Mehmed the Conqueror and His Time [Paperback]

Franz Babinger (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bollingen Series | Publication Date: October 19, 1992

From the famous siege of Constantinople in 1453 through the numerous other campaigns that securely established the Ottoman Empire, the events in the life of the emperor Mehmed II are the subject of this classic biography. One of the most important figures in Ottoman history, Mehmed was the architect of victories that inspired fear throughout Europe and contributed to an image of the Turk prevalent in Western art and literature for many years. "Fascinating. . . . From the Western viewpoint, Mehmed was seen as the man who gave the death blow to Byzantium, destroying the last vestige of the Eastern Roman Empire. Not surprisingly, the Turks regard him as the greatest of all sultans, a figure unparalleled in the history of the world for military prowess, statecraft, patronage of the arts and sciences."--Robert Kirsch, The Los Angeles Times Book Review "The definitive scholarly biography of the Ottoman emperor who in 1453 conquered Constantinople. . . . Mehmed's career is a study of battle, murder, and sudden death, of brutality, perfidy, and spite, with no moral superiority awardable to either Christians or Muslims."--The New Yorker

Editorial Reviews

Review

Fascinating. . . . From the Western viewpoint, Mehmed was seen as the man who gave the death blow to Byzantium, destroying the last vestige of the Eastern Roman Empire. Not surprisingly, the Turks regard him as the greatest of all sultans, a figure unparalleled in the history of the world for military prowess, statecraft, patronage of the arts and sciences. -- Robert Kirsch, The Los Angeles Times Book Review

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 572 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (October 19, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691010781
• ISBN-13: 978-0691010786
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,854 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very thorough and comprehensive biography, April 25, 2005

By 

Nicholas M. Vester "Metania63" (Denmark) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mehmed the Conqueror and His Time (Paperback)

Scholarly and very prefessional. A rare insight into the life of Mehmed Celebi. Well-balanced and soberly written. Only point of critique is that for some reason the author persists in using the modern Turkish names for cities which were Byzantine at the time of the events described. This does become a little annoying when using this book with primary sources. Apart from that - splendid!

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic historytelling, March 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mehmed the Conqueror and His Time (Paperback)

An outstanding biography of Mehmed II and a disturbing history of his time. Historians rarely depict their subjects in such a thrilling manner as does Babinger. Everything is told: mass executions, doublecrossings, and the insatiable greed for power. This history is crucial to the better understanding of the current conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Learning about Mehmed was educational, April 16, 2011

By 

Neannalina "Neannalina" (Iowa) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mehmed the Conqueror and His Time (Paperback)

I liked the way the author told the story of Mehmed. Mehmed was not a great person, but at least he was tolerant of other religions. What amazed me is,as a muslim, he did try to learn the Christian faith. But, then again, this is how people know their enemy. They try to learn all they can. They learn what fears they have and what they value most. He was a greedy conqueror, killed millions, and was a sick man who liked young boys. I would have liked to have more information on his whereabouts during his life, but it was an informative book that did not stray from many facts. I would recommend reading this book.