xix, 674 pages : 20 cm

The Ottoman chronicles recount that the first sultan, Osman, dreamt of the dynasty he would found - a tree, fully-formed, emerged from his navel, symbolising the vigor of his successors and the extent of their domains.This is the first book to tell the full story of the Ottoman dynasty that for six centuries held sway over territories stretching, at their greatest, from Hungary to the Persian Gulf, and from North Africa to the Caucasus. Understanding the realization of Osman's vision is essential for anyone who seeks to understand the modern world

Originally published: 2005

Includes bibliographical references (pages 611-641) and index

Illustrations -- Acknowledgements -- Preface -- A note on spelling, names, maps and quotations -- A guide to Ottoman titles -- Maps -- 1. First among equals -- 2. A dynasty divided -- 3. An imperial vision -- 4. Sultan of the faithful -- 5. Possessor of the kingdoms of the world -- 6. The sedentary sultan -- 7. Government by faction -- 8. Revenge of the pashas -- 9. Rule of the grandees -- 10. The empire unravels -- 11. The perils of insouciance -- 12. The power of the provinces -- 13. From the 'New Order' to the 'Re-ordering' -- 14. A crisis of identity -- 15. The Islamic empire -- 16. The storm before the calm -- Sultans of the Ottoman Empire -- Chronology -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index

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