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Defenders of the Faith: Charles V, Suleyman the Magnificent, and the Battle for Europe, 1520-1536
In his Warriors of God and Dogs of God , James Reston, limned two epochal conflicts between Islam and Christendom. Here he examines the ultimate battle in that centuries-long war, which found Europe at its most vulnerable and Islam on the attack. This drama was propelled by two astonishing young Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Turkish sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. Though they represented two colliding worlds, they were remarkably similar. Each was a poet and cultured cosmopolitan; each was the most powerful man on his continent; each was called "Defender of the Faith"; and each faced strident religious rebellion in his domain. Charles was beset by the "heresy" of Martin Luther and his fervid adherents, even while tensions between him and the pope threatened to boil over, and the upstart French king Francis I harried Charles's realm by land and sea. Suleyman was hardly more comfortable on his throne. He had earned his crown by avoiding the grim Ottoman tradition of royal fratricide. Shiites in the East were fighting off the Sunni Turks' cruel repression of their "heresy." The ferocity and skill of Suleyman's Janissaries had expanded the Ottoman Empire to its greatest extent ever, but these slave soldiers became rebellious when foreign wars did not engage them.
With Europe newly hobbled and the Turks suffused with restless vigor, the stage was set for a drama that unfolded from Hungary to Rhodes and ultimately to Vienna itself, which both sides thought the Turks could win. If that happened, it was generally agreed that Europe would become Muslim as far west as the Rhine.
During these same years, Europe was roiled by constant internal tumult that saw, among other spectacles, the Diet of Worms, the Sack of Rome, and an actual wrestling match between the English and French monarchs in which Henry VIII's pride was badly hurt. Would-could-this fractious continent be united to repulse a fearsome enemy?
With Europe newly hobbled and the Turks suffused with restless vigor, the stage was set for a drama that unfolded from Hungary to Rhodes and ultimately to Vienna itself, which both sides thought the Turks could win. If that happened, it was generally agreed that Europe would become Muslim as far west as the Rhine.
During these same years, Europe was roiled by constant internal tumult that saw, among other spectacles, the Diet of Worms, the Sack of Rome, and an actual wrestling match between the English and French monarchs in which Henry VIII's pride was badly hurt. Would-could-this fractious continent be united to repulse a fearsome enemy?
432 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
James Reston Jr.
25 books62 followersJames Reston Jr. was an American journalist, documentarian and author of political and historical fiction and non-fiction. He wrote about the Vietnam war, the Jonestown Massacre, civil rights, the impeachment of Richard Nixon, and the September 11 attacks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
June 9, 2010
A good general overview of events in the early 16th century. The title is a bit misleading however, and should actually be: Defenders of the Faith: Charles V, Francis I, Henry VIII, Martin Luther, the Medici Popes, and the Battle for Europe (feat. Suleyman). I felt like a half dozen chapters about events in Europe, followed by a brief "oh hey Suleyman's canons sunk in the mud *again*".
It was very readable, and Reston did a good job of ensuring that all the disparate players had personalities and didn't become a muddle of guys with numbers after their names fighting on unpronounceable battlefields.
Also, reading it after "Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World" and "1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West" really helped solidify many of the "characters" in my mind, as well as place them in a broader historical context.
It was very readable, and Reston did a good job of ensuring that all the disparate players had personalities and didn't become a muddle of guys with numbers after their names fighting on unpronounceable battlefields.
Also, reading it after "Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World" and "1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West" really helped solidify many of the "characters" in my mind, as well as place them in a broader historical context.
February 6, 2010
This book is a fun read if you like history. I have read many books on the Protestant Reformation, most of which only mention wider historical circumstances as they influenced the Reformation. In such books there might be a sentence about the sack of Rome by Charles V's armies or of the fear of the Ottoman Turks invading Europe. This book focuses on the historical situation surrounding the early part of the Reformation. Its main characters are the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Ottoman Turkish Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. Though they never encountered each other on the battlefield, they were at the top of the political spectrum of the two colliding faith-empires. If you enjoy reading history, this is a fast-paced and good book.
There are some negatives, otherwise it might have garnered a four star rating. Reston exhibits a mild bias towards the Turkish side. Near the end of the book he describes Charles V's sacking of Tunis and the brutality of his armies in comparison to the restraint Suleyman's armies showed in Baghdad around the same time. But earlier in the book he describes the Turkish capture of Belgrade and Budapest which included a large amount of brutality. Rather than showing Charles and the Christians as brutes in contrast to the restrained Turks, a more level analysis would show that both sides were at times violent and at times restrained. Throughout the Christians are cast, in general, in a more negative light while the Muslims are lifted up. This bias is mild, it is by no means obvious. Of course, I admit that maybe I am more prone to notice this, as a Christian.
More than that, it really bothers me that Reston has no footnotes. There is not even a chapter by chapter breakdown to show resources for each chapter. All that is included is a bibliography. Perhaps this is common in popular fiction, but it really bothers me. He quotes various characters at length. Where are these quotes from? Further, none of them (except the English) spoke English, so what he quotes are translations. Which translations? It is just not hard to include footnotes; obviously he was copying quotes as he wrote so why not take the extra ten seconds to jot down the book, translator and other information? Reston is obviously a good researcher, and he does document his research method in a final acknowledgment section. So why not include footnotes?
Finally, his portrayal of Martin Luther seemed a bit off to me. Another reason to have more detailed source citations.
There are some negatives, otherwise it might have garnered a four star rating. Reston exhibits a mild bias towards the Turkish side. Near the end of the book he describes Charles V's sacking of Tunis and the brutality of his armies in comparison to the restraint Suleyman's armies showed in Baghdad around the same time. But earlier in the book he describes the Turkish capture of Belgrade and Budapest which included a large amount of brutality. Rather than showing Charles and the Christians as brutes in contrast to the restrained Turks, a more level analysis would show that both sides were at times violent and at times restrained. Throughout the Christians are cast, in general, in a more negative light while the Muslims are lifted up. This bias is mild, it is by no means obvious. Of course, I admit that maybe I am more prone to notice this, as a Christian.
More than that, it really bothers me that Reston has no footnotes. There is not even a chapter by chapter breakdown to show resources for each chapter. All that is included is a bibliography. Perhaps this is common in popular fiction, but it really bothers me. He quotes various characters at length. Where are these quotes from? Further, none of them (except the English) spoke English, so what he quotes are translations. Which translations? It is just not hard to include footnotes; obviously he was copying quotes as he wrote so why not take the extra ten seconds to jot down the book, translator and other information? Reston is obviously a good researcher, and he does document his research method in a final acknowledgment section. So why not include footnotes?
Finally, his portrayal of Martin Luther seemed a bit off to me. Another reason to have more detailed source citations.
August 14, 2022
Defenders of the Faith covers a monumental handful of years in which, among other things, Francis I battled with Charles V for European primacy, the Catholic church confronted a nascent Protestantism, the Pope struggled to maintain his secular/political role, and all Christen Europe was threatened by the Ottoman Empire's furthest ever Western expansion. Reston weaves all these threads and more (e.g., Henry VIII was seeking the most famous divorce in British history) into a generally fascinating narrative. On the downside, this relatively short book's outsized scope occasionally lead to sections that are somewhat hard to follow. Readers who are not enamored with military history may also find some of the battles scenes a bit of a slog.
May 6, 2013
There has rarely been a fourteen year period in history when so many monumental events have occurred. James Reston in "Defenders of the Faith" chronicles the happenings of that period, 1520 - 1536. There was a pathetic series of popes ending with Clement VII, who was a member of the Medici family and as corrupt as they come, trying to hold on to the papal states of Italy; there was Henry the VIII of England, who ended English participation in the Catholic church so that he could divorce his wife and marry his mistress; there was Charles V of Spain who ruled most of Europe except for France and England; there was Martin Luther, a rather cowardly man who started a religious rebellion in Germany while working from his favorite pub; there was Francis I of France who led his country to war and got himself captured by Charles; and there was Suyleyman the Magnificent, leader of the Turkish empire. It was a time of monumental change as the Catholic church was split in three and constant war was had by all in Europe while Suleyman hovered off in the east ready to pounce. The book was a super read and full of information given in a very even handed way. Reston was never loath to call a spade a spade and Suleyman comes off as easily the most competent leader of the bunch. I can't recommend "Defenders of the Faith" highly enough.
December 27, 2017
Defenders of the Faith is a thrilling popular history, focusing on the clash of the two great empires of the 16th century, the Holy Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire. For all its "clash of civilizations" overtones, the encounter was more of an up-jumped border skirmish at Vienna. Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, faced problems in his rear in the form of the Protestant Reformation, King Francis I of France, and a bleeding ulcer of a war in Italy. Suleyman the Magnificent was on the offensive, but despite the largest and most organized army in the world at the time, he lacked the technology to reliably overcome fortified strongpoints, and the logistics to sustain an army in the field in the European winter.
Reston has a talent for bringing the pageantry of the era to life. This was a period of outsized personalities and lavish gestures. The Great Man approach is a little outmodeled, but in an era when a single man could shift armies, and trials of combat between heads of state were proposed, though never finished, it's appropriate. A great detailed look at a period that tends to get subsumed in European history in general.
Reston has a talent for bringing the pageantry of the era to life. This was a period of outsized personalities and lavish gestures. The Great Man approach is a little outmodeled, but in an era when a single man could shift armies, and trials of combat between heads of state were proposed, though never finished, it's appropriate. A great detailed look at a period that tends to get subsumed in European history in general.
July 13, 2024
I thought there’d be a little bit more about Suleyman and the Ottomans but the author made up for it with riveting tales of triple circumcision festivals and premature babies being shoved in pig carcasses for warmth.
October 4, 2013
Mediocre popular history. Supposedly part of a larger series of books examining the encounter of Islam and the West, yadda yadda. Despite the pages of credits and respectable bibliography, the author shows amateurish control of the sources and seemingly just regurgitates other, better books on the subject. And I could have forgiven much if the writing were just better. But curious typos and misspellings show up ("Lütheran"), as well as numerous small errors of fact. Clunky prose and bizarre turns of phrase abound; for instance, the Knights of St. John securely planted in their fortress on the island of Rhodes are hardly "knights errant" as Reston strangely puts it. The entire volume could have done with better editing (copy editing, certainly). I would have appreciated endnotes, too; I distrust many of the bare assertions made. I give this the dignity of a two-star rating because the story is itself deeply fascinating.
March 13, 2013
James Reston, Jr. takes this very complex material and brings it to life. This is a totally engrossing book. It helped me to understand this period of history in a way I had not before.
I cannot say enough about how well this is done. Reston introduces the characters and presents their actions and motivations at a pace the reader can understand. He brings the battles, the politics and the pageantry to life.
Reston, undoubtedly, had many decisions along the way, what to put in and what to leave out. He strikes and excellent balance.
I highly recommend this book.
I cannot say enough about how well this is done. Reston introduces the characters and presents their actions and motivations at a pace the reader can understand. He brings the battles, the politics and the pageantry to life.
Reston, undoubtedly, had many decisions along the way, what to put in and what to leave out. He strikes and excellent balance.
I highly recommend this book.
April 19, 2022
A lot happened between 1520 and 1536. James Reston Jr whizzes us around the world where it was happening, from Henry VIII's attempts to extricate himself from his perfectly legitimate marriage to Catherine of Aragon, through to Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to a door and setting in train the Protestant Reformation. But the fact that the Reformation endured rather than being suppressed was in large part due to what was happening elsewhere, in particular the looming threat from the east: Suleiman the Magnificent and his Ottoman Empire.
The sixteen years covered in Reston's fast paced, gossipy book, an excellent example of popular history, revolves in particular around the confrontation between Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and, by reason of canny Habsburg marriage diplomacy, ruler of most of Europe apart from France and England, and Suleiman, Emperor of the East. Where Charles was Holy Roman Emperor, Suleiman was Emperor of Constantinople. And while it is possible for there to be a plurality of kings, according to the lights of the time, there could be only one emperor. Both Suleiman and Charles considered themselves the one but Suleiman, with a realm that was less fissiparous, had the advantage. With the Turkish threat, Luther and the German princes who supported him had Charles and the Habsburg monarchy perpetually looking over their shoulders. Thus the Reformation was saved. But it's clear that, had the weather been better, Suleiman might well have succeeded in his goal of taking Vienna and unlocking the gates of Europe. Then how differently might history have played out. But the spring and summer of 1529 were exceptionally cold and wet, bogging down the great Turkish supply train as it struggled westwards and forcing the Turks to abandon their heaviest cannons. Reaching Vienna, they put up a desultory attempt to storm the city but without the fine cannons that were their trump card, militarily, they could not breach the walls.
However, in an early example of spin, Suleiman and his advisors declared the expedition a victory and went back to Constantinople and celebrated it as such. One of the interesting facts we learn from this book is that propaganda is by no means a recent invention.
Overall, an engrossing and reader-friendly account of a crucial time, with Reston managing ably to delineate the various historical personages so that they each come across as distinctive personalities.
The sixteen years covered in Reston's fast paced, gossipy book, an excellent example of popular history, revolves in particular around the confrontation between Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and, by reason of canny Habsburg marriage diplomacy, ruler of most of Europe apart from France and England, and Suleiman, Emperor of the East. Where Charles was Holy Roman Emperor, Suleiman was Emperor of Constantinople. And while it is possible for there to be a plurality of kings, according to the lights of the time, there could be only one emperor. Both Suleiman and Charles considered themselves the one but Suleiman, with a realm that was less fissiparous, had the advantage. With the Turkish threat, Luther and the German princes who supported him had Charles and the Habsburg monarchy perpetually looking over their shoulders. Thus the Reformation was saved. But it's clear that, had the weather been better, Suleiman might well have succeeded in his goal of taking Vienna and unlocking the gates of Europe. Then how differently might history have played out. But the spring and summer of 1529 were exceptionally cold and wet, bogging down the great Turkish supply train as it struggled westwards and forcing the Turks to abandon their heaviest cannons. Reaching Vienna, they put up a desultory attempt to storm the city but without the fine cannons that were their trump card, militarily, they could not breach the walls.
However, in an early example of spin, Suleiman and his advisors declared the expedition a victory and went back to Constantinople and celebrated it as such. One of the interesting facts we learn from this book is that propaganda is by no means a recent invention.
Overall, an engrossing and reader-friendly account of a crucial time, with Reston managing ably to delineate the various historical personages so that they each come across as distinctive personalities.
January 11, 2021
Overall a very good summary of the many facets in play in the early 16th century. Catholicism clashes with Lutheranism and they both have to stave off differences to fight off Suleyman and the Turks. He does a fair job of staying neutral, but tends to overstate the barbarism of the Empire/Christians and downplays the barbarism of the Turks (Muslims). It's not much, but visible to those that can see it. The book is well documented and the history of the events is well told. I'm now going to look into the other two books about more dated, but relevant history.
He also delves into the English split from Rome, politics in France and the role of the popes during this time period. He spends a great deal of the book discussing the reformation and is heavily biased towards Luther. More so against he than Henry VIII and I wonder if it is because Luther has a real assault on the travesties of the Catholic church (rightfully so) and less to do with selfishness as Henry's was.
I would have liked to have seen more regarding the military formations and strategy (if any) and why Suleyman failed. I was really intrigued with the political fallout from Protestant and Catholics finally figuring out that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The personalities in this book come alive and you can see the world through them, mostly. I do think there is a lot missing regarding Suleyman. I'm going to have to research more regarding him and Charles V. He keeps it relevant to today as well.
He also delves into the English split from Rome, politics in France and the role of the popes during this time period. He spends a great deal of the book discussing the reformation and is heavily biased towards Luther. More so against he than Henry VIII and I wonder if it is because Luther has a real assault on the travesties of the Catholic church (rightfully so) and less to do with selfishness as Henry's was.
I would have liked to have seen more regarding the military formations and strategy (if any) and why Suleyman failed. I was really intrigued with the political fallout from Protestant and Catholics finally figuring out that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The personalities in this book come alive and you can see the world through them, mostly. I do think there is a lot missing regarding Suleyman. I'm going to have to research more regarding him and Charles V. He keeps it relevant to today as well.
March 24, 2024
While it’s not a bad book, it may fall short if you’ve already delved into “Lionheartes.” “Lionheartes” offers a deeper exploration of Richard the Lionheart and Saladin. Still, I recommend this book as it has its merits. However, my expectations were different; I anticipated insights into Suleyman’s attempt on Vienna and why Charles’s’ control over the Mediterranean was very important. What would have happened if Charles didn’t attempt to secure the Mediterranean Sea. It was very important to explain the significance of Charles’s victory over Barbarossa. The boos didn’t attempt I hoped to learn more about King Charles, Francis, and their advisers’ conflicts with the pope. Unfortunately, the book didn’t delve into Charles actions in Rome and their significance. Nonetheless, it aptly covers the rise of the Lutherans and the Vatican’s concerns.
October 4, 2021
A story told well, although very unsympathetic to Martin Luther himself.
August 18, 2009
Defenders of the Faith is a history covering 1520-1536 AD which mainly focused on the politics and wars in Europe (Charles V, Francis I, Henry VIII, the popes, Martin Luther, etc.). Only a fourth of the book focused on Suleyman's battles in Europe, European diplomacy efforts toward him, descriptions of feasts he held, and his internal politics...and very little was said about the Sunni/Shi'i conflict.
The book used quotes from people living at the time and gave nice details about how things looked which helped bring the events alive in my imagination. However, for all it's detail (describing the scene, the weather, numbers of people, maneuvers, etc.), the book gave only a surface assessment of the motives behind the actions. The author judges the actions from hindsight, knowing the results of the decisions, rather than giving a "this is how the situation might have appeared to them" view. He also assumes the worst motives behind the actions. This critical and cynical view of events results in a lot of negative language being used to describe the people and their actions.
There was a mild bias in this book. Whenever the author described cruel actions by the Turks against Christians, neutral language was used. If Christians did the same actions against Turks/Muslims, negative language was used. Also, the Hospitaller knights were called "fanatics," popes rarely had anything positive said about them, and the author used mocking language when describing how Martin Luther feared he might be killed when he had every reason to think he would be. Also, descriptions of people changed throughout the book. For example, a pope was described as sly/scheming when he was being sly/scheming and then described as gullible when his actions appear gullible. I didn't feel I could trust the author's assessment of the situations, but he also didn't give me enough information for me to draw my own conclusions.
The book included several nice black and white maps covering the areas described and black and whites pictures of the personages described in the book.
If you're interested in the Reformation (which made up a large portion of this book), then I'd recommend other, less biased books. History buffs wanting an overview of European politics during this time period might find this book interesting. If you've read this author's previous books and liked them, then I suspect you'll like this book as well.
The book used quotes from people living at the time and gave nice details about how things looked which helped bring the events alive in my imagination. However, for all it's detail (describing the scene, the weather, numbers of people, maneuvers, etc.), the book gave only a surface assessment of the motives behind the actions. The author judges the actions from hindsight, knowing the results of the decisions, rather than giving a "this is how the situation might have appeared to them" view. He also assumes the worst motives behind the actions. This critical and cynical view of events results in a lot of negative language being used to describe the people and their actions.
There was a mild bias in this book. Whenever the author described cruel actions by the Turks against Christians, neutral language was used. If Christians did the same actions against Turks/Muslims, negative language was used. Also, the Hospitaller knights were called "fanatics," popes rarely had anything positive said about them, and the author used mocking language when describing how Martin Luther feared he might be killed when he had every reason to think he would be. Also, descriptions of people changed throughout the book. For example, a pope was described as sly/scheming when he was being sly/scheming and then described as gullible when his actions appear gullible. I didn't feel I could trust the author's assessment of the situations, but he also didn't give me enough information for me to draw my own conclusions.
The book included several nice black and white maps covering the areas described and black and whites pictures of the personages described in the book.
If you're interested in the Reformation (which made up a large portion of this book), then I'd recommend other, less biased books. History buffs wanting an overview of European politics during this time period might find this book interesting. If you've read this author's previous books and liked them, then I suspect you'll like this book as well.
March 18, 2021
This is a close look at about fifteen years that changed much of the structures of Europe in a popular history format. In a way, it is "
Here I Stand
the book", though it only covers a fraction of the period that game did. But they both show just how many things that we hear about in disjointed fashion in histories were all happening at the same time.
Technically, the primary focus is meant to be the clash between Charles V and Suleiman, featuring the fall of Hungary, Rhodes, and the first siege of Vienna. However, even with the siege of Vienna near the end, this thread feels less than well-served. And of course, there's plenty else to keep track of, and the real success of this book is that it juggles all these balls without dropping any, and presenting a clear narrative.
This includes western European power politics (the book starts with Charles V's visits to England as part of an effort to keep Henry VIII from playing nice with France), and the start of the Reformation (with a good look at Luther's evolving thinking, and his efforts to stay at the center of what he had started). There's plenty of side notes as part of all these, with wars between European powers, fighting in North Africa, and in Persia. One of the threads that Reston tries to follow (fairly well, if at a thankfully very high level) are the various efforts for religious uniformity, and the compromises forced on various leaders.
Overall, the book is well-written and put together. There are complaints about a lack of footnotes, which is justified, though this is enough on the popular history side that it is not a major concern. There is a selected bibliography at the end that runs ~10 pages, but is just the normal bare bones format, when a 'further reading' list would have helped make up for the lack of footnoting.
Technically, the primary focus is meant to be the clash between Charles V and Suleiman, featuring the fall of Hungary, Rhodes, and the first siege of Vienna. However, even with the siege of Vienna near the end, this thread feels less than well-served. And of course, there's plenty else to keep track of, and the real success of this book is that it juggles all these balls without dropping any, and presenting a clear narrative.
This includes western European power politics (the book starts with Charles V's visits to England as part of an effort to keep Henry VIII from playing nice with France), and the start of the Reformation (with a good look at Luther's evolving thinking, and his efforts to stay at the center of what he had started). There's plenty of side notes as part of all these, with wars between European powers, fighting in North Africa, and in Persia. One of the threads that Reston tries to follow (fairly well, if at a thankfully very high level) are the various efforts for religious uniformity, and the compromises forced on various leaders.
Overall, the book is well-written and put together. There are complaints about a lack of footnotes, which is justified, though this is enough on the popular history side that it is not a major concern. There is a selected bibliography at the end that runs ~10 pages, but is just the normal bare bones format, when a 'further reading' list would have helped make up for the lack of footnoting.
September 2, 2013
This work is a detailed account of the clash between the Holy Roman Empire, ruled by Charles V and the Ottoman Empire ruled by Suleyman the Magnificent. The time period covered by the book is approximately 1500 through 1550. There are a number of sub stories especially the travails of Martin Luther, the birth of the Reformation, the marital issues of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Also covered are the machinations of the various Christian rulers, Francis I of France, Ferdinand of Austria, Charles, the Popes Leo X and Clement VII. The interplay between Suleyman and his chief Vizier, Ibrahim Pasha and especially the rise and fall of the latter as Suleyman’s main advisor and confidant is one of the main sub plots. These are the main characters of the story but, of course, there are many other highly interesting ones who play substantial roles.
The above events and many additional others are woven into a historical tapestry as Suleyman proceeds with is avowed goal of capturing Vienna and spreading Islam to the lands of the “non believers”. While there are descriptions of many battles, the loss of the island of Rhodes (1522) to the Ottomans, the tragic destruction of the Hungarian armies at the Battle of Mohacs (1526), the delay of the Ottoman armies by various fortresses holding out against them (Guns-Koszeg) and finally the ability of Vienna to withstand the siege. Suleyman eventually accepted the futility of his undertaking and returned to Constatinople declaring a great victory in spreading the rule of Islam to additional territories, in taking some fortresses but, of course, downplaying his failure to capture Vienna.
The book flows well but a reader must have the ability to keep in mind the many characters and events covered by the book. There are no footnotes for the quotations but there is a good Bibliography at the end of the work. I would recommend the book as a good primer for anyone interested in gaining a feel for tumultuous events of early 16th century Europe.
January 6, 2015
This book covers the history of Europe and the Ottoman Empire from 1520-1536. In particular it focuses on the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, the three way struggle between the Pope, the Holy Roman Emperor and the French king over Italy and the Ottoman Empire's invasions of Eastern Europe.
Overall, it's quite an interesting story though at times it felt like a slog to keep myself going.
One complaint though is that there are no in text citations. To my mind this is a very big miss for a history book. Sure there is a 'selected bibliography' at the end, but there's no indication of what sources relate to what parts of the text.
My second complaint is more personal. It seems there was a bias in favor of the Muslims. The Christians are condemned for sacking a city that resisted conquest (which was part of the rules of war at the time) but the Muslims are not condemned for pillaging there way across Austria in order to draw the German emperor into combat. The Knights Hospitaller are called 'fanatics' for holding out in the eastern Mediterranean whereas Suleyman is 'pious' for trying to subjugate the European Christians and the Persian Shi'ite Muslims under his banner. It's somewhat irritating.
Overall, it's quite an interesting story though at times it felt like a slog to keep myself going.
One complaint though is that there are no in text citations. To my mind this is a very big miss for a history book. Sure there is a 'selected bibliography' at the end, but there's no indication of what sources relate to what parts of the text.
My second complaint is more personal. It seems there was a bias in favor of the Muslims. The Christians are condemned for sacking a city that resisted conquest (which was part of the rules of war at the time) but the Muslims are not condemned for pillaging there way across Austria in order to draw the German emperor into combat. The Knights Hospitaller are called 'fanatics' for holding out in the eastern Mediterranean whereas Suleyman is 'pious' for trying to subjugate the European Christians and the Persian Shi'ite Muslims under his banner. It's somewhat irritating.
November 30, 2010
Amazing book! I would recommend it to anyone. Reston is a wonderful author, however, this should not be be taken as truth-to-history. Reston's anti-Catholic Church bias shines through clear as day. However, I rather enjoy a book that introduces a strong opinion when the author is an intelligent one. And Reston definitely is.
This time period was very tumultuous and the author captures every aspect of it. He doesn't just focus one vantage point of history, but many. You get "both sides of the story", east and west. As well as detailed accounts of political leaders, kings, princes, Martin Luther, detailed accounts of the Reformation, the societal aspects, and the military campaigns and tactics. It seems as if he leaves nothing out, and still manages to keep the story flowing remarkably cohesively.
I enjoyed the indepth look at the temperments of the key figures of this time period, and especially that of King Henry VIII of England.
This time period was very tumultuous and the author captures every aspect of it. He doesn't just focus one vantage point of history, but many. You get "both sides of the story", east and west. As well as detailed accounts of political leaders, kings, princes, Martin Luther, detailed accounts of the Reformation, the societal aspects, and the military campaigns and tactics. It seems as if he leaves nothing out, and still manages to keep the story flowing remarkably cohesively.
I enjoyed the indepth look at the temperments of the key figures of this time period, and especially that of King Henry VIII of England.
September 15, 2012
An enjoyable read about the period of 1520-1533 or so, the reformation and the Austrian/Hungarian struggles against the Turks. The intrigue, and such during the period was incredible. I have only two problems with the text. First it's coverage of the siege of Vienna was too brief for my tastes. Secondly, the book is written in the style of "I've read the history so you don't have too", which while pleasant to read has no footnotes. there are quite a few odd ball factoids that I wanted to check, to learn more about, or to simply get a sense for the validity of ... no can do here. Normally I would read more by this author, but I haven't heard anything good about his other books and their topics don't Wow me.
February 21, 2014
A lot happened in those two decades of the 16th Century. I didn't realize all that was going on. If you add Henry VIII and his problems with his wives, Suleiman the Great invading Europe (and almost taking Vienna), the rise of Martin Luther, a French King being captured by the Spanish King and of course a bunch of trips out West, it was a remarkable 16 years. I've read a lot of Jimmy Reston's books. (He's the son of the famous New York Times columnist.) He makes history enjoyable and readable.
January 27, 2010
Excellent! Well written, well researched and with an eye toward the little stories that make history come alive. The author presents a well balanced account of a troubled time. this is history that reads like a well loved novel.
July 26, 2011
A gloriously-written snapshot into a fantastic time...and an excellent way of presenting the trials and tribulations of the early European renaissance through counter-point with the Ottomans. A definitive text for both study and enjoyment of the era.
March 11, 2023
Defenders of the faith
جيمس ريستون
392 صفحة
عام 2009
مدافعو العقيدة هو العنوان الذي اختاره الكاتب الاميركي جيمس ريستون لكتابه الشيق و الذي يتحدث فيه عن الصراع بين السلطان العثماني سليمان القانوني و امبراطور الامبراطورية الرومانية المقدسة تشارلز الخامس و الذي استمر لقرابة 16 عاما بين 1520 و 1536.
كان السلطان سليمان ينعم بصحبة وزيره و صديقه المفضل ابراهيم باشا و الذي رغم ذلك لقى نهايته على يد صديقه . أما زوجة سليمان المحبوبة روكسيلانا كان لا يرفض لها طلبا حتى انه حاول اختطاف الأرملة الايطالية الحسناء جوليا غونزاغا ليقدمها جارية لزوجته و بعث الى ايطاليا لهذه المهمة السرية رجله المفضل القرصان خير الدين بارباروسا، الا أن جوليا سمعت جلبة في قصرها فهربت شبه عارية بمساعدة أحد فرسانها و الذي أمرت باعدامه عند وصولهما الى بر الأمان لأنه "رأى أكثر من اللازم" من جسمها.
قاد سليمان 12 حملة الى الشرق و الغرب فقد حاول الدخول الى فيينا مرتين دون نتيجة و قاد حملات ضد الصفويين الشيعة في الشرق كانت في بعضها ناجحة مع عفو و تسامح استثنائي قدمه للشيعة في بغداد الا أنه توفي دون ان يحقق حلمه في توحيد المسلمين.
و هكذا توفي سليمان بعد فترة حكم طويلة، توفي من الهم و التوتر بعد فشله في حملته الاخير في هزيمة المجريين و بعد ندمه الشديد لقتل ابنه المفضل مصطفى و بعد رؤيته كل اولاده يموتون واحدا تلو الاخر ما عدا سليم الذي خلف أباه و كان عصره بداية نهاية السلطنة العثمانية.
أما تشارلز الخامس فقد كانت حياته أصعب بكثير و اتخذ من الجميع اعداء له.
لقد حارب بابا الفاتيكان القوي ليو العاشر لفترة طويلة كان الأخير منزعجا من محاولة تشارلز السيطرة على كل شيء. و حارب ملك فرنسا فرانسيس الاول و الذي وقع في أسر تشارلز و ترك اولاده رهينة في الاسر مقابل ان يذهب لقضاء حوائجه الا أنه غدر بالوعد و لم يعد الى قبضة تشارلز.
و هناك هنري الثامن ملك انكلترا الذي أراد تطليق زوجته و هي أخت تشارلز و الزواج من محبوبته آنا، ولكن و بسبب معارضة تشارلز و بابا الفاتيكان تحول هنري الى البروتستانتية و تزوج 6 مرات.
اما اسوء ما حدث للامبراطور هو ظهور مارتن لوثر و الذي أسس البروتستانتية و فرق الكاثوليك و نشر مذهبه في المانيا و انكلترا و هولندا و لم يستطع تشارلز فعل شيء حياله و توفي في دير بعيد و هو مهموم لانه لم يستطع توحيد المسيحيين كما أراد.
جيمس ريستون
392 صفحة
عام 2009
مدافعو العقيدة هو العنوان الذي اختاره الكاتب الاميركي جيمس ريستون لكتابه الشيق و الذي يتحدث فيه عن الصراع بين السلطان العثماني سليمان القانوني و امبراطور الامبراطورية الرومانية المقدسة تشارلز الخامس و الذي استمر لقرابة 16 عاما بين 1520 و 1536.
كان السلطان سليمان ينعم بصحبة وزيره و صديقه المفضل ابراهيم باشا و الذي رغم ذلك لقى نهايته على يد صديقه . أما زوجة سليمان المحبوبة روكسيلانا كان لا يرفض لها طلبا حتى انه حاول اختطاف الأرملة الايطالية الحسناء جوليا غونزاغا ليقدمها جارية لزوجته و بعث الى ايطاليا لهذه المهمة السرية رجله المفضل القرصان خير الدين بارباروسا، الا أن جوليا سمعت جلبة في قصرها فهربت شبه عارية بمساعدة أحد فرسانها و الذي أمرت باعدامه عند وصولهما الى بر الأمان لأنه "رأى أكثر من اللازم" من جسمها.
قاد سليمان 12 حملة الى الشرق و الغرب فقد حاول الدخول الى فيينا مرتين دون نتيجة و قاد حملات ضد الصفويين الشيعة في الشرق كانت في بعضها ناجحة مع عفو و تسامح استثنائي قدمه للشيعة في بغداد الا أنه توفي دون ان يحقق حلمه في توحيد المسلمين.
و هكذا توفي سليمان بعد فترة حكم طويلة، توفي من الهم و التوتر بعد فشله في حملته الاخير في هزيمة المجريين و بعد ندمه الشديد لقتل ابنه المفضل مصطفى و بعد رؤيته كل اولاده يموتون واحدا تلو الاخر ما عدا سليم الذي خلف أباه و كان عصره بداية نهاية السلطنة العثمانية.
أما تشارلز الخامس فقد كانت حياته أصعب بكثير و اتخذ من الجميع اعداء له.
لقد حارب بابا الفاتيكان القوي ليو العاشر لفترة طويلة كان الأخير منزعجا من محاولة تشارلز السيطرة على كل شيء. و حارب ملك فرنسا فرانسيس الاول و الذي وقع في أسر تشارلز و ترك اولاده رهينة في الاسر مقابل ان يذهب لقضاء حوائجه الا أنه غدر بالوعد و لم يعد الى قبضة تشارلز.
و هناك هنري الثامن ملك انكلترا الذي أراد تطليق زوجته و هي أخت تشارلز و الزواج من محبوبته آنا، ولكن و بسبب معارضة تشارلز و بابا الفاتيكان تحول هنري الى البروتستانتية و تزوج 6 مرات.
اما اسوء ما حدث للامبراطور هو ظهور مارتن لوثر و الذي أسس البروتستانتية و فرق الكاثوليك و نشر مذهبه في المانيا و انكلترا و هولندا و لم يستطع تشارلز فعل شيء حياله و توفي في دير بعيد و هو مهموم لانه لم يستطع توحيد المسيحيين كما أراد.
July 31, 2021
Panoramically covers the geopolitical, military, and religious aspects of the late Renaissance, but could have written a few more pages on its society, arts, and science. Something between a novel and a serious history book, but could have had a bit more of better parts of either. To be a novel, it needs more depiction on its characters to make them more distinguishable than typical emperors, kings, religious leaders (potentates and prelates). There were indeed quite a few characters that the author did a great job to describe, the German loyalist Georg Frundsberg, Pope Clement VII I will and I will not. To be a serious history book, it would need some analyses emphatically made on the historical events. The author did well when he made clear that Landsknechts were replacing Swiss Reislaufers after the narrative of the battle of Pavia and when he covered the consequences of several Imperial Diets during the early Reformation, but it seems this momentum was lost further into the late half of the book. For example, the author should have explained why Suleiman left a power vacuum in Hungary after his victory at Mohacs, why he did not install a typical Ottoman administration. Ottomans were not surprisingly—but unsatisfactorily—treated as an arrogant, external force. Many quotes from the diplomats were an unexpected feature, such as Guicciardini's and many other Italian diplomats.
September 18, 2022
There is a war game, "Here I Stand," which covers the merriment of the Protestant and Catholic Reformations and their attendant wars among Ottomans, Imperialist troops, French, and Papists, with some New World explorations and English monarchical bedroom action through in. It is not a short game, but is popular among (admittedly) a niche pasttime.
This book is practically a script for it. For the non-gamers out there (most of you), it is an interesting and informative read about the two main players of the time (Suleyman and Charles V) with guest appearances from the kings of France and England, some Popes, and, to me most interesting of all, a very human Martin Luther. No, and it may be a disappointment to those of deep faith, there isn't much about doctrine; it's a romp through the major political events (wars being an outgrowth of same) of those years. I'd like to see Reston's take on the Thirty Years War.
This book is practically a script for it. For the non-gamers out there (most of you), it is an interesting and informative read about the two main players of the time (Suleyman and Charles V) with guest appearances from the kings of France and England, some Popes, and, to me most interesting of all, a very human Martin Luther. No, and it may be a disappointment to those of deep faith, there isn't much about doctrine; it's a romp through the major political events (wars being an outgrowth of same) of those years. I'd like to see Reston's take on the Thirty Years War.
March 31, 2020
Solid overview of the European (and to a lesser extent, Ottoman) situation between 1520 and 1536. The title is a bit misleading: it feels like more time is spent on Martin Luther and Henry VIII's attempts to get a divorce, and what that meant for the European balance of power, than on the Ottoman incursions. Certainly don't expect any actual encounter between the two men in the title. The closest they get here is when Suleyman besieges castles that ultimately owe fealty to Charles, and vice versa.
Reston has a knack for drawing the figures of the past quite vividly, and I appreciated the readable overview of the early Reformation, even though this wasn't quite the book I expected.
Reston has a knack for drawing the figures of the past quite vividly, and I appreciated the readable overview of the early Reformation, even though this wasn't quite the book I expected.
August 19, 2024
I listened to this book "Defenders of the Faith" which details the struggles between Charles V and Suleyman the Magnificent. I've read various history books about the Reformation... and inevitably as Charles V decided that he wanted to deal with Lutheranism, here came an invasion by the Ottomans and the European emperor's forces and attention was diverted to deal with that. Which kinda... facilitated the strengthening of Protestantism during that time. Anyway, this was a fascinating history book detailing the back and forth between Suleyman and Charles V. It gives lots more details on the Ottomans which I previously knew little about. I found it very interesting. Five stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 18, 2017
Kitaba başlamadan beklentim, Kanuni ve Şarlken arasındaki rekabeti anlatmasıydı.Ancak kitap çoğunlukla 16. yüzyıl Avrupası ve Reform hareketlerinden, biraz da Osmanlı'da Kanuni döneminden, Papadan, I. Francis'den, VIII. Henry'den ve Şarlken'den bahsediyor.
Kitabın son kısmını da beğenmedim.Reyting alamayıp 5. bölümde hızlıca final yapan Türk dizilerini andırıyor :D.
Ek olarak bu konuları anlatan çok daha iyi kitaplar dururken okunmasını mantıksız bulduğum için düşük puan verdim.Kesinlikle okumamalısınız da demiyorum.Bu konulara ilgisi olan biri için, ara sıra sıksa da genel olarak sürükleyici bir kitap.
Kitabın son kısmını da beğenmedim.Reyting alamayıp 5. bölümde hızlıca final yapan Türk dizilerini andırıyor :D.
Ek olarak bu konuları anlatan çok daha iyi kitaplar dururken okunmasını mantıksız bulduğum için düşük puan verdim.Kesinlikle okumamalısınız da demiyorum.Bu konulara ilgisi olan biri için, ara sıra sıksa da genel olarak sürükleyici bir kitap.
November 7, 2021
Not good. Not bad. A standard popular narrative history of the period indicated in the title. Eschews analysis in general, great processes and in-depth discussion in favour of telling a straightforward story of a dozen outstanding characters (Sülyeman the Magnificent, Charles V, Francis I, Henry VIII, Clement VII, Martin Luther, Pargali Ibrahim Pasha and half a dozen supporting characters) vying for power in Europe and the Mediterranean in this pivotal period.
Overall, a worthy introductory reading.
Overall, a worthy introductory reading.
April 2, 2024
At times strange in its construction (for example, the artificiality of the 16-year coverage, which ends up shutting the book down rather abruptly), and prone to some easy prejudices (the author really seems to have it in for the Knights of St John), the book is nonetheless a fine narrative of the period and of some of the lesser known players (Charles' lieutenants in Italy, various players in the Balkans, the inner politics of Suleyman's court). Reston has a talent for picking the most evocative quotes, which he does repeatedly across the book.
July 2, 2017
Reston has an emphatic and compelling writing style, but the premise is slightly misleading. It's presented as the story of two global superpowers, but it functions more as an in-depth narrative of 16th century European geopolitical and religious developments, interspersed with periodic Ottoman invasions.
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