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CONSTANTINOPLE  

Vasilief, A History of the Byzantine Empire

The fall of Byzantium

Constantinoupolis

Constantine XI (1449-1453) and the capture of Constantinople

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Page 6

On April 22 the city with the Emperor at its head was struck by an extraordinary and terrifying spectacle: the Turkish vessels were in the upper part of the Golden Horn. During the preceding night the sultan had succeeded in transporting the vessels from the Bosporus by land into the Golden Horn; for this purpose a kind of wooden platform had been specially made in the valley between the hills, and the vessels were put on wheels and dragged over the platform by the exertions of a great number of canaille, according to Barbaro, who were at the sultan's disposal. The Greco-Italian fleet stationed in the Golden Horn beyond the chain was thereafter between two fires.

The condition of the city became critical. The plan of the besieged garrison to burn the Turkish vessels in the Golden Horn at night was treacherously revealed to the sultan and prevented.

Meanwhile the heavy bombardment of the city, which did not cease for several weeks, brought the population to the point of complete exhaustion; men, women, children, priests, monks, and nuns were compelled, day and night, under cannon fire, to repair the numerous breaches in the walls. The siege had already lasted for fifty days. The tidings which reached the sultan, perhaps especially invented, of the possible arrival of a Christian fleet to aid the city, induced him to hasten the decisive blow to Constantinople. Imitating the famous orations in the history of Thucydides, Critobulus even gave the speech of Muhammed to the troops appealing to their courage and firmness; in this speech the sultan declared, There are three conditions for successful war: to want (victory), to be ashamed (of dishonor, defeat), and to obey the leaders. The assault was fixed for the night of May 29.

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