Bosnian Phoenix

Bosnian Phoenix: How Bosnia Saved Europe and Made Possible the Modern Age, Miljan Peter Ilich, 2018, iUniverse

This is a history of Bosnia, in southeast Europe. It became well-known in the late 20th century, when Yugoslavia, of which it was a part, violently fell apart.

Bosnia has been inhabited for the past several thousand years. It provided many soldiers for the Roman Empire. Bosnia was right on the border between the western and eastern Roman Empires. When the western Empire collapsed, Bosnia became part of the eastern, or Byzantine, Empire.

A variant of Christianity called Bogomilism flourished in Bosnia. It began to spread into Europe, and is said to be the precursor for all of Protestantism. In the 1200's, there were several Vatican-approved Crusades into Bosnia, to try and wipe out Bogomilism, but they were unsuccessful.

Over the years, Bosnia has had really good leaders, and some who were not so good. There were many battles with neighboring groups, including the Serbians, and the Hungarians, who made no secret of their desire to add Bosnia to Hungary. Through it all, the territory of Bosnia has generally stayed together.

More recently, Bosnia was a bulwark against the Turks of the Ottoman Empire. Bosnia's influence in starting World War I is included, and so is Tito, and the breakup of Yugoslavia.

This is heavy history. Do not try to read this book in one sitting. It is most recommended for historians, and those whose ancestry is from that area. But, for the average reader. . . maybe not.