"An impeccably researched masterpiece of exquisite historical writing ... There can be little doubt that this book will become a classic" - William Dalrymple in the Independent. The Ottoman Empire began in 1453, when Mehmed the Conqueror entered Constantinople on a white horse; it ended in 1924, when the final Sultan, Abdulmecid, hurriedly left on the Orient Express. For almost five centuries, therefore, the dramatic and often depraved story an of extraordinary dynasty unfolded there, in theendlessly intriguing "city of the world's desire". In this superb book, Philip Mansel has produced both a vivid evocation of a vibrantly cosmopolitan capital and a thrilling account of its ruling of ruling family.