Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World

Over the centuries, the city of Istanbul has had many names, among them Byzantium, New Rome, and Constantinople. Today, Istanbul is a vibrant, economically prosperous, and energetic city of nearly 15 million inhabitants that straddles the Bosphorus Strait, positioning it in both Europe and Asia. Istanbul remains Europe's largest city and one of the most thickly populated metropolitan entities in the world. In this erudite but accessible book, Madden (medieval history, Saint Louis Univ.; The Concise History of the Crusades) describes the historical evolution of Istanbul from its origin to the present day, informing how different cultures, ethnicities, and religions have stitched the fabric of this genuinely multicultural city. In the process, the author vividly demonstrates how Istanbul, founded by the Greeks, became the target of multiple empires for more than two millennia. Madden allows readers to experience Istanbul through its varied inhabitants as well as the rulers who built, and sometimes destroyed, this megalopolis.