Overview

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.

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9781665272193

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British polymath, TV personality, and historian Norwich delivers lively biographies of all four characters. . . . Bad behavior makes for entertaining history, and age has not diminished Norwich's skills.-- Kirkus A fascinating quadruple biography of four of the greatest monarchs of the Renaissance by this true master of narrative history. -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, New York Times bestselling author Julian Elfer's melodic voice is perfect as narrator of this sweeping history of sixteenth-century Europe. Elfer's unemotional narration flows steadily through political intrigue and religious changes and conflicts, dynastic marriages, military campaigns, and international explorations that bring Europe into the early modern period. He shifts accents effortlessly between English, French, German, and Turkish. Footnotes are read sotto voce, never breaking the steady narrative. Back and forth across Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and the western realms of the Ottoman Empire, this history sheds light on a familiar yet complex period. -- AudioFile

"British polymath, TV personality, and historian Norwich delivers lively biographies of all four characters. . . . Bad behavior makes for entertaining history, and age has not diminished Norwich's skills.-- ""Kirkus"" ""A fascinating quadruple biography of four of the greatest monarchs of the Renaissance by this true master of narrative history."" -- ""Simon Sebag Montefiore, New York Times bestselling author"" ""Julian Elfer's melodic voice is perfect as narrator of this sweeping history of sixteenth-century Europe. Elfer's unemotional narration flows steadily through political intrigue and religious changes and conflicts, dynastic marriages, military campaigns, and international explorations that bring Europe into the early modern period. He shifts accents effortlessly between English, French, German, and Turkish. Footnotes are read sotto voce, never breaking the steady narrative. Back and forth across Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and the western realms of the Ottoman Empire, this history sheds light on a familiar yet complex period."" -- ""AudioFile"""

Author Information

John Julius Norwich is one of Britain's preeminent historians and travel writers. He has written the histories of Norman Sicily, Byzantium, Venice, and the Mediterranean. Other books have been on Shakespeare's history plays, on music, and on architecture. Julian Elfer is an award-winning, classically trained British actor with extensive stage experience. He studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts and the British Academy at Oxford University, where he studied with the likes of Derek Jacobi, Fiona Shaw, and Alan Rickman. Elfer currently resides and acts in New York City.

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