1288-1453

Describes the background to and the events of the 1453 siege of the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire, by Turkish Muslims.

Presents an introductory essay that provides an overview of the Renaissance, from 1454 to 1610, and features over forty readings, including primary and secondary documents, that highlight the major developments of the era Includes a chronology and bibliography.

Surveys the history of the Ottoman Empire from its obscure origins in the fourteenth century, through its rise to world-power status in the sixteenth century, to its troubled demise in the seventeenth century.