André Clot (1909-2002) was a French historian and journalist. He lived in Turkey and Middle East for many years and was an expert on Islam.

CONTENTS:

Preface vii
A Note on Pronunciation viii

At the Dawn of the Golden Century 1

Part One: The Sultan of Sultans

1. The Padishah's First Triumphs 25
2. The Magnificent Sultan in His Splendour 53
3. From the Danube to the Euphrates 81
4. The Struggle with Christian Europe 99
5. Francis I and Suleiman 129
6. The Tragic Period 153
7. The Twilight of the Empire 169

Part Two: The Empire of Empires

8. The Orient at the Time of Suleiman 189
9. The Greatest City of East and West 199
10. A Dirigiste and Authoritarian Economy 227
11. Town and Country 241
12. The Age of the Magnificent Sultan 269

Three Centuries of Decline and Fall 297

Notes 313

Appendices
1. The Pre-Ottoman Turks 335
2. Turkish Civilization before the Ottomans 336
3. The Janissaries 338
4. The Law of Fratricide 340
5. The Timar System 342
6. The Divan 344
7. The Dervish Orders 346
8. The Ottoman Fleet 347
9. The Army on Campaign 350
10. A Grand Vizier's Career: Sokullu 352
11. Henry II and Suleiman 353
12. Suleiman's Death 356
13. The Turkish Baths 358
14. The Mendes Family 360
15. The Capitulations 361
16. Islam and Painting 363

Genealogy of the Sultans of the House of Osman 364
Chronology, 1481-1598 366
Glossary 371
Bibliography 377
Index 386

Maps

I. The Ottoman Empire in 1566 54
II. Istanbul at the Time of Suleiman 204
III. Caravan Routes 235