From a Persian prince to the American “jeweler to the stars,” the world’s largest cut blue diamond has a lengthy history.

AT PENPOINTThe visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Pakistan was not just friendly and fraternal, but it ...

Serbia was sandwiched between arch-rivals: the expansionist Ottoman Sultanate and Hungary, the first line of formal defense for Central and Western Europe. Western Europe was, by turns ...

Despite his short reign, he is comfortably one of the most famous of all the Ottoman Sultans. Sultan Selim’s reign saw a huge expansion of the Ottoman Empire, which helped to lay the foundations ...

Al-Monitor is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the ...

Al-Monitor is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the ...

The Great Siege of Malta by Marcus Bull upends the myth of the Knights of Malta and their last stand of 1565.

Since the 15th century, Greece had been ruled by the Ottoman Empire, whose troops had converted the Acropolis into a garrison, and whose sultan, Mehmed II, had turned the Parthenon itself into a ...

Here’s What You Need To Remember: As a result of Ottoman control, much of the trade between Europe and the Middle East passed through Istanbul or Aleppo, decreasing the importance of..

On a hill that commands views over Istanbul, the Süleymaniye Mosque is an awe-inspiring testament to Ottoman architectural brilliance and Islamic art. Commissioned by Sultan Suleiman the ...

Alan Mikhail closes his recent book God’s Shadow (Liveright, 2020, cited as GS), centered on the Ottoman Sultan Selim (r. 1512-20), with a striking anecdote (p. 403). He writes: “In 2005 ...

If you’re looking to understand the different architectural styles and eras of Istanbul, here are five beautiful mosques to visit once you’ve checked the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque off your list ...