In the Shadow of the Gods. Emperors in World History

The new work of the renowned British historian Dominic Lieven is dedicated to emperors and the nature of hereditary power. Drawing on extensive historical material (empires of the ancient world, China, India, the Ottoman Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, etc.), the author analyzes what "dark arts" of Machiavelli the founders of dynasties had to master, the sacred role of the monarch, and the connection with world religions in different parts of the world and eras, how peoples were conquered and vast empires governed, whether emperors could have friends, and the status of women in the world of male rulers. A crucial theme of the book is the problem of succession: how it was resolved in empires, what was required from imperial heirs, and why hereditary power did not withstand the test of modernity. The reader will be presented with a brilliant gallery of rulers throughout history: from Cyrus the Great, Alexander the Great, and Wu Zetian to Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent, Maria Theresa, and Nicholas II.