The Ottoman Empire existed for six centuries: it originated as a semi-nomadic chieftaincy, and by the end of the 16th century, it occupied three continents and united under its rule many ethnic groups from Albanians and Armenians to Greeks and Slavs. The Glorious Porte, comparable in scale to the Roman Empire, was truly a unique state in the East. Having a significant influence on European history from the Middle Ages to modern times, the Ottoman Empire was unlike any other. French historian Olivier Bouquet created a detailed portrait of this remarkable state, revealing all aspects of the empire's life: administration and government, diplomacy, army, religion, art, migrations within the country, and much more. Why was there a secular law alongside Sharia in the empire? How did the sultans manage to spread Islam in Europe, which was alien to it? What caused one of the first genocides of the 20th century? By answering these questions, the author unveils to the reader the mysterious world of the East in all its diversity. "The long history of the Ottoman Empire developed under the influence of various processes occurring in many territories and in many eras. It began with Osman creating a medieval state and ended with the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923" (Olivier Bouquet).
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