44 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad, but not what I expected, August 18, 2009
"Defenders of the Faith" is a history covering 1520-1536 AD which mainly focused on the politics and wars in Europe (Charles V, Francis I, Henry VIII, the popes, Martin Luther, etc.). Only a fourth of the book focused on Suleyman's battles in Europe, European diplomacy efforts toward him, descriptions of feasts he held, and his internal politics...and very little was said about the Sunni/Shi'i conflict.
The book used quotes from people living at the time and gave nice details about how things looked which helped bring the events alive in my imagination. However, for all it's detail (describing the scene, the weather, numbers of people, maneuvers, etc.), the book gave only a surface assessment of the motives behind the actions. The author judges the actions from hindsight, knowing the results of the decisions, rather than giving a "this is how the situation might have appeared to them" view. He also assumes the worst motives behind the actions. This critical and cynical view of events results in a lot of negative language being used to describe the people and their actions.
There was a mild bias in this book. Whenever the author described cruel actions by the Turks against Christians, neutral language was used. If Christians did the same actions against Turks/Muslims, negative language was used. Also, the Hospitaller knights were called "fanatics," popes rarely had anything positive said about them, and the author used mocking language when describing how Martin Luther feared he might be killed when he had every reason to think he would be. Also, descriptions of people changed throughout the book. For example, a pope was described as sly/scheming when he was being sly/scheming and then described as gullible when his actions appear gullible. I didn't feel I could trust the author's assessment of the situations, but he also didn't give me enough information for me to draw my own conclusions.
The book included several nice black and white maps covering the areas described and black and whites pictures of the personages described in the book.
If you're interested in the Reformation (which made up a large portion of this book), then I'd recommend other, less biased books. History buffs wanting an overview of European politics during this time period might find this book interesting. If you've read this author's previous books and liked them, then I suspect you'll like this book as well.
Review by Debbie from Different Time, Different Place Book Reviews
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30 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Defenders of the Faith, June 4, 2009
This book is excellent. It describes in great detail the little known but incredibly infleuntial showdown between the Habsburgs and the Ottoman Empire. A conflict that raged all along the Mediterranean coasts of Spain, Italy, and North Africa, to the very heart of Europe at the city of Vienna. The fact that the Turk was thrown back from the walls of Vienna has been seen as a decisive turning point in the history of the World. This book is fascinating and easily readable, and it is a perfect compliment to Roger Crowley's "Empire's of the Sea."
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Offers insight into the world we live in today...., July 15, 2009
Defenders of the Faith: Charles V, Suleyman the Magnificent, and the Battle for Europe, 1520 - 1536 by James Reston is a wonderful and very informative examination of the times of Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and Suleyman the Manificent leader of the Ottoman Turks during the years 1520 to 1536.
Suleyman inherited an empire that included much of the eastern Mediterranean. Like his father and grandfather before him, his attention was drawn to the subjugation of Hungary and Austria and their annexation into the Ottoman Empire. Had he been successful in his attack on Vienna it most certain that European history would be significantly different than what actually occurred. Charles V likewise inherited an empire comprising much of northern Europe.
It is interesting that at the exact time Suleyman gained the throne of the Ottoman Empire, an equally talented Charles V was named the head of the Holy Roman Empire. Two diverse but capable leaders pitted against one another in a head on collision that defined the world that came later. James Reston is superb at examining the struggle that resulted from the two cultures. I have to agree with other reviewers that criticize Reston for his "novelization" of the story he tells. It is distracting and happens throughout the book.
That being said, Reston is a master researcher. That is evident by the details he manages to include as he examines the period and the background to the events. That he spends a great deal of time explaining the ins and outs of the reformation is to be understood. The reformation distracted not just Charles V but also all of the European kings and so tainted the relationships of the major heads of state that they ignored the growing threat to the east. I must also add that Reston is very good at keeping the reader from getting confused as he discusses the strategic battles. Given the almost complete lack of tactical maps, Reston's talent for tactical description is a very big plus.
As a companion to Defenders of the Faith, I would recommend Empires of the Sea by Roger Crowley. Though Empires of the Sea deals with the conflict between the Ottoman Empire and Christian Europe a generation later, it provides further insight into how the two sides conducted warfare, both offensive and defensive. For further reading on the battle for Europe during this period, read Enemy at the Gate: Hapsburgs, Ottomans and the Battle for Europe by Andrew Wheatcroft.
I continue to be fascinated by this period of history. It is not irrelevant given the geo/political environment we find ourselves in today.
I highly recommend.
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