Harun al-Rashid, the legendary caliph portrayed in The Thousand and One Nights, was the son of a Yemenite slave who cleared Harun's path to power, very probably by poisoning her eldest son. Harun reigned for a quarter of a century, his empire spreading over south-west Asia and into north Africa. He waged war on the Byzantine Empire, and dealt ruthlessly with the religious and social insurrections which threatened his kingdom, executing almost the entire Barmakid family when they threatened to become too powerful. patron of the arts, and highly esteemed by Charlemagne. He turned Baghdad into a...
Harun al-Rashid, the legendary caliph portrayed in The Thousand and One Nights, was the son of a Yemenite slave who cleared Harun's path to power, ver...
Suleiman's reign as Sultan marked the apogee of Ottoman power. His empire held dominion over three continents, and, populated by more than thirty million inhabitants, prospered under a well-directed and authoritarian economy. In this celebrated book Andre Clot successfully produces both a life of the man and a stimulating popular history of the Ottoman Empire during this period.
Andre Clot (19092002) was a French historian and journalist. He lived in Turkey and the Middle East for many years and was an expert on Islam.
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Suleiman's reign as Sultan marked the apogee of Ottoman power. His empire held dominion over three continents, and, populated by more than thirty m...
