The Turk at the Door: Luther, Islam, and the Fate of Christendom in the 16th Century

In the first half of the 16th century, Western Christendom stood at a crossroads. The Ottoman Empire, led by sultans who claimed the mantle of the caliphate, pressed deep into Europe, while within its own borders the unity of the church and society in general fractured in the wake of the Reformation. The Turk at the Door explores this convergence of empires, ideas, and fears through the eyes of Martin Luther, who viewed the Turks not merely as a geopolitical and religious force but as both ...