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    Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World
    Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World
    Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World
    Audiobook14 hours

    Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World

    Written by Thomas F. Madden

    Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The first single-volume history of Istanbul in decades: a biography of the city at the center of civilizations past and present. For more than two millennia Istanbul has stood at the crossroads of the world, perched at the very tip of Europe, gazing across the shores of Asia. The history of this city-known as Byzantium, then Constantinople, now Istanbul-is at once glorious, outsized, and astounding. Founded by the Greeks, its location blessed it as a center for trade but also made it a target of every empire in history, from Alexander the Great and his Macedonian Empire to the Romans and later the Ottomans. At its most spectacular Emperor Constantine I re-founded the city as New Rome, the capital of the eastern Roman Empire, and dramatically expanded the city, filling it with artistic treasures, and adorning the streets with opulent palaces. Around it all Constantine built new walls, truly impregnable, that preserved power, wealth, and withstood any aggressor-walls that still stand for tourists to visit. From its ancient past to the present, we meet the city through its ordinary citizens-the Jews, Muslims, Italians, Greeks, and Russians who used the famous baths and walked the bazaars-and the rulers who built it up and then destroyed it, including Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the man who christened the city "Istanbul" in 1930. Thomas Madden's entertaining narrative brings to life the city we see today, including the rich splendor of the churches and monasteries that spread throughout the city. Istanbul draws on a lifetime of study and the latest scholarship, transporting readers to a city of unparalleled importance and majesty that holds the key to understanding modern civilization. In the words of Napoleon Bonaparte, "If the Earth were a single state, Istanbul would be its capital."
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateNov 22, 2016
    ISBN9781501938559
    Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World

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    Reviews for Istanbul

    4.5/5

    23 ratings2 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The history of a region captured in one city and told in this book. A really captivating accounting about a place that I had no idea was so ancient. Fun to listen to, well told and well written. A must read for any one interested in history.
    • 4/5
      Istanbul (AKA Byzantion/Constantinople depending on the era) is another city that I would love to see someday. Thomas Madden’s previous book on the history of Venice frequently references the strong connection that the Venetians have with the city of Constantinople. Therefore, I wanted to continue on and see what Madden had to say about “The City,” as it is often called. While it may not get the same attention as London, Paris, or Venice, anyone who knows their history understands the importance of geography and location. No truer words have been spoken for a city that literally sits astride the continents of Europe and Asia. In many ways, Madden’s “Istanbul” serves as a fine (in some instances better) sequel to “Venice” and provides much of the same sweeping and broad narrative that allows the reader to better appreciate the historical significance of the city on the Bosporus.When compared with Bettany Hughes’ “Istanbul”, Madden’s narrative flows much better and is easier to make sense of. However, much like “Venice” the book is aimed at a more casual audience and not the serious historian, although it does contain a few pages of endnotes and a bibliography, but not nearly to the extent of Hughes. As a result, it keeps the historical narrative moving and does not bog down too much in scholarly minutiae, for better or worse. Madden understandably evokes the image of Istanbul as romantic, hedonistic, and full of intrigue. Indeed, we do not describe politics as “byzantine” for nothing. Thankfully, Madden gracefully navigates us through the labyrinth of emperors, sultans, and conquerors that have ruled Istanbul over the centuries. We get a very good picture of a metropolis that has undergone dramatic changes throughout its life. Where one regime has fallen, another, sometimes totally different, has risen in its place.Most of the book is focused on Constantinople throughout the Middle Ages. Through the days of the Roman Empire to its dramatic capture by the Ottomans in 1453, and finally through to its transformation into modern Istanbul, we see a city that changes its geography as much as it does its rulers. Other reviewers have summed it up as, “some people came, built great stuff, other people came and destroyed it then built other great stuff. Unfortunately, not much of that great stuff remains, but you can see some of it.” As previously mentioned, this book is in some ways better than Madden’s previous work, "Venice". I found the narrative to be more focused and flowing. Furthermore, the narrative retains its momentum as it moves into the post-WWII time period with Constantinople transitioning to Istanbul along with Ataturk’s reforms to create the modern country of Turkey.In terms of criticisms of the book, I wish there were more endnotes so I could pinpoint some of the details. However, bearing in mind that this book is written more for the casual historian, it is not a deal breaker. Another thing that I found odd was the lack of a more detailed discussion on the economics of the Black Sea, the Bosporus Strait, and especially, the Silk Road. Much is said about the strategic location of Constantinople, but little is mentioned of why that is and just how much trade went through the city on its way to and from Europe or Asia.Istanbul would definitely be an interesting city to visit. Tourism comprises a substantial portion of its industry, but there are larger urban improvements in the works (some more controversial than others). It seems like the city has been torn or burned down (intentionally or otherwise) and rebuilt for centuries. Seemingly every time they dig down to do construction, a new archaeological stratum is discovered. Istanbul’s history may very well rival that of Venice. Whether it is the changes in religion and ruler, or the constant ebb and flow of European and Asian populations, Istanbul remains a city that has sat between two worlds its entire existence.