God's shadow : Sultan Selim, his Ottoman empire, and the making of the modern world

First Title Value for Searching:

Personal Author:

Mikhail, Alan, 1979-

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

viii, 479 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color), maps ; 24 cm.

Summary:

"An explosive global history that redefines the historical origins of the modern world through the life of Sultan Selim I and his Ottoman Empire. Long neglected in accounts of world history, the Ottoman Empire was a hub of flourishing intellectual fervor, geopolitical power, and enlightened pluralistic rule. At the helm of its ascent was the omnipotent Sultan Selim I (1470-1520), who, with the aid of his extraordinarily gifted mother, Gülbahar, hugely expanded the empire, propelling it onto the world stage. Aware of centuries of European suppression of Islamic history, Alan Mikhail centers Selim's Ottoman Empire and Islam as the very pivots of global history, redefining such world-changing events as Christopher Columbus's voyages-which originated, in fact, as a Catholic jihad that viewed Native Americans as somehow "Moorish"-the Protestant Reformation, the transatlantic slave trade, and the dramatic Ottoman seizure of the Middle East and North Africa. Drawing on previously unexamined sources and written in gripping detail, Mikhail's groundbreaking account vividly recaptures Selim's life and world. An historical masterwork, God's Shadow radically reshapes our understanding of a world we thought we knew."--

Contents:

Part one : Prince (1470-87) -- Part two : Governor (1487-1500) -- Part three : The Ottoman (1492) -- Part four : Enemies near and far (1500-1512) -- Part five : Selim's world wars (1512-18) -- Part six : Final frontiers (1518-20) -- Part seven : Descendants (after 1520) -- Coda: shadows over Turkey -- Chronology: Selim and his world.

Publication Info:

New York : Liveright Publishing Corporation, [2020]

Subject:

Turkey -- History -- Selim I, 1512-1520.

Selim I, Sultan of the Turks, 1470-1520

Ayşe Gülbahar Hatun, consort of Bayezid II, Sultan of the Turks, -1505

Salīm I, Sultan of the Turks, 1470-1520

Selimus I, Sultan of the Turks, 1470-1520

Selim I, Sultan of the Turks, 1467-1520

Yavuz Sultan Selim, Sultan of the Turks, 1470-1520

سليم I، , Sultan of the Turks 1470-1520

Ayşe Gülbaharhatun, consort of Bayezid II, Sultan of the Turks, -1505

Gülbahar Hatun, consort of Bayezid II, Sultan of the Turks, -1505

Ayşe Hatun, consort of Bayezid II, Sultan of the Turks, -1505

SAILS ISBN:

9781631492396

Available:

Library	Shelf Number	Shelf Location	Status
Searching... Foxboro - Boyden Library	956.015 MIKHAIL	NONFICTION	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Long neglected in world history, the Ottoman Empire was a hub of intellectual fervor, geopolitical power, and enlightened pluralistic rule. At the height of their authority in the sixteenth century, the Ottomans, with extraordinary military dominance and unparalleled monopolies over trade routes, controlled more territory and ruled over more people than any world power, forcing Europeans out of the Mediterranean and to the New World.

Yet, despite its towering influence and centrality to the rise of our modern world, the Ottoman Empire's history has for centuries been distorted, misrepresented, and even suppressed in the West. Now Alan Mikhail presents a vitally needed recasting of Ottoman history, retelling the story of the Ottoman conquest of the world through the dramatic biography of Sultan Selim I (1470-1520).

Born to a concubine, and the fourth of his sultan father's ten sons, Selim was never meant to inherit the throne. With personal charisma and military prowess--as well as the guidance of his remarkably gifted mother, Gülbahar--Selim claimed power over the empire in 1512 and, through ruthless ambition, nearly tripled the territory under Ottoman control, building a governing structure that lasted into the twentieth century. At the same time, Selim--known by his subjects as "God's Shadow on Earth"--fostered religious diversity, welcoming Jews among other minority populations into the empire; encouraged learning and philosophy; and penned his own verse.

Drawing on previously unexamined sources from multiple languages, and with original maps and stunning illustrations, Mikhail's game-changing account "challenges readers to recalibrate their sense of history" (Leslie Peirce), adroitly using Selim's life to upend prevailing shibboleths about Islamic history and jingoistic "rise of the West" theories that have held sway for decades. Whether recasting Christopher Columbus's voyages to the "Americas" as a bumbling attempt to slay Muslims or showing how the Ottomans allowed slaves to become the elite of society while Christian states at the very same time waged the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade, God's Shadow radically reshapes our understanding of the importance of Selim's Ottoman Empire in the history of the modern world.

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

In this revelatory and wide-ranging account, Yale historian Mikhail (Under Osman's Tree) recreates the life of Sultan Selim I (1470--1520) and makes a convincing case for the outsize impact of the Ottoman Empire and Islamic culture on the history of Europe and the Americas. Tracking Selim's rise from governor of a recently conquered frontier outpost on the Black Sea to his seizure of the Ottoman throne from his own father, capture of vast territories in the Middle East and North Africa, and investiture as caliph in 1517, Mikhail brings the era to vibrant life. Recasting Christopher Columbus as a Christian crusader bent on countering the Ottoman Empire's territorial expansion and political and cultural dominance, Mikhail demonstrates how the push for European exploration of the New World actually weakened the Catholic Church, opening the door for Martin Luther and other reformers. Spotlighting the role Selim's mother, Gülbahar, played in his political education and early administration, Mikhail also sheds new light on female political power during the era, and offers intriguing discussions on topics ranging from the Sunni-Shiite split to the discovery of coffee. Written with flair and deep insight, this thought-provoking account is both a major historical work and a genuine page-turner. (Aug.)

Kirkus Review

The chair of the history department at Yale offers an impressive revisionist history of the great Ottoman expansion circa 1500 and its impact on East-West relations. In what he calls "an innovative, even revolutionary" history, Mikhail draws on world-spanning source material to demonstrate the enormous, long-felt influence of the Islamic empire under Ottoman sultans Mehmet II, who captured Constantinople in 1453; and his son Bayezid and grandson Selim who tripled the empire's territory. The author, whose previous books have focused on other elements of the Ottoman realm, convincingly argues that it was the Ottoman monopoly on trade routes, combined with military advances, that thrust Spain and Portugal out of the Mediterranean, forcing the "merchants and sailors…to become global explorers." This included Christopher Columbus, who cut his military teeth as a "Moor-slayer." Mikhail concentrates on Selim as the leader who consolidated his grandfather's successes in a stunningly brief time, eschewing "palace intrigue, factionalism, and greed" in favor of a quest to restore the empire to its former military glory. "Whoever they were," writes the author, "Selim wanted men who would fight with zeal and inspiration, soldiers who were willing to sacrifice." Selim took on the rival Safavid empire and then pushed his brother out of the way to conquer the Mamluk empire in 1517. Selim's conquest of Yemen allowed his army to control the "first truly global commodity"--coffee--and subsequently made it the "phenomenon it is today," a product that "energizes nearly every kind of social interaction across the world." In sharply drawn chapters, many of which contain enough ideas for a separate book, Mikhail restores the Ottoman Empire to its rightful place as a "fulcrum" of global power. The chronology (1071-1566) is helpful, and an ominous coda delineates how the current Turkish president has appropriated Selim's legacy for his own authoritarian purposes. A massively ambitious study, largely accessible and percolating with ideas for further study. (maps, illustrations) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Though once known as "The Sick Man of Europe," the Ottoman Empire was, at its height, vast, vibrant, and vital enough to rival the Roman Empire, as Mikhail demonstrates in this richly detailed, epic history. His central figure is the Sultan and Caliph Selim, known as the Grim, whose life (1470--1520) straddled the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The father of the better-known Suleiman the Magnificent, his successor, Selim reigned from 1512 until his death in 1520. During that time, he hugely expanded the empire, seizing the Middle East and North Africa. His life is offered in a global context and includes the author's coverage of Columbus' life and voyages as well as the New World presence of the Empire's rival Spain and its attendant slave trade. The book is notable for its revisionist views of the role of Islam and the empire in defining and shaping the New World. Though certainly recommended for public libraries, God's Shadow will probably find a largely academic, rather than a general, readership, although history buffs will doubtless enjoy its challenges and rewards.

Library Journal Review

Geographically, Turkey lies at the center of the world. Mikhail (history, Yale Univ.; Under Osman's Tree) argues that Turkey's Ottoman Empire during early modern history was the center of the world's economic, social, and political structure. The work begins in the years following the Ottoman capture of Constantinople in 1453 through the rise of Sultan Selim I. The book details Selim's life from his governorship in Trabzon, Turkey, to his conquests as Ottoman Sultan in the 1510s. Readers gain insight into the incredible influence of the Ottoman civilization at the dawn of modern history. But Mikhail goes even further, placing Ottoman civilization in its global context. He shows that it is no accident that Columbus's 1492 voyage coincides with the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, or that Martin Luther could use the Sultan's long shadow as fuel against the Pope. Global economics and politics are well illuminated, as are the connections and relationships between Eurasia and the Americas. Excellent maps and illustrations throughout detail the cities, societies, and cultural regions in circa 1500. VERDICT A wonderful, exciting, engaging, scholarly yet accessible work for all readers of world history, a book that addresses a critical but often overlooked axis of global history.--Jeffrey Meyer, Mt. Pleasant P.L., IA

List of Maps	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
Part 1 Prince (1470-87)
1 Perfume of the World	p. 15
2 Empire Boys	p. 31
3 An Ottoman Abroad	p. 43
Part 2 Governor (1487-1500)
4 Learning the Family Business	p. 63
5 Power at the Edge	p. 77
Part 3 The Ottoman (1492)
6 Columbus and Islam	p. 89
7 Columbus's Crusade	p. 103
8 New World Islam	p. 123
9 Christian Jihad	p. 136
10 The Taino-Muslims of Hispaniola	p. 148
11 Finding Ottoman Jerusalem	p. 165
Part 4 Enemies Near and Far (1500-12)
12 Heresy from the East	p. 185
13 Enemies Everywhere	p. 197
14 Summer in Crimea	p. 210
15 Bound for Istanbul	p. 224
16 One and Only Sultan	p. 235
Part 5 Selim's World Wars (1512-18)
17 "Their Abode Is Hell"	p. 249
18 Fraternal Empires	p. 270
19 Conquering the Navel	p. 283
20 Conquering the World	p. 303
Part 6 Final Frontiers (1518-20)
21 Empire Everywhere	p. 323
22 Fulcrum of the Atlantic	p. 335
23 Eternity	p. 354
Part 7 Descendants (After 1520)
24 Selim's Reformations	p. 369
25 American Selim	p. 385
Coda: Shadows Over Turkey	p. 399
Acknowledgments	p. 407
Chronology: Selim and his World	p. 411
Notes	p. 417
Illustration Credits	p. 457
Index	p. 461

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Summary

Summary

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Kirkus Review

Booklist Review

Library Journal Review

Table of Contents