The Conquest of Byzantium

By: Stefan Zweig

Narrated by: Dan Mellins-Cohen

The conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by a besieging army of around 80,000 men led by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II ended the Byzantine Empire. The city's defense was in the hands of Emperor Constantine XI, who had 7,000 to 10,000 soldiers at his disposal and, likely, fell during the last storm on the city. The fall of the Byzantine Empire also marked the final rise of the Ottoman Empire to become a major power. The conquest has a high symbolic value in both Turkish and Western European reception; Depending on one's perspective, it is viewed as evidence of imperial greatness or as a beacon of decay and demise. In historiography, the conquest of Constantinople is sometimes cited as one of the events that marked the transition from medieval Europe to modern times.

Public Domain (P)2021 Aureon Verlag GmbH

An exciting, brilliant portrayal.

This is a dramatic and beautifully written history of a critical turning point between two civilizations.

Outstanding Writing

Stefan Zweig is such a vivid writer.
I enjoyed this short recounting of the conquest very much. It reminded me of the book, The Book of War by John Keegan. I wish audible would offer that book too.
Stefan Zweig is a great writer. His masterpiece, THE WORLD OF YESTERDAY describes pre-1914 Europe before The Great War. Many books on the war devote a chapter to this topic. The best is by Margaret Macmillan. But in these chapters Zweig’s book always features prominently as the foundation of the descriptions. Therefore I really can’t recommend The World of Yesterday enough for those that want a cultural background of the war.