Publisher's Synopsis
'There are books that enlarge the mind, there are books that enrich the soul, but rarely comes a book so beautifully written and profound that it manages to do both' ELIF SHAFAK
'...luminous, erudite...de Bellaigue has written a gripping account that evokes an epic poem, saga or 'book of kings' rather than a familiar biographical plod.' JASON BURKE
An immersive reconstruction of the life of the most feared and powerful man of the sixteenth century - from the Baillie Gifford Prize shortlisted author of The Islamic Enlightenment
Venice, 1522. Intelligence arrives from the east confirming Europe's greatest fear: the vastly rich Ottoman Sultan has all he needs to wage total war - and his sights are set on Rome. With Christendom divided, Suleyman the Magnificent has his hand on its throat.
From the palaces of Istanbul to the blood-soaked fields of central Europe and the scorched coasts of north Africa, The Lion House pioneers a bold new style of eye-witness history to tell a true story of power at its most glittering, personal and perilous: Suleyman's rise to become the most feared and powerful man of the sixteenth century.
It is a journey built on brutal choices and intimate relationships - with the Greek slave who becomes his closest friend, the Venetian plutocrat who sells him gems and wins him allies, the Russian consort who steals his heart. Within a decade, Suleyman has mastery over millions of souls, from Baghdad to the walls of Vienna, while his pirate admiral Barbarossa dominates the Mediterranean. And yet the real drama takes place in small rooms and whispered conversations: as the Sultan exchanges love letters with his own vizier; as he awakes in terror after dreaming of his own assassination.
The Lion House is not just the story of two civilisations in an existential duel and of one of the most consequential lives in world history. It is a tale of the timeless pull of power, dangerous to live with, deadly to live without.
'A magic talent' ORHAN PAMUK, Nobel Laureate in Literature
'Non-fiction with the readability of a thriller' VICTORIA HISLOP, author of The Island
'Essential reading for anyone wishing to understand political ambition' ROBERT PESTON, Political Editor ITV News
'Riveting and expert' PETER FRANKOPAN, author of The Silk Roads
'Narrated with a verve and flair that make the characters burst from the pages' EUGENE ROGAN, author of The Fall of the Ottomans
