When the Turks entered Anatolia in the 11th century, the Byzantine Emperor appointed a minor Turkish prince with the title of Sultan of Rome. Ball believes that this was no accident, and instead was a sign of how much the Ottoman Empire had truly become a Eurasian power, a reality cemented when they captured Constantinople from the west. Ball is described on the back cover as a Near East archaeologist, and this is the third volume of his four part series designed to explore the complex history of European relations with the East. Although well researched, it is probably most appropriate for the interested general reader. Includes 98 color plates printed on glossy paper. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)