The Last Muslim Conquest: The Ottoman Empire and Its Wars in Europe

Description

A monumental work of history that reveals the Ottoman dynasty's important role in the emergence of early modern Europe The Ottomans have long been viewed as despots who conquered through sheer military might, and whose dynasty was peripheral to those of Europe. The Last Muslim Conquest transforms our understanding of the Ottoman Empire, showing

Gabor Agoston is professor of history at Georgetown University. His many books include Guns for the Sultan: Military Power and the Weapons Industry in the Ottoman Empire and Encyclopedia of the Ottoman Empire.

"An intellectual tour de force that does not mince words."---Abdullah Drury, Muslim World Book Review "An impressive book, well written, making good use of both Ottoman and Western sources, and crafted to keep the reader engaged." * Michigan War Studies Review * "[W]hen it comes to the role of the Ottomans in the history of central Europe . . . the book succeeds brilliantly... Agoston has also succeeded in what I think will stand for a long time as the definitive political and military narrative of the Ottomans in southeastern and central Europe. Over and over again his command of the facts provides the reader with a strong basis for comparing the various powers and their capabilities at the level of population, natural resources, military technology and so on and so forth. . . . Any future research on this area in the early modern period will find Agoston's book to be enormously useful, indeed essential, when writing their own studies."---Molly Greene, European Legacy "Gabor Agoston has written a much-needed overview of Ottoman warfare from the early state along the Byzantine frontier to the empire's wars with the Holy League in the late seventeenth century. The Last Muslim Conquest successfully combines the work of several regional historiographies and makes important interventions. Along with a narrative and analysis of the wars in this period, Agoston includes detailed chapters on Ottoman military organization, tactics, and technology. The Last Muslim Conquest also balances both older historiography that over-emphasized religious antagonism as well as newer research that focuses more on cultural contacts between the Ottomans and Europe."---Samuel Stevens, International Journal of Military History and Historiography