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

John Julius Norwich

Apr 2017 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Julian Elfer

About this audiobook

John Julius Norwich-who the Wall Street Journal called "the very model of a popular historian"-has crafted a big, bold tapestry of the early sixteenth century, when Europe and the Middle East were overshadowed by a quartet of legendary rulers, all born within a ten-year period: Francis I of France, the personification of the Renaissance, who became 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, the most powerful and industrious man at the time, was unanimously elected Holy Roman Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent stood apart as a Muslim, and brought the Ottoman Empire to its apogee of political, military, and economic power Against the vibrant background of the Renaissance, these four men laid the foundations for modern Europe and the Middle East, as they collectively impacted the culture, religion, and politics of their respective domains.

About the author

John Julius Norwich is the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including A History of Venice, Absolute Monarchs, and Sicily. He has also written on architecture, music, and the history plays of Shakespeare, and has presented approximately thirty historical documentaries on BBC television.

British-born Julian Elfer is an award-winning New York City-based actor and audiobook narrator. With over 100 titles to his credit, Julian brings a unique facility for characterization in fiction and an empathy for the personalities and events of the past.