Baghdad.City of Peace, City of Blood: Justin Marozzi

Overview: In Baghdad: City of Peace, City of Blood, celebrated young travelwriter-historian Justin Marozzi gives us a many-layered history of one of the world's truly great cities - both its spectacular golden ages and its terrible disasters For much of its extraordinary life, Baghdad, known for centuries as the "City of Peace," enjoyed both cultural and commercial preeminence. For five centuries it was the seat of the Abbasid Empire, a marvel of glittering palaces, exquisite parks, magnificent mosques, and Islamic colleges. It was a city boasting the most accomplished astronomers, mathematicians, doctors, musicians, and poets-- it was here, in the time of the caliphs, that the great Arabic classic One Thousand and One Nights was set. With its teeming markets watered by the Tigris, Baghdad was a thriving trading emporium, attracting merchants from Central Asia to the Atlantic; its economy was the envy of West and East alike. Yet Baghdad's inhabitants have also seen many terrible hardships, from epidemics and famines to invasions and devastating floods. And it has also been one of the most violent cities on earth. When U.S. troops entered in 2003, they became the latest participants in a turbulent history stretching back to the city's founding in 762. Over most of its thirteen-century history, Baghdad has endured the rule of brutal strongmen, from capricious caliphs to Saddam Hussein; and it has suffered violent occupations at the hands of its conquerors, from the Mongol Hulagu, grandson of Genghis Khan, to Tamerlane, known as the "Sword Arm of Israel." Here, in this vivid new history-- the first published in English in nearly a century-- Justin Marozzi brings to life the whole splendorous and tumultuous story of what was once the greatest capital on earth. In Baghdad: City of Peace, City of Blood , celebrated young travelwriter-historian Justin Marozzi gives us a many-layered history of one of the world's truly great cities - both its spectacular golden ages and its terrible disasters 'Justin Marozzi is the most brilliant of the new generation of travelwriter-historians' - Sunday Telegraph Over thirteen centuries, Baghdad has enjoyed both cultural and commercial pre-eminence, boasting artistic and intellectual sophistication and an economy once the envy of the world. It was here, in the time of the Caliphs, that the Thousand and One Nights were set. Yet it has also been a city of great hardships, beset by epidemics, famines, floods, and numerous foreign invasions which have brought terrible bloodshed. This is the history of its storytellers and its tyrants, of its philosophers and conquerors. Here, in the first new history of Baghdad in nearly 80 years, Justin Marozzi brings to life the whole tumultuous history of what was once the greatest capital on earth. Justin Marozzi is a Councillor of the Royal Geographic Society and a Senior Research Fellow at Buckingham University. He has broadcast for BBC Radio Four, and regularly contributes to a wide range of publications, including the Financial Times , for which he has worked in Iraq, Afghanistan and Darfur. His previous books include the bestselling Tamerlane: Sword of Islam , a Sunday Telegraph Book of the Year (2004), and The Man Who Invented History: Travels with Herodotus . Over Thirteen Centuries, Baghdad Has Enjoyed Both Cultural And Commercial Pre-eminence, Boasting Artistic And Intellectual Sophistication And An Economy Once The Envy Of The World. It Was Here, In The Time Of The Caliphs, That The Thousand And One Nights Were Set. This Book Gives Us A Many-layered History Of One Of The World's Truly Great Cities. The Caliph And His Capital: Mansur And The Foundation Of Baghdad (750-75) -- Harun Al Rashid And A Thousand And One Nights In Baghdad (775-809) -- 'the Fountainhead Of Scholars', Centre Of The World (809-92) -- The Later Abbasids: Farewell To The Meadows Of Gold (892-1258) -- 'this Pilgrimage Of Destruction': The Mongol And Tatar Storm (1258-1401) -- Black Sheep, White Sheep (1401-1534) -- Of Turks And Travellers (1534-1639) -- Plagues, Pashas And Mamluks (1639-1831) -- Empires Collide (1831-1917) -- A Very British Monarchy: Three Kings In Baghadad (1917-58) -- Coups, Communists And Baathists: The Mother Of All Bloodshed (1958-) -- Appendix: Iraqi Security Apparaus Under Saddam Hussein. Justin Marozzi. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.