jjares reviewed Balkans: A Captivating Guide to the Balkans and the Balkan Wars on + 3278 more book reviews
This book is a more economical way of reading two of Captivating History's engaging ebooks on related topics -- The Balkans and The Balkan Wars. Issues within the Balkans have always been complex and confusing. Religion, languages, ethnic groups, and political domination have been essential factors in the Balkans. So, sit back and read about fascinating and very old peoples who fought, merged, and created new countries over the centuries.
The Balkans -- E
This author understands the complex relationships between ethnic groups. Having read several tomes on the Crusades, it was interesting to read about these battles from the Balkan/Ottoman side (what was going on in the Balkans that alarmed people enough to call for help from the Western Christians).
After the Crusades, the Ottoman Empire eyed Constantinople. Finally, in 1453, the Ottomans seized Constantinople and toppled the Byzantine Empire. At that point, the Balkans were ripe for the plucking. There is an interesting description of the Janissaries, the elite fighting force of the Turks. They were the children of subjected peoples trained as fierce Turkish warriors.
Religion was complex in the Balkans. For example, one of the local traditions of Hungary was the belief in vampires. The author cleverly weaves the story of Vlad II and Vlad III Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) into this story of the Balkans. It certainly keeps the discussion lively. The Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, is also mentioned. Not to be outdone, the Ottoman leader, Hurshid Pasha, had a stone tower erected with fourteen rows of defeated Serbian skulls. He intended to scare the Serbs -- it didn't work.
The Ottoman's attempts to take Vienna are interesting because the reader sees it from the Ottoman perspective (instead of the usual Western Europe viewpoint). That is why I found this book to be so interesting. The stories come through from the opposite angle. Essentially, this book shows the power and gradual decline of the Ottoman Empire.
The Balkan Wars -- E
This is an excellent explanation of the prelude to World War I, with the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Nationalism was a growing interest in all of the Balkan lands. Regions wanted to solidify their ethnic and religious boundaries with their own country. However, the Turks were not budging. The author was clear in offering the three main reasons for the failure of the Balkan Alliance. The only country with nationalistic notions that became true was Turkey. Although they lost all of their European possessions, they did become a unified country.
Sometimes, my eyes glaze over with war explanations, but this author was clear with explanations and tactics. The author also told the changes in the Balkan Peninsula after the world wars. Thus, the reader can see how the desires leading to the two Balkan Wars generally went unachieved.
The Balkans -- E
This author understands the complex relationships between ethnic groups. Having read several tomes on the Crusades, it was interesting to read about these battles from the Balkan/Ottoman side (what was going on in the Balkans that alarmed people enough to call for help from the Western Christians).
After the Crusades, the Ottoman Empire eyed Constantinople. Finally, in 1453, the Ottomans seized Constantinople and toppled the Byzantine Empire. At that point, the Balkans were ripe for the plucking. There is an interesting description of the Janissaries, the elite fighting force of the Turks. They were the children of subjected peoples trained as fierce Turkish warriors.
Religion was complex in the Balkans. For example, one of the local traditions of Hungary was the belief in vampires. The author cleverly weaves the story of Vlad II and Vlad III Dracula (Vlad the Impaler) into this story of the Balkans. It certainly keeps the discussion lively. The Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, is also mentioned. Not to be outdone, the Ottoman leader, Hurshid Pasha, had a stone tower erected with fourteen rows of defeated Serbian skulls. He intended to scare the Serbs -- it didn't work.
The Ottoman's attempts to take Vienna are interesting because the reader sees it from the Ottoman perspective (instead of the usual Western Europe viewpoint). That is why I found this book to be so interesting. The stories come through from the opposite angle. Essentially, this book shows the power and gradual decline of the Ottoman Empire.
The Balkan Wars -- E
This is an excellent explanation of the prelude to World War I, with the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Nationalism was a growing interest in all of the Balkan lands. Regions wanted to solidify their ethnic and religious boundaries with their own country. However, the Turks were not budging. The author was clear in offering the three main reasons for the failure of the Balkan Alliance. The only country with nationalistic notions that became true was Turkey. Although they lost all of their European possessions, they did become a unified country.
Sometimes, my eyes glaze over with war explanations, but this author was clear with explanations and tactics. The author also told the changes in the Balkan Peninsula after the world wars. Thus, the reader can see how the desires leading to the two Balkan Wars generally went unachieved.
