Synopsis for Thurs 4th March JW3 zoom 2pm course

From a Great Power to 'The Sick Man of Europe'

This week is quite a pot pourri of history

1. Rise and Fall of Empires

2. Ottomans in Europe prior to Fall of Constantinople in 1453

3. Ottoman push westwards in Europe halted in 1571 at Lepanto and in 1683 at Vienna

4. Istanbul is as ever intriguing to Western visitors: Kinglake and Lady Montagu

5. Istanbul a place also of political intrigue : Sultans Selim III, Mustapha IV, and Mahmud

6. Mahmud's reforms a question of too little, too late

Further Book Reference:

Vienna 1683 by Simon Millar in the Osprey Series