The struggle of the Albanian people led by George Castriota Scanderbeg to defend Europe against the assault of the Ottoman Turks has been much celebrated. For a quarter of a century, from 1443 until his death in 1468, he used his military prowess to thwart the efforts of the most powerful Empire in the world at the time to subdue his tiny country.One of the true heroes of the Middle Ages in Europe, unfortunately the remarkable story of Scanderbeg remains little known outside of Albania. George Castriota defended Europe for a quarter of a century and, it can rightly be said, helped to save Western civilization from being overrun by Islam and suffering the same fate as the once mighty Byzantine Empire. This book examines the genius and remarkable achievements of Scanderbeg who helped shape the identity of the Albanian people and reveals the important contribution this small but proud nation has made to European civilization.Although the challenges have changed over the centuries, the clash of civilizations, which the history of the Albanian struggle to fend off the Islamic onslaught illustrates, continues today. As a result, it is all the more worth noting the contribution that this tiny land, led by Scanderbeg, made in the fight to preserve Western culture and civilization. Equally important is the example set by the Albanian people in ultimately harmonizing these two great civilizations.A.K. Brackob has a Ph.D. in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a specialist on the history of southeastern Europe during the Middle Ages and author of Mircea the Old: Father of Wallachia, Grandfather of Dracula.

Scanderbeg: A History of George Castriota and the Albanian Resistance to Islamic Expansion in Fifteenth Century Europe

Biographies & Memoirs

Brackob, A

Historical

Vita Histria

Mircea the Old: Father of Wallachia, Grandfather of Dracula

One of the greatest leaders in Romanian history, Mircea the Old comes to life in this new book. Although his grandson, Vlad the Impaler, has acquired much greater international fame, Mircea the Old was the most significant ruler to sit on the throne of the small principality of Wallachia during the Middle Ages. To understand the historical Dracula, it is essential to comprehend the life and times of Mircea the Old, who, during his long reign from 1386 to 1418, consolidated the political and administrative structure of his principality and maintained its freedom at the time of its most significant peril.\nMircea defeated the mighty Ottoman Empire, the greatest power of his day, at the battle of Rovine in 1394. During the crusade of Nicopolis, in 1396, the Wallachian prince played a key role and many, including Emperor Sigismund of Luxemburg, believed that he should have led the Christian assault. Flawed political considerations, however, countermanded that proposal and resulted in a disastrous defeat for Christendom.\nDespite this setback, Mircea positioned his small country as a major force in international politics at the dawn of the fifteenth century. As the Ottoman Empire collapsed into civil war following the decisive defeat of Sultan Bayezid by the Mongol Emperor Tamerlane at the battle of Ankara in 1402, Mircea the Old emerged in the role of kingmaker. The great powers fighting for control over southeastern Europe all recognized his skill and acumen, leading the Turkish chronicler Leunclavius to describe him as “the bravest and most able of Christian Princes.” His long reign allowed him to establish the dynamic ruling dynasty from which the Dracula legend would ultimately be born.\nDr. A.K. Brackob is a noted specialist in the history of southeastern Europe. His other books include Scanderbeg: A History of George Castriota and the Albanian Resistance to Islamic Expansion in Fifteenth Century Europe.

Center for Romanian Studies

Dracula: Essays of the Life and Times of Vlad the Impaler

Dracula – the fifteenth century Romanian prince, also known as Vlad the Impaler [Țepeș], is one of the most fascinating personalities of medieval history. Even during his own lifetime, his true story became obscured behind a veil of myths. As a result, he has been portrayed as both a bloodthirsty tyrant – which degenerated down through the centuries into the fictional vampire of the same name created by the Irish author Bram Stoker at the end of the nineteenth century – and as a national and Christian hero who bravely fought to defend both his native land and all of Europe against the Islamic threat posed by the Ottoman Turks. The printing press had first come into use just prior to the beginning of his principal reign, allowing information to be more widely disseminated throughout the continent. This created a public appetite for sensational stories and one might argue that Vlad was one of the earliest victims of “fake news.” A series of pamphlets circulated throughout Europe, already during his lifetime, intended to tarnish the reputation of the Wallachian prince, who had bravely confronted the Ottoman threat. This served to create a justification as to why funds received by the Hungarian king from the Pope to finance a new Christian crusade against the Turks had been diverted to other purposes. This is just one of the mysteries explored in the many studies contained in this volume. This book includes a wide range of studies on the life and times of Vlad III Dracula by leading historians and scholars from around the world. It presents a diversity of viewpoints, allowing the reader to understand the different historical perspectives with which Vlad is viewed in modern historiography. It also includes a wealth of supplementary materials, essential for anyone interested in learning about the life of Vlad the Impaler: translations of important documents concerning his reign; a genealogy of the family of Vlad the Impaler, translations from Turkish and Byzantine chronicles referring to the controversial Wallachian prince; a chronology, and an extensive bibliography of works on the life and times of Vlad the Impaler. Dracula: Essays on the Life and Times of Vlad the Impaler is an attempt to penetrate behind the myths surrounding the real Dracula and to uncover the true story of this legendary historical figure. *** This collection of studies is edited by Dr. Kurt W. Treptow, author of one of the finest monographs on the subject: Vlad III Dracula: The Life and Times of the Historical Dracula. Included are works by leading American, British, and Romanian scholars on Vlad the Impaler, including Constantin C. Giurescu, Veniamin Ciobanu, Matei Cazacu, Kurt W, Treptow, Radu R. Florescu, Raymond T. McNally, Ștefan Andreescu, Eric D. Tappe, Grigore Nandriș, Alexandru Duțu, David Prodan, Nicolae Stoicescu, Anton Balotă, P.P. Panaitescu, George D. Florescu, and Constantin Rezachevici.

Duty, Honor, Country: The Life of Arthur MacArthur, Jr.

On September 15, 1906, Arthur MacArthur Jr. became the twelfth man in the history of the United States Army to be awarded the rank of Lieutenant General, the highest rank in the Army up to that time. This great honor, which marked the culmination of MacArthur's brilliant military career, included him in the ranks of such outstanding American military leaders as George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, and William Tecumseh Sherman, all of whom had previously held this rank. This bespeaks of the importance of Arthur MacArthur as a figure in American history, yet invariably when the name MacArthur is mentioned today it is almost immediately associated with his son Douglas. Arthur MacArthur is, however, equally deserving of recognition as a great military leader.\nThis biography, based on extensive archival research, reveals the remarkable career of this great patriot and his contribution to American history. This is all the more important because, to fully understand the career of his famous son, Douglas, who had such a profound impact on the military history of the United States in the twentieth century, it is essential to study the life and career of Arthur MacArthur Jr who began his military career as a mere boy fighting for the 23rd Wisconsin infantry regiment during the Civil War. Douglas MacArthur was himself conscious of the profound influence his father had upon his life. Douglas once said, "Of all men I have known my father was the one I most respected and admired."\nA.K. Brackob has a Ph.D. in history from the University of Illinois. His other books include Scanderbeg: A History of George Castriota and the Albanian Resistance to Islamic Expansion in Fifteenth Century Europe.

Dracul – Of the Father: The Untold Story of Vlad Dracul

Stories of Dracula have fascinated people around the world for generations. Both the fictional vampire created by the Irish author Bram Stoker at the end of the nineteenth century and the fifteenth century Prince called Vlad the Impaler, the man regarded as the historical Dracula, have become part of universal culture. Yet few realize that the Wallachian ruler dubbed "the Impaler," is not the original Dracula. Instead, that distinction belongs to his father, a little-known prince called Vlad Dracul.The elder Vlad, who gained the sobriquet Dracul or Dracula when Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund of Luxemburg initiated him into the Order of the Dragon in February 1431, was among the most important political personalities of his day. He far surpassed his more famous namesake in those qualities that define a great ruler. Vlad Dracul struggled to protect the independence of his land, under the most difficult of circumstances, against the threats posed by his powerful neighbors, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary. In so doing, he in no small way contributed to the survival of his principality at a time when Ottoman expansion in the Balkans expunged countries such as Bulgaria and Serbia from the map of Europe.Several books have been devoted to the study of his famous son, Vlad the Impaler, but any search for the historical Dracula must begin with the story of the father. Now, for the first time, based on extensive documentary research, the true story of the man who founded the Dracula dynasty is revealed.

Poems and Prose of Mihai Eminescu is a selection of the best English-language renditions of poems and prose by this remarkable cultural figure of the nineteenth century, whom the British writer George Bernard Shaw once referred to as “the Moldavian who raised the XVIII-XIX fin de siècle from its grave.” To have an appreciation of Romanian culture one must become acquainted with the works of the country’s national poet, Mihai Eminescu. The leading cultural figure of nineteenth century Romania, Eminescu (1850-1889) was not only a poet, but also a philosopher, prose writer, translator, and journalist. He is best seen as a man who embodied the national culture and, therefore, through his work, helped to give it shape. The selections in this volume include some of Eminescu’s best-known poems such as Doina, Lacul, Și dacă, Luceafărul, Odă (în metru antic), Mai am un singur dor, Scrisoarea III, and many others. It also includes English versions of his most important prose writings — Făt Frumos din lacrimi, Sărmanul Dionis, Geniu pustiu, and Cezara. Poems and Prose of Mihai Eminescu also includes an introduction on the life and work of Eminescu by A.K. Brackob and original artwork by Ioana Lupușoru.

Poems and Prose of Mihai Eminescu

Literature & Fiction

Poetry

This new edition of poems and prose by Mihai Eminescu commemorates the 130th anniversary of the death of Romania’s national poet. This book includes a selection of the best English-language renditions of poems and prose by this remarkable cultural figure of the nineteenth-century, whom the British writer George Bernard Shaw once referred to as “the Moldavian who raised the XVIII-XIX fin de siècle from its grave.”\nIt is undeniable that to have an appreciation of Romanian culture one must become acquainted with the works of Mihai Eminescu. The leading cultural figure of nineteenth century Romania, Eminescu (1850-1889) was not only a poet, but also a philosopher, prose writer, translator, and journalist.\nThe selections in this volume include English language versions of some of Eminescu’s best-known poems such as Doina, Lacul, ?i daca, Luceafarul, Oda (în metru antic), Mai am un singur dor, Scrisoarea III, and many others. It also includes English versions of his most important prose writings. This beautiful, deluxe volume also includes an introduction on the life and work of Eminescu by A.K. Brackob and original artwork by Ioana Lupu?oru.

As the multi-national Ottoman Empire began to fall apart in the aftermath of the Russo-Turkish war of 1878, the Albanian people faced the peril of being absorbed into the surrounding newly formed nation-states of Southeastern Europe. Albanian leaders met at Prizren in 1878 to devise a strategy to defend their national rights. The Formation of the Albanian National Consciousness explores the origins of the movement that ultimately led to the creation of the modern-day Albanian nation-state.Had a national consciousness failed to develop prior to the crisis of 1878, the creation of a national movement, which not only sought to protect Albanian lands against foreign annexation but also strove to unite the four Albanian vilayets into a single autonomous administrative unit, would not have been possible. The development of a national consciousness during the decades preceding 1878 built the foundation for the national movement that culminated in the creation of the League of Prizren and ultimately led to the formation of an independent Albanian nation-state in 1912.A.K. Brackob is a noted specialist in East European history. His other books include Scanderbeg: George Castriota and the Albanian Resistance to Islamic Expansion in Southeastern Europe in the Fifteenth Century and Mircea the Old: Father of Wallachia, Grandfather of Dracula.

The Formation of the Albanian National Consciousness

History

Europe

On September 15, 1906, Arthur MacArthur Jr. became the twelfth man in the history of the United States Army to be awarded the rank of Lieutenant General, the highest rank in the Army up to that time. This great honor, which marked the culmination of MacArthur's brilliant military career, included him in the ranks of such outstanding American military leaders as George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, and William Tecumseh Sherman, all of whom had previously held this rank. This bespeaks of the importance of Arthur MacArthur as a figure in American history, yet invariably when the name MacArthur is mentioned today it is almost immediately associated with his son Douglas. Arthur MacArthur is, however, equally deserving of recognition as a great military leader.This biography, based on extensive archival research, reveals the remarkable career of this great patriot and his contribution to American history. This is all the more important because, to fully understand the career of his famous son, Douglas, who had such a profound impact on the military history of the United States in the twentieth century, it is essential to study the life and career of Arthur MacArthur Jr who began his military career as a mere boy fighting for the 23rd Wisconsin infantry regiment during the Civil War. Douglas MacArthur was himself conscious of the profound influence his father had upon his life. Douglas once said, "Of all men I have known my father was the one I most respected and admired."

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Brackob, A. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Brackob, A

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Brackob, A. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Scanderbeg: A History of George Castriota and the Albanian Resistance to Islamic Expansion in Fifteenth Century Europe

Mircea the Old: Father of Wallachia, Grandfather of Dracula

Dracula: Essays of the Life and Times of Vlad the Impaler

Dracula: Essays of the Life and Times of Vlad the Impaler

Duty, Honor, Country: The Life of Arthur MacArthur, Jr.

Dracul – Of the Father: The Untold Story of Vlad Dracul

Poems and Prose of Mihai Eminescu

Poems and Prose of Mihai Eminescu

The Formation of the Albanian National Consciousness

Duty, Honor, Country: The Life of Arthur MacArthur, Jr.