Shortest History of Turkey

Through more than nine centuries of shifting borders, environmental change, and political evolution, Turkey has been a cultural melting pot and a nation-state bent on ethnic unity. It has seen conquest and reform, appeals to tradition and calls to modernize. It has been a home to Christians, Jews, Muslims, and more, and it has aggressively pursued both secularization and Islamization. Built on the foundations of the Ottoman Empire-the most enduring, and perhaps the most important, Islamic empire in history-Turkey`s long, complex history is beset by political and religious turmoil. But the country`s national story also illuminates a rich culture developed over thousands of years, reflecting culinary diversity, artisan craftsmanship, and architectural achievement. In this concise yet nuanced overview, historian Benjamin Fortna examines Turkey`s complex trajectory from ancient Byzantine civilization to modern republic, through to the present-day leadership by the populist, authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In just 250 pages, Fortna reveals how opposing visions of Turkey have shaped its national identity and its people-and its place in contemporary history.