Good Condition Hardback.. Front Jacket tear, Back Jacket tear. Rubbing. Light soiling. Shelf wear. Intact & readable. Large 8vo, 304pp, illustrated, clean and tight, no inscriptions. 41 superb plates/maps/plans/ photos. The story of the Sultans, their harems and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire was a tremendous influence on many of the things we take for granted in the Western World, bringing with it strange concepts such as hygiene and an appreciation of the finer things in life. This book gives a well written and entertaining overview of the rulers of this massive empire, from its earliest days to its eventual demise. Along the way we meet many of its rulers and marvel at their cruelty and compassion, great leadership and debauchery. Its a great story, one never dreamt of in fiction, and one well worth reading. "Once on the throne, Ibrahim proved to be the most detestable and debauched of the Ottoman sultans. A picture of him shows the bleary countenance of a drunkard, his turban tipped crazily to one side. From the moment of his accession he seemed to have one thought in his head - to make up for lost time. A man who regarded sex as a duty to be practised almost daily, his excesses were so much that even the harem murmured in protest, to say nothing of the government."
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