Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe
    Unavailable
    Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe
    Unavailable
    Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe
    Ebook404 pages5 hours

    Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe

    By John Julius Norwich

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    Listen to the audiobook instead

    About this ebook

    John Julius Norwich—“the very model of a popular historian” (Wall Street Journal)—is acclaimed for his distinctive ability to weave together a fascinating narrative through vivid detail, colorful anecdotes, and captivating characters. Here, he has crafted a bold tapestry of Europe and the Middle East in the early sixteenth century, when four legendary rulers towered over the era.

    Francis I of France was the personification of the Renaissance, and a highly influential patron of the arts and education. Henry VIII, who was not expected to inherit the throne but embraced the role with gusto, broke with the Roman Catholic Church and appointed himself head of the Church of England. Charles V was the most powerful industrious man of the time, and was unanimously elected Holy Roman Emperor. Suleiman the Magnificent—who stood apart as a Muslim—brought the Ottoman Empire to its apogee of political, military, and economic power.

    Against the vibrant background of the Renaissance, these four men collectively shaped the culture, religion, and politics of their respective domains. With remarkable erudition, John Julius Norwich delves into this entertaining and layered history, indelibly depicting four dynamic characters and how their incredible achievements—and obsessions with one another—changed European history.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAtlantic Monthly Press
    Release dateApr 4, 2017
    ISBN9780802189462

    Read more from John Julius Norwich

    Related to Four Princes

    Related ebooks

    Royalty Biographies For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      'Black Tudors' Reveals a Surprising and Overlooked Chapter of History

      Nov 16, 2017

      Hidden in British archives and parish records are the identities of dozens of black people who lived in England during Tudor times.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Seeking the ‘Lost Legion’

      Jun 8, 2021

      Seeking the ‘Lost Legion’
      3 min read

    • Article

      The King Of Westminster

      May 24, 2023

      The King Of Westminster
      5 min read

    • Article

      Who Were The Black Tudors?

      Oct 8, 2020

      Who Were The Black Tudors?
      8 min read

    • Article

      Books & co

      Nov 10, 2023

      by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe This historical biography chronicles the story of America’s Astor family across several centuries, showing how they rose from beginnings in the fur business, purchasing property and dazzling American society, bef

      5 min read

    • Article

      Napoleon’s Downfall

      Apr 15, 2021

      Napoleon’s Downfall
      7 min read

    • Article

      Napoleon A Life In Objects

      Apr 15, 2021

      Napoleon’s school compass (below) is a reminder of the rudimentary beginnings of his career. Made from wood, copper and leather, it was his introduction to strategy, used in map drawing and fortification classes. Napoleon, who was born on 15 August 1

      8 min read

    • Article

      The Age Of Transformation

      Jan 19, 2023

      The Age Of Transformation
      9 min read

    • Article

      Michael Wood On…

      Jul 6, 2023

      Michael Wood On…
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Great Exodus

      Nov 7, 2017

      The Great Exodus
      5 min read

    • Article

      Post-colonial Bad Jokes

      Mar 25, 2021

      Post-colonial Bad Jokes
      5 min read

    • Article

      Letter Of The Month

      Sep 2, 2021

      I loved your feature about the legacy the French Revolution had in Britain (Shockwaves of Revolution, August). I have a degree in fashion journalism, so particularly enjoyed reading about how clothes inspired by the silhouettes worn by the ancient Gr

      4 min read

    • Article

      “England Was Seen As A Pariah State, Ruled By Regicidal Rebels Who’d Publicly Executed Their King”

      Sep 30, 2021

      ON THE HistoryExtra PODCAST Devil-Land: England Under Siege 1588-1688 by Clare Jackson (Allen Lane, 688 pages, £35) Ellie CawtHorne: Devil-Land looks at England from 1588 to 1688. Why do you think this is such a fascinating 100-year period of English

      9 min read

    • Article

      “There’s Still This Hangover That Everything Has To Be Seen Through The Prism Of Enslavement”

      Sep 1, 2022

      African and Caribbean People in Britain: A History by Hakim Adi (Allen Lane, 688 pages, £30) Rhiannon Davies: Your new book covers African and Caribbean people in Britain from Roman times right up to the 21st century. Why did you decide to focus on s

      9 min read

    • Article

      “We Have Believed The Normans’ View Of Themselves For Too Long”

      Feb 17, 2022

      David Musgrove: To quote from your introduction, “This book is concerned chiefly with the Normans’ explosive rise to power, their establishment in Normandy, and their 11th-century conquests.” Can you briefly chart that story for us? Judith Green: The

      9 min read

    • Article

      Becoming Anne Boleyn

      May 13, 2021

      Becoming Anne Boleyn
      7 min read

    • Article

      Coming To America

      Oct 12, 2018

      Coming To America
      14 min read

    • Article

      HENRY versus FRANCIS

      May 21, 2020

      HENRY versus FRANCIS
      11 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Apr 16, 2020

      If the interview with Simon Jenkins in your March issue (A Welsh Tragedy?) is anything to go by, I suspect his recent Radio 4 documentary – controversially entitled Wales: A Twentieth-Century Tragedy? – was largely based on flimsy anecdotal evidence.

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Rise Of Napoleon

      Nov 2, 2023

      The Rise Of Napoleon
      10 min read

    • Article

      Family Drama

      Feb 18, 2021

      Family Drama
      4 min read

    • Article

      Hidden In Ampshire

      Oct 17, 2023

      Hidden In Ampshire
      2 min read

    • Article

      Crazy For Cider

      Aug 25, 2021

      JAMES CROWDEN is a poet, shepherd and total cider nut. In this, at least his third book on the subject, there is no other drink but that it suffers from his passion for cider, apple brandy and cider’s delicate, sweet sister, perry—and almost no momen

      5 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Jan 19, 2023

      While I agree with Fern Riddell that we shouldn’t treat audiences of historical dramas as stupid (The Conversation, Christmas), most people in any audience are not as well-versed in the subject as the programme-makers. Period dramas such as The Crown

      4 min read

    Reviews for Four Princes

    4/5

    20 ratings7 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Received from NetGalley.I ended up listening to the audio book for this and it really helped me get through the book. I loved the book but for some reason actually reading it seemed to take forever. My favorite part of history to read/learn about is Tudor England so I knew quite a bit about Henry VIII, but I knew little to nothing about the rest of the princes in this book. I learned a lot about the rest of Europe during this time period and thought it ended up being a great book.
    • 4/5
      This is a very interesting take on the rivalry between four rulers in the sixteenth century. Each was devoted to their religion, but was also willing to compromise for political/strategic advantage. Henry VIII was a devote Catholic but broke with the Church. Even after that, he did not actually change the liturgy or theology of the Catholic Church. Frances I was the most devote of the group, but allied with Suleiman against his fellow Christians. Charles V was the Holy Roman Emperor, but his troops brutally sacked Rome and then made alliance the apostate Henry VII. The intersection between religion and power politics meant a constantly shifting alliances and political conflict.Norwich is a very entertaining writer. He doesn't get very deep into the specifics of how decisions were made, but he does tell a good story.
    • 3/5
      This book offers up four subjects that each deserve their own treatment and then proceeds to discuss them all in less than 300 pages. In essence, I think the author may have bitten off more than he could chew with this book. As a reader relatively familiar with the era, I noticed several inaccuracies (sigh) and I was a little frustrated by the conclusions. The author really fails to make connections between all the figures, which one really needs to do in this type of history - he even admits that Henry VIII of England didn't really care what Suleiman the Magnificent was up to. I will give the author credit for tackling these figures together as one rarely sees much written about Charles V or Suleiman the Magnificent, or even Francis I for that matter (Henry VIII, on the other, is another matter altogether). This is a good book for those new to the topic, but fans of 16th-century European history are unlikely to find much new in this book.
    • 4/5
      I mostly read this book to get a brief overview of the period before I tackle more substantive works on the personalities involved (particularly Charles & Francis) so my expectations were not especially high and they were basically met. Still, it's hard not hold back anachronistic feelings about these men as while the author touts them as giants, particularly as compared to their successors, I'm mostly struck by the damage they left in their wake; particularly Henry VIII. None of this is particularly news when you've read as much military history as I have but the "vibe" I get off this book is a little dated; perhaps there was a sense that the sort of person who has been following "Game of Thrones" could be sold an account of real-life dynastic scheming.
    • 3/5
      Definitely in my comfort zone here - medieval history! Whilst already familiar with each of the four princes - Henry VIII of England, Francis I of France, Charles V of Spain, and Suleyman the Magnificent - I enjoyed the way Norwich (whom I am rather partial too), links these contemporaries together.For all four men were contemporaries, ruling four powerful European empires (England, France, Spain & Imperial Empire, and Constantinople). And Norwich himself writes .. "the four of them together held Europe in the hollow of their hands..." We begin c.1500 and are taken up to the death of Suleyman (c.1566) - the last of the four. Their stories are often intertwined as they were at times often allies and fierce rivals - or both!For those familiar with the period, it is a concise read. For those unfamiliar - it will be an eye-opener.
    • 3/5
      A lively group biography, covering the main part of the Rennaissance in Europe. These men were of a generation, and did have a number of shared problems so the grouping is easily justified. The porttraits are well chosen, and thes selection of lesser pplayers is well done. A lightish read, but there is a crtain amount of meat here.
    • 5/5
      The quartet of regents in the subtitle were contemporaries in the first half of the sixteenth century and two were related as brothers-in-law! The four men re-shaped the geo-political, religious and cultural world of the the time, and their successes and failures still reverberate today. Norwich, as always conveys mastery of the material with an easily accessible style that makes it sound like he's writing just for you. Julian Elfer is a young British narrator who performs with a sure command of the text and language (a little French a little Latin, a little Spanish...)