Four Princes, John Julius Norwich
Four Princes, John Julius Norwich
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Four Princes
Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe

Author: John Julius Norwich

Narrator: Julian Elfer

Unabridged: 7 hr 57 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 04/04/2017


Synopsis

John Julius Norwich—who the Wall Street Journal called "the very model of a popular historian"—has crafted a big, bold tapestry of the early sixteenth century, when Europe and the Middle East were overshadowed by a quartet of legendary rulers, all born within a ten-year period:

Francis I of France, the personification of the Renaissance, who became a highly influential patron of the arts and education

Henry VIII, who was not expected to inherit the throne but embraced the role with gusto, broke with the Roman Catholic Church and appointed himself head of the Church of England

Charles V, the most powerful and industrious man at the time, was unanimously elected Holy Roman Emperor

Suleiman the Magnificent stood apart as a Muslim, and brought the Ottoman Empire to its apogee of political, military, and economic power

Against the vibrant background of the Renaissance, these four men laid the foundations for modern Europe and the Middle East, as they collectively impacted the culture, religion, and politics of their respective domains.

About John Julius Norwich

John Julius Norwich is the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including A History of Venice, A Short History of Byzantium, Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy, and Sicily: An Island at the Crossroads of History. He has also written on architecture, music, and the history plays of Shakespeare, and has presented approximately thirty historical documentaries on BBC television.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Juliew.

I really struggled with this rating.It was a very interesting perspective of the times and was told following each monarchs life events and how they interacted with each other or not.While I really liked the writing style there were moments I was not sure I wanted to finish it because quite a few in......more

Definitely in my comfort zone here - medieval history! Whilst already familiar with each of the four princes - Henry VIII of England, Francis I of France, Charles V of Spain, and Suleyman the Magnificent - I enjoyed the way Norwich (whom I am rather partial too), links these contemporaries together.......more