sovereigns: Holy Roman Emperor Charles Vand Turkish sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. Though theyrepresented two colliding worlds, they were remarkably similar.Each was a poet and cultured cosmopolitan; each was the mostpowerful man on his continent; each was called "Defender ofthe Faith"; and each faced strident religious rebellion in hisdomain. Charles was beset by the "heresy" of Martin Lutherand his fervid adherents, even while tensions between him andthe pope threatened to boil over, and the upstart French kingFrancis I harried Charles's realm by land and sea. Suleymanwas hardly more comfortable on his throne. He had earned hiscrown by avoiding the grim Ottoman tradition of royal fratricide.Shiites in the East were fighting off the Sunni Turks' cruelrepression of their "heresy." The ferocity and skill of Suleyman'sJanissaries had expanded the Ottoman Empire to its greatestextent ever, but these slave soldiers became rebellious whenforeign wars did not engage them.

With Europe newly hobbled and the Turks suffusedwith restless vigor, the stage was set for a drama that unfoldedfrom Hungary to Rhodes and ultimately to Vienna itself, whichboth sides thought the Turks could win. If that happened, it wasgenerally agreed that Europe would become Muslim as far westas the Rhine.

During these same years, Europe was roiled by constantinternal tumult that saw, among other spectacles, the Dietof Worms, the Sack of Rome, and an actual wrestling matchbetween the English and French monarchs in which HenryVIII's pride was badly hurt. Would-could-this fractiouscontinent be united to repulse a fearsome enemy?

Description

Penguin Group USA Inc. Used - Very Good. First Edition. 2009. Hardcover. Very Good. Dust Jacket is Very Good.
Used - Very Good
NZ$15.79
NZ$5.82 Shipping to USA
Standard delivery: 10 to 28 days
More Shipping Options
Ships from Powell's Bookstores Chicago (Illinois, United States)
The BIBLIO Guarantee | Ask Seller a Question

Details

About Powell's Bookstores Chicago Illinois, United States

Specializing in: Americana, Ancient History, Art & Photography, Books On Books, Medieval History, Performing Arts, Philosophy, Science & Natural History
Biblio member since 2005
Seller rating: This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.

Used, rare and out-of-print titles, specializing in academic and scholarly books. Independent bookstores in Chicago since 1970

Terms of Sale:

All orders subject to previous sale. Domestic Standard ships USPS Bound Printed Matter; Domestic Expedited ships UPS Ground; International ships via Air courier. All orders over $200.00 upgraded to UPS Ground without additional charge.

Browse books from Powell's Bookstores Chicago

Summary

A bestselling historian recounts sixteen years that shook the world— the epic clash between Europe and the Ottoman Turks that ended the Renaissance and brought Islam to the gates of ViennaIn the bestselling Warriors of God and Dogs of God, James Reston, Jr., limned two epochal conflicts between Islam and Christendom. Here he examines the ultimate battle in that centuries-long war, which found Europe at its most vulnerable and Islam on the attack. This drama was propelled by two astonishing young sovereigns: Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Turkish sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. Though they represented two colliding worlds, they were remarkably similar. Each was a poet and cultured cosmopolitan; each was the most powerful man on his continent; each was called “Defender of the Faith”; and each faced strident religious rebellion in his domain. Charles was beset by the “heresy” of Martin Luther and his fervid adherents, even while tensions between him and the pope threatened to boil over, and the upstart French king Francis I harried Charles’s realm by land and sea. Suleyman was hardly more comfortable on his throne. He had earned his crown by avoiding the grim Ottoman tradition of royal fratricide. Shiites in the East were fighting off the Sunni Turks’ cruel repression of their “heresy.” The ferocity and skill of Suleyman’s Janissaries had expanded the Ottoman Empire to its greatest extent ever, but these slave soldiers became rebellious when foreign wars did not engage them.With Europe newly hobbled and the Turks suffused with restless vigor, the stage was set for a drama that unfolded from Hungary to Rhodes and ultimately to Vienna itself, which both sides thought the Turks could win. If that happened, it was generally agreed that Europe would become Muslim as far west as the Rhine.During these same years, Europe was roiled by constant internal tumult that saw, among other spectacles, the Diet of Worms, the Sack of Rome, and an actual wrestling match between the English and French monarchs in which Henry VIII’s pride was badly hurt. Would—could—this fractious continent be united to repulse a fearsome enemy?

From the publisher

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Categories

Hang on… we’re fetching the requested page.