About the Author

Roger Crowley was born in 1951 into a naval family and educated at Cambridge University. The author of numerous bestselling books, including 1453, Empires of the Sea, and City of Fortune. Crowley lives near Stroud, UK.

Reviews

"A vivid and readable account of the siege...]And] an excellent traveler's guide to how and why Istanbul became a Muslim city."--The Guardian

"Crowley manages to invest his retelling with almost nail-biting drama."--The San Francisco Chronicle

"Crowley's fascinating account of the years leading up to and the final sacking of Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire reads more like lively fiction than dry recounting of historical events."--Los Angeles Times

"Gripping...Mixes intriguing details of military history with rich references to the religious imagery that influenced both parties."--The Economist

"In this account of the 1453 siege, written in crackling prose by former Istanbul resident Roger Crowley... we are treated to narrative history at its most enthralling."--Daily Express

"One of the most exciting, cliff-hanging stories in world history, and in Roger Crowley's book it is told extremely well."--Sunday Telegraph

"A vivid and readable account of the siege...]And] an excellent traveler's guide to how and why Istanbul became a Muslim city."--The Guardian
"Crowley manages to invest his retelling with almost nail-biting drama."--The San Francisco Chronicle
"Crowley's fascinating account of the years leading up to and the final sacking of Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire reads more like lively fiction than dry recounting of historical events."--Los Angeles Times
"Gripping...Mixes intriguing details of military history with rich references to the religious imagery that influenced both parties."--The Economist
"In this account of the 1453 siege, written in crackling prose by former Istanbul resident Roger Crowley... we are treated to narrative history at its most enthralling."--Daily Express
"One of the most exciting, cliff-hanging stories in world history, and in Roger Crowley's book it is told extremely well."--Sunday Telegraph