Good day, dear readers! I have a fun new book to share. The House of War is going to walk you back through more than a thousand years of history. This historical piece takes us on a journey on the fight for the Holy Land, and two major religions struggling for control.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Available: Now
Goodreads Blurb:
A powerful new history detailing the most significant military clashes between Islam and Christendom over the 1300 years of the Muslim caliphate.
From the taking of Jerusalem in the 7th century AD 638 by Caliph Umar, to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following the end of World War I, Christian popes, emperors and kings, and Muslim caliphs and sultans were locked in a 1300-year battle for political, military, ideological, economic and religious supremacy.
Simon Mayall focuses on some of the most significant clashes of arms in human the taking and re-taking of Jerusalem; the fall of Constantinople; the sieges of Rhodes and Malta; the battle of Mohacs; the last assault on Vienna, and the ‘high-water mark’ of Ottoman advance into Europe; and the battle of Megiddo, and, finally, the re-taking of Jerusalem, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the dissolution of the Sultanate and the Caliphate, and the formation of modern Europe, and the modern Middle East. The House of War offers a wide, sweeping historical narrative, encompassing the broad historical and religious context of this period, while focussing on some of the key, pivotal sieges and battles, and on the protagonists, political and military, who determined their conclusions and their consequences.
My Review:
Oh my, what a read! If you are interested in learning more about this violent time in history, look no further than this book.
Two vying religions were determined to lay claim to Jerusalem and other areas. The fighting would be fierce, and many would lose their lives in this epic struggle. But there was more to it than just land. There was a passion to spread their religion, to bring what they thought would be better laws and rules to these downtrodden areas. Sir Simon Mayall does a fantastic job of bringing the facts out and portraying them in a way that is easy to understand. This book captivated me quickly. I could not put it down. I wanted to know more, and learn more about the pivotal figures that were key to these conflicts.
Fantastic, fun, and full of amazing information. I highly recommend this book!