Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World
Christian Europe’s fate in the struggle against an aggressive and powerful Ottoman Empire was settled in the Mediterranean between the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the climactic Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Roger Crowley’s extraordinary sense of the dramatic together with his finely crafted writing brings this struggle to life as few have done before. Rival empires wage war and religions compete for souls while colorful personalities such as Pope Pius V, Don Juan of Austria, and the unlucky Ali Pasha play their roles to perfection. Crowley analyzes both sides as he directs us through the struggle for Rhodes, the desperate Christian defense of Malta, and the critical all-important engagement at Lepanto. The author of 1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West has written a tale as gripping as the finest historical novel.
