Customer Reviews

The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest

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This is an excellent book. It is the second volume in a two-volume series, covering the history of the northern Balkan penninsula from approximately 500 A.D. to about 1500 A.D. For most non-specialists, the material will be almost completely unfamiliar. Fine's approach falls somewhere between a general survey and a technical treatise. Narrative history is emphasized over descriptive history, as befits a work covering unfamiliar matter. The topics are treated chronologically, and within a chronological period, are treated by area (i.e., Serbia, Bulgaria, Crotia, etc.) The subtitle (A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Centruy to the Ottoman Conquest) is a bit of a misnomer; the second half of the book is virtually a history of the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans and ends with the Balkans completely under Ottoman control. The research is extensive and the topic is treated comprehensively. First rate.

This book is the second one of the series. And its better than the first book.All the time I wonder how was the pre-ottomanic Balkans. This book is enough to satisfy me. It is comprehensive and (very important) not boring. In this book we can see the formation of the Balkan States and we can clearly observe why this Balkan states fell to the Ottoman Turks without any hard resistance. And we can see how Hungary, Pope and Venetians try to impose their rules to the states. Another important subject is that how the Orthodox branch of Christendhom falls in danger by the declining of the Romans.And I think that the consolidation of the Orthodoxy in these states owes it to the much more tolerable and even supportive policy of the Ottaman Empire.And we can understand that the most peaceful times in the Balkans is the Ottomanic period.