The Fall of Constantinople

1453... The once large and all-powerful Byzantine Empire had been reduced to only a ghost of its former self. Time, which changes everything in its wake, the constant wars with its innumerable enemies, the mistakes and discord amongst its emperors, the schisms within the church, and the hordes of Crusaders, had brought Byzantium to its knees. The borders of this immense empire had been frighteningly reduced. Constantinople, Thrace, and a few areas of the Peloponnese are the only lands it has left. And everywhere surrounding Constantinople are swarms of Ottoman Turks, ready to pounce and devour its last remnants.
The last emperor of Byzantium was Constantine Palaiologos, Lord of Mystra.* He was a brave man, cultured, intelligent, and with an immense love for his country. It was on his shoulders that the bleak cross of a dying empire, an empire that had lasted for over 1000 years and had changed civilization and history, was laid.

 

The Sultan and high commander of the Turks at the time was Mehmed II, also known in history as Mehmed the Conqueror. A mere 21 years old, he was brutal, bloodthirsty, but also incredibly intelligent and gifted in the arts of war. He had a great passion for astrology, and bread a great love for reading, particularly the lives and achievements of past Byzantine heroes. His greatest dream was to once and for all overthrow the Byzantine Empire, and establish his own empire where it once stood. He desired to see the half-moon flag fly over the City of Cities, Constantinople.

In the spring of 1453 the sultan began a siege on Constantinople. The Turkish army was so vast, that one of the defenders of the City, Frantzis Doukas, later wrote that they looked "as many as the sands of the sea". In the besieged city there were approximately five thousand Greeks, and two thousand foreign defenders. According to Doukas' approximations, there was one Greek for every 500 Turks. However, it was not simply the number of attackers, Constantinople had survived many close calls in the past. What was different this time was the advanced battering technology the Turks possessed. Additionally, there were new giant bronze cannons, perpetually aimed at the walls, and Turkish ships that had closed off all naval access to Constantinople. Only four ships from Geneva, loaded with grain and additional troops, had been able to bypass the Turkish blockade in months. This gave a glimmer of hope to the besieged Byzantines, but it wasn't long before they realized that it would be the last time a ally would enter their city. 

On April 22nd the Sultan himself arrived outside Constantinople, and set his tent across from the gate of Romanos. The very next day the massive attack began, the besiegers try with whatever means necessary to enter the city. The canons mercilessly pummel the walls with giant cannonballs of iron, the Ottoman attackers try to make gaps in the bulwarks, the Turkish soldiers throw ladders onto the walls and try to overwhelm the fighters with their sheer numbers. A constant and loud clashing sound covers the entire city, the noise from the explosions and the wild cries of the attackers resemble hell, but the attempts of the Turks prove fruitless, the city defends itself bravely. The walls that are breached are immediately rebuilt, not a single Turk sets foot in the Constantinople's holy ground. 

The Turks now try to enter the city by digging large underground tunnels. The Greeks discover this, and pour liquid fire in the tunnels, searing alive all those who had entered them. Mehmet becomes increasingly angrier; he did not imagine the city, starved and weakened, would be so difficult to capture. It is not only the Greeks, however, who are fighting bravely. The same courage is shown by the Italians, led by John Ioustinianis, a Genevan. Emperor Palaiologos offers him the most honored place in the battle, to defend the gate of Romanos with 400 of his best troops. 

To be continued...

*Mystra was a stronghold in Peloponnese.