In a concise and colorful style, Suraiya Faroqhi lays out the history of one of the most powerful empires of the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern era. At its height, the Ottoman Empire spread over three continents and matched the size of the Roman Empire, covering the territories of modern-day Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and parts of Greece. This text traces the political history of the Ottomans from the 14th century to the dissolution of the empire after World War I and employs a balanced approach that encompasses economic, social, and cultural history. The result is a unique, colorful overview of the Ottoman Empire that depicts soldiers, such as Mehmed II ("the Conqueror") and the Janissary corps; the wars with Persia, Russia, and Venice; court life in Istanbul, including patronage of the arts; the role of the sultan as defender of Sunni Islam; the tax system; agriculture and trade; life in the cities and the country; the relationship between Europe and the Ottoman Empire; the rise of nationalism; and upheaval during the 19th century. "The author sets the record straight about several longstanding inaccuracies, such as an alleged division of labor between different ethnic and religious groups, and an Ottoman women's culture, which make the book especially worth reading. The book emphasizes social and economic developments more than political ones, following the methodology of Fernand Braudel." - --Deutsche Viertelsjahresblätter "Faroqhi (U. of Munich) presents a whirlwind history of the empire based in Turkey from its beginnings at the dawn of the 14th century to its dismemberment after World War I. His goal is to provide a grounding for students of the present-day Middle East, urbanism, global labor migration, the history of women and the family, and other areas. The account mixes traditional political and military concerns with discussions of social, economic, cultural, and religious matters. Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches was published in 2004 by Verlag C. H. Beck, Munich. The translation is by Shelley Frisch, American scholar, editor, and translator of German literature." --Book News "Christianity had the Roman Empire; Islam had the Ottoman Empire. "The Ottoman Empire: A Short History" traces the history of one of the longest standing empires known to man. Chapters cover the post-Crusades period, the Ottoman Empire's constant conflicts with Europe, Russia, and other neighbors who successfully resisted its rule, and much more. Looking at how the empire managed its own internal affairs and the strong role Islam played, "The Ottoman Empire" serves as a fine introduction to this historical entity, deftly translated from the original German by Shelley Frisch." --Midwest Book Review "Faroqhi (Univ. of Munich and Istanbul Bilgi Univ.), a highly respected and prolific Ottoman specialist offers a comprehensive account in this breezy translation from the German... a clearly presented and concise survey" --choice "Professor Suraiya Faroqhi of the University of Munich has been one of a number of historians who have trans-formed Ottoman studies in the last generation. This volume presents the issues of Ottoman history in an enlightening and most readable way. For the latter quality much credit is also due to the translator, Shelley Frisch."--Asian Affairs (The Royal Society of Asian Affairs --Asian Affairs Suraiya Faroqhi, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, is author of "The Ottoman Empire and the World Around it" and other books Suraiya Faroqhi, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, is author of "The Ottoman Empire and the World Around it" and other books. Shelley Frisch is author of "The Lure of the Linguistic", and translator of many books from the German, including biographies of Nietzsche, Kafka, and Einstein. She has taught German literature at Columbia University, Haverford College, and Rutgers University, and serves on the PEN Translation Committee. About