The Sick Man of Europe: The History of the Ottoman Empire's Decline in the 19th Century

The long agony of the “sick man of Europe,” an expression used by the Tsar of Russia to depict the falling Ottoman Empire, could almost blind people to its incredible power and history. Preserving its mixed heritage, coming from both its geographic position rising above the ashes of the Byzantine Empire and the tradition inherited from the Muslim Conquests, the Ottoman Empire lasted more than six centuries. Its soldiers fought, died, and conquered lands on three different continents, making it one of the few stable multi-ethnic empires in history, and likely one of the last. Thus, it’s somewhat inevitable that the history of its decline is at the heart of complex geopolitical disputes, as well as sectarian tensions that are still key to understanding the Middle East, North Africa and the Balkans.

The Sick Man of Europe: The History of the Ottoman Empire’s Decline in the 19th Century chronicles the struggles of the vast Turkish empire before World War I brought about its dissolution. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the decline of the Ottoman Empire like never before.