Empires of the Sea：The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World

In1521,SuleimantheMagnificent,MuslimruleroftheOttomanEmpire,dispatchedaninvasionfleettotheChristianislandofRhodes.ThiswouldprovetobetheopeningshotinanepicclashbetweenrivalempiresandfaithsforcontroloftheMediterraneanandthecenteroftheworld.InEmpiresoftheSea,acclaimedhistorianRogerCrowleyhaswrittenathrillingaccountofthisbrutaldecades-longbattlebetweenChristendomandIslamforthesoulofEurope,afast-pacedtaleofspiralingintensitythatrangesfromIstanbultotheGatesofGibraltar.Crowleyconjuresupawildcastofpirates,crusaders,andreligiouswarriorsstrugglingforsupremacyandsurvivalinataleofslaveryandgalleywarfare,desperatebraveryandutterbrutality.EmpiresoftheSeaisastoryofextraordinarycolorandincident,andprovidesacrucialcontextforourownclashofcivilizations.