Empires of the Sea: The Final Battle for the Mediterranean, 1521-1580

By admin on Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Published in: Books I like

In “Empires of the Sea”, Roger Crowley has written an enthralling and masterful overview of the battle for control of the Mediterranean sea between the Spanish Christian Empire and Ottoman Islamist Caliphate.

Written in a flowing, narrative style, he brings the main actors to life as he charts the main battles and technological developments that changed naval warfare, and the west, for ever. The struggles between these two world powers changed our world – pirates, naval warfare, slavery, and religious struggle changed the way the European nations viewed the Mediterranean and caused the ascension or destruction of many nations.

It’s a rollercoaster of a thriller that accurately reflects the harsh reality of 16^th century life, and worth reading more than once!