Ruling from 1299 until 1922, the Ottoman Empire was one of the biggest and longest-lasting empires in history. Although weak leadership, a failing economy, and wars with neighboring Russia and other countries led to its decline, the empire left a lasting legacy for its arts, trade, government, and multiculturalism. This appealing volume chronicles the rise and decline of the Ottoman Empire, including its beginnings in nomadic cultures, its toppling of the Byzantine Empire, and its peak under Sleyman the Magnificent, as well as the various conflicts in which it was often embroiled.