Anne Davison: 9 books

This book traces the history of the Holy Roman Empire, which lasted for over a thousand years, from the reign of Charlemagne in AD 800 until AD 1806 when it was dissolved following defeat by Napoleon. It is an Empire that had no fixed boundaries and until the 16th century, when the Habsburgs settled...

October 2017 marked one hundred years since the Russian Revolution and the overthrow of the Romanov Dynasty. But as the anniversary approached, there appeared to be some ambivalence in the Kremlin as to how the event should be celebrated, if indeed, celebrated at all. The mood in Russia was captured...

The history of the Ottoman Empire, as with most Empires, is complex. It is also a history that is little understood by the general public. At the same time there are many events that occurred within the context of Ottoman history that the general reader may be quite familiar with: for example, the...

This book is essential reading for anyone who wants to better understand the complex world of militant Islam. It asks what is the justification, for example, for the barbaric executions of innocent people by the so-called 'Islamic State' On what grounds can this group claim authority to establish...

Mention of Iran may bring to mind images of turbaned Mullahs and nuclear weapons. On the other hand Persia may provoke other images; of Persian Gardens, romantic poetry or the beautiful wives of the last Pahlavi Shah. But this in no way does justice to the people of Iran, or its rich and complex...

This book tells the story of the Mughal Empire, which lasted from 1526 to 1857. The early Mughals, who were ethnic Turco-Mongol and descendants of Timur, or Tamerlane, came from Central Asia. They introduced many aspects of Persian culture into India, for example literature, painting and architecture....

It is often said that without Paul the Apostle there would have been no Christian Church. Certainly it was Paul who took the message of Christ beyond the region of Palestine to the Gentiles of Asia Minor and it was Paul who established the first Churches across Anatolia and beyond, into the Greek...

This book shows how close Judaism, Christianity and Islam are in terms of their history and beliefs. It has been written mainly for those who are less familiar with Islam and so there is an emphasis on the early Islamic history. However, it is hoped that readers of all Faiths or none, may find the...

Napoleon Bonaparte, when referring to China, famously said; “China is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world.” His words were prophetic. For centuries China slumbered. Then, about forty years ago she woke up and since that time has risen to become the world’s...