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ithiliel_andi's review against another edition
4.0
Ein echt tolles Buch über die letzte Schlacht um Konstantinopel. Ich habs als Hörbuch gehört und es hat mir gut gefallen. Sehr schöner Erzählstil.
librarianonparade's review against another edition
5.0
1453 and the fall of Constantinople is one of those pivotal moments in history, now sadly too neglected and forgotten, to which we owe much of the modern conflict between East and West, between Islam and Christianity. This conflict is often ascribed to the legacy of the Crusades and the attempt by the Western Christian nations of Europe to reclaim Jerusalem from the 'Saracens'. But in reality the fall of Constantinople had far more lasting repercussions, heralding as it did the spread of the Ottoman Empire into Europe, a steady overwhelming conquest that was not halted until the failed siege of Vienna in 1526 and did not end until the collapse of the Empire in 1923.
To Sultan Mehmed I Constantinople heralded more than just the last outpost of Eastern Christianity, the last remnant of the Roman Empire. It was a symbol of Ottoman supremacy, the city that was destined to form the centre of the Empire, a city prophesied to fall to Islamic might by no less than Muhammed himself, besieged and fought over for 650 years. In the siege and conquest of Constantinople more was at stake than just the fate of one city.
Considering the relative brevity of this book, Roger Crowley admirably establishes the history and context of both Constantinople and the fledging Ottoman Empire. He paints a picture of a city lost in fading grandeur, long since fallen from the height of its power and glory, a city and an empire than never really recovered from its sacking by Christian crusaders during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It was a city riven by the schism between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and that hastily papered-over rift was largely to blame for the paltry forces available to the Emperor Constantine XI and why so little aid was forthcoming from the Pope and the West.
Despite obvious prior knowledge of 'how the story ends', Crowley writes with such narrative flair and skill that I read this on the edge of my seat, anticipating with dread the pre-dawn attack on 29th May 1453. He really conjures up the image of that long-ago morning, the noise and the confusion of battle, the sights and sounds and smells, the panic and fear of the besieged Greeks, the exultation and bloodlust of the conquering Ottomans, the sacking of the city, the despoilment of the churches and monasteries, the ransacking of the famous Church of St Sophia, now of course the Hagia Sophia mosque. The ransacking Muslims armies were, of course, no worse than any marauding medieval army, despite what some modern commentators and reviewers will say. Indeed, Mehmed reined his forces in after only one day of plunder and murder, despite the laws of Islam dictating three days of plunder for a city that refused to surrender - although largely this was because they'd done more than enough damage in just one day and he wanted something of the city left to form his new capital!
The fall of Constantinople was such a turning point in history that one cannot wonder what the world might have been like had it not fallen. At the point the city fell the siege was at such a breaking point that had the attack of 29th May been repulsed, as many others prior to this date had been, the Ottoman armies would likely have withdrawn, their forces too exhausted and their morale too low to continue. Without Constantinople the subsequent conquests of Anatolia, Greece, the Balkans and Eastern Europe may not have occurred and the whole history of Europe could have been different. But who knows?
To Sultan Mehmed I Constantinople heralded more than just the last outpost of Eastern Christianity, the last remnant of the Roman Empire. It was a symbol of Ottoman supremacy, the city that was destined to form the centre of the Empire, a city prophesied to fall to Islamic might by no less than Muhammed himself, besieged and fought over for 650 years. In the siege and conquest of Constantinople more was at stake than just the fate of one city.
Considering the relative brevity of this book, Roger Crowley admirably establishes the history and context of both Constantinople and the fledging Ottoman Empire. He paints a picture of a city lost in fading grandeur, long since fallen from the height of its power and glory, a city and an empire than never really recovered from its sacking by Christian crusaders during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It was a city riven by the schism between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and that hastily papered-over rift was largely to blame for the paltry forces available to the Emperor Constantine XI and why so little aid was forthcoming from the Pope and the West.
Despite obvious prior knowledge of 'how the story ends', Crowley writes with such narrative flair and skill that I read this on the edge of my seat, anticipating with dread the pre-dawn attack on 29th May 1453. He really conjures up the image of that long-ago morning, the noise and the confusion of battle, the sights and sounds and smells, the panic and fear of the besieged Greeks, the exultation and bloodlust of the conquering Ottomans, the sacking of the city, the despoilment of the churches and monasteries, the ransacking of the famous Church of St Sophia, now of course the Hagia Sophia mosque. The ransacking Muslims armies were, of course, no worse than any marauding medieval army, despite what some modern commentators and reviewers will say. Indeed, Mehmed reined his forces in after only one day of plunder and murder, despite the laws of Islam dictating three days of plunder for a city that refused to surrender - although largely this was because they'd done more than enough damage in just one day and he wanted something of the city left to form his new capital!
The fall of Constantinople was such a turning point in history that one cannot wonder what the world might have been like had it not fallen. At the point the city fell the siege was at such a breaking point that had the attack of 29th May been repulsed, as many others prior to this date had been, the Ottoman armies would likely have withdrawn, their forces too exhausted and their morale too low to continue. Without Constantinople the subsequent conquests of Anatolia, Greece, the Balkans and Eastern Europe may not have occurred and the whole history of Europe could have been different. But who knows?
ellisknox's review against another edition
4.0
The starting point for this subject is Sir Steven Runciman, but now we have a second work. Crowley has a different slant on the events, and a different narrative style. He's still working with the same basic set of facts, though. It's a great supplement and a marvelously dramatic story.
narasikelana's review against another edition
4.0
Sultan Mehmet II atau biasa dikenal sebagai Muhammad Al Fatih adalah sosok 'beringas' yang diceritakan dalam buku ini. Ia memiliki jiwa kepemimpinan yang sangat luar biasa dan adalah pemimpin yang cerdas. Didalam buku ini menceritakan detik demi detik, peristiwa demi peristiwa secara kronologis dan cermat.
jwest87's review against another edition
5.0
I dived into this book with little knowledge of the subject. It's hard to explain the wonderful state of mind I was in as I read this. It's a wonderfully detailed account of the Muslim Empire reaching it's peaking, and the city in decline, trying to avoid the inevitable. I wanted the story to never end.
abeanbg's review against another edition
4.0
I kept hoping this would broaden a bit and take in more of the history that surrounded the huge event that was the Ottoman capture of Constantinople. Perhaps it was wise of the author to keep this tight though, since it allowed for more intimate details of the siege and evocations of the tenor and spirit of the warring nations. Will just have to look elsewhere to get a glimpse at the longer processes that lead to Byzantium being a rump state by the time the Ottomans are picking themselves out of the Anatolian dust.
guojing's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good book. Vivid, well-organized, enlightening. Could have gone into greater detail regarding the schism between East and West, without which Constantinople may have received the help it needed not to have fallen, but as a whole the book was a very enjoyable read.
joe_sarr's review against another edition
4.0
Well researched and well written. I wish there were footnotes within the text though.