The Fall
of Constantinople and the End of the “Middle Ages”
On this day in 1453 the city of
Constantinople, and with it the Byzantine Roman Empire, fell to the forces of
the Ottoman Empire under Mehmed II.
Refounded as the Eastern capital of the Roman empire in the early years
of the 4th Century, it had previously fallen only once, then in 1204 to an army
of Western Crusaders. The strength of its walls, especially those on the land
side, were legendary. The Hun army under Attila is reputed to have ridden up to
the walls, taken a good look and ridden away, knowing they could not take the
city. Since the fall of the Western
Roman Empire in the 5th Century, it was the Eastern “Byzantine” Empire that
continued the traditions and namesake of the “Roman Empire.”
Mehmed was able, however, to utilize the
still relatively new cannon, but cast at sizes never before seen. A combination
of the battering of the city’s walls, siege and the deprivation of supplies,
and a city without the necessary military forces to patrol and protect the
walls set the stage for its downfall. Ultimately the Ottoman forces were able
to force entry through a gate left open in the walls through which a wounded
Byzantine commander (he himself was from Genoa) had been evacuated. The last of
the Byzantine emperors, Constantine XI, died leading his troops in a final push
against the enemy (or at least it is so assumed; the accounts record him
leading the troops and his whereabouts are never again reported, his body was
never recovered).
Some scholars treat the Fall of
Constantinople as the end of the Middle Ages. An interesting notion, but since
scholars can’t agree as to what are the characteristics of the Middle Ages, it
is hard to say the age ended as of one point in time or another. Maybe for that
reason May 29, 1453 is as good a day as any.
No comments:
Post a Comment