Part 3: The Siege of Constantinople The Last Empress of Byzantium
Sections (Navigate sections)
The Siege of Constantinople began on April 6th, 1453. The Ottoman forces, led by Sultan Mehmed II, had been preparing for this moment for months. The city was surrounded by a massive army of over 80,000 men, including Janissaries, Anatolian Turks, and Balkan mercenaries. The Ottoman forces had also brought with them a massive fleet of ships, which blocked the entrance to the Golden Horn.
The defenders of Constantinople were outnumbered and outgunned. The city was defended by a small force of about 7,000 men, including the Emperor Constantine XI and his brother Thomas Palaiologos. The city was also defended by a number of walls and towers, but these were no match for the Ottoman forces.
The siege lasted for fifty-five days. During this time, the Ottoman forces bombarded the city with cannons and arrows. The defenders of Constantinople fought bravely, but they were eventually overwhelmed. On May 29th, 1453, the city fell to the Ottoman forces.
The fall of Constantinople marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and the beginning of the Ottoman Empire. The last Empress of Byzantium, Helena Palaiologina, was taken captive by the Ottoman forces and taken to Istanbul. She would never see her beloved city again.