A review by mylogicisfuzzy
Agents of Empire: Knights, Corsairs, Jesuits and Spies in the Sixteenth-Century Mediterranean World by Noel Malcolm

3.0

This is a good read, full of fascinating detail about Ottoman empire, life and politics as well as European geopolitics in the second half of the sixteenth century. It is not, however, about 'agents of empire' as such, the title is misleading because, while the book is fabulously researched, there is simply a lack of detailed evidence about the Bruni and Bruti families, the central characters. Primary sources are scarce - understandable, given the locations the families lived in but I frankly got bored with frequent conjectures and suppositions as to the level of involvement and actions of the family members. I also could not find a 'corsair' among them or a Jesuit (from the book's subtitle) - although one did get a full Jesuit education. Also 'spies' is a bit misleading too. Feel slightly cheated.