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The Siege of Vienna
by John Stoye
ISBN: 9781843410379
Imprint: Military and Adventure
Publication Date: Mar 2007
Format: Paperback
Price: £7.99
Stock Status: in stock
‘the master of every aspect of his subject’ – C.V. Wedgewood, Daily Telegraph
‘Worthy of the pen of a Thucydides or a Herodotus . . . it is a measure of the fascination of Mr Stoye’s subject that one should think of comparing his treatment of it with the work of the greatest historians.’ – Times Literary Supplement
‘In his splendid study The Siege of Vienna, John Stoye provides a detailed account of the intricate machinations that led up to this near-debacle.... (His) description of the siege itself is masterly.’ – Wall Street Journal
The Siege of Vienna in 1683 was one of the turning points in European history. It was the last serious threat to Western Christendom and so great was its impact that countries normally jealous and hostile sank their differences to throw back the armies of Islam and their savage Tartar allies. The consequences of defeat were momentous: the Ottomans lost half their European territories and began the long decline which led to the final collapse of the Empire, and the Hapsburgs turned their attention from France and the Rhine frontier to the rich pickings of the Balkans. The hot September day that witnesses the last great trial of strength between Cross and Crescent opened an epoch in European history that lasted until the cataclysm of the First World War in 1914.
John Stoye taught Modern History at Magdalen College, Oxford, until 1984. After retirement he and his wife remained in North Oxford within easy reach of the University libraries.
