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thyreos

Byzantine Battles

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Abydos, 989
Ad Decimum, 533
Ad Salices, 377
Adramyttium, 1205
Adrianople, 324
Adrianople, 378
Adrianople, 813
Adrianople, 1254
Adrianople, 1369
Ajnadayn, 634
Akroinos, 740
Aleppo, 637
Aleppo, 962
Aleppo, 969
Alexandretta, 971
Altava, 578
Alexandria, 641
Amida, 502-503
Amida, 359
Amida, 973
Amorium, 838
Anchialus, 708
Anchialus, 763
Anchialus, 917
Andrassus, 960
Ani, 1064
Anthidon, 634
Antioch, 540
Antioch, 611
Antioch, 969
Antioch on Meander, 1211
Anzen, 838
Apadna, 503
Apamea, 998
Apros, 1305
Apulia, 1155
Aquae Saravenae, 979
Araxes, 589
Arcadiopolis, 970
Arcadiopolis, 1194
Ariminum, 538
Arzamon, 586
Attalia, 1207
Aurasium, 540
Auximus, 539
Azaz, 1030
Babylon, Egypt, 640
Balathista, 1014
Bapheus, 1302
Bargylus, 634
Bari, 1068-1071
Bathys Ryax, 872
Berat, 1281
Veroï, 1122
Balarathos, 591
Bar, 1042
Berzitia, 774
Bitola, 1015
Ganzaka, 591
Bosporus, 1352
Boulgarophygon, 896
Bourgaon, 535
Brindisi, 1156
Brocade, 634
Bursa, 1317-1326
Busta Gallorum, 552
Calavrye, 1079
Callinicum, 531
Campus Ardiensis, 316
Cannae, 1018
Cape Bon, 468
Carthage, 468
Carthage, 698
Cephalonia, 880
Kefalonia, 880
Lipares, 880
Stelai, 880
Castrogiovanni, 859
Chariopolis, 1051
Chersonesus, 447
Chrysopolis, 324
Cibalae, 316
Cillium, 544
Constantinople, 626
Constantinople, 674-678
Constantinople, 717-718
Constantinople, 941
Constantinople, 1047
Constantinople, 1187
Constantinople, 1204
Constantinople, 1235
Constantinople, 1260
Constantinople, 1261
Constantinople, 1422
Constantinople, 1453
Cotyaeum, 492
Crasus, 804
Crete, 824
Crete, 828
Crete, 961
Ctesiphon, 363
Damascus, 634
Damietta, 853
Dara, 530
Dara, 573
Dathin, 634
Dazimon, 838
Demetrias, 1274
Demotika, 1352
Devina, 1279
Diakene, 1050
Diampoli, 1049
Didymoteichon, 1352
Dimitritsi, 1185
Dorostalon, 971
Dranginai, 1040
Dyrrachium, 1018
Dyrrachium, 1081
Caesarea, 1073
Echinades, 1427
Edessa, 1031
Ekato Vounoi, 1050
Emessa, 635-636
Faventia, 542
Fields of Cato, 548
Firaz, 634
Frigidus, 394
Gallipoli, 1354
Gallipoli, 1366
Hades, 1057
Heliopolis, 640
Hellespont, 324
Heraclea, 806
Hieromyax, 636
Hyelion - Leimocheir,1177
Iron Bridge, 637
Ieromyax, 636
Jerusalem, 614
Jerusalem, 637
Kaisareia, 1073
Kalavrye, 1079
Kapetron, 1049
Katasyrtai, 917
Kleidion, 1014
Klokotnitsa, 1230
Kopidnadon, 788
Koundouros, 1205
Krasos, 804
Lalakaon, 863
Larissa, 1084
Lemnos, 1025
Levounion, 1091
Makryplagi, 1264
Mammes, 534
Manzikert, 1071
Maogamalcha, 363
Maranga, 363
Marcellae, 756
Marcellae, 792
Marcianopolis, 377
Mardia, 316
Marj-ud-Deebaj, 634
Marta, 547
Masts, 655
Martyropolis, 588
Mavropotamos, 844
Mediolanum, 539
Melanthius, 559
Melantias, 559
Melitene, 576
Membresa, 536
Mercurii Promontorium, 468
Messina, 843
Milano, 539
Milvian Bridge, 312
Mons Seleucus, 353
Monte Siricolo, 1041
Montepeloso, 1041
Montemaggiore, 1041
Morava, 1191
Mount Lactarius, 553
Mucellium, 542
Mursa Major, 351
Mutah, 629
Myriokephalon, 1176
Naples, 536
Neopatras, 1274
Nicaea, 1077
Nicaea, 1097
Nicaea, 1328-1331
Nicomedia, 782
Nicomedia, 1337
Nikiou, 646
Nineveh, 627
Nisibis, 338
Nisibis, 350
Noviodunum, 369
Olivento, 1041
Ongal, 680
Ophlimos, 622
Orontes, 994
Osimo, 539
Ostrovo, 1043
Palakazio, 1021
Palermo, 830-831
Pancalia, 978
Pegae, 922
Pelacanon, 1329
Pelagonia, 1259
Petra, 549
Petra, 551
Petroe, 1057
Perkri, 1034
Pharsalus, 1277
Philadelphia, 1390
Philomelion, 1117
Phoenix, 655
Pirisabora, 363
Pliska, 811
Poimanenon, 1224
Poson, 863
Preslava, 1053
Prinitza, 1263
Prusa, 1326
Rhodes, 1249
Rhodes, 1309
Rhyndacus, 1211
Rimini, 538
Rishki Pass, 759
Rome, 537-538
Rome, 545 - 546
Rometta, 964
Rometta, 1038
Rousokastro, 1332
Rus Raid, 860
Rus Raid, 941
Rus Raid, 1025
Rus Raid, 1043
Samarra, 363
Sardis, 743
Satala, 530
Save, 388
Saxa Rubra, 312
Scalas Veteres, 537
Sebastia, 1070
Sebastopolis, 692
Sedica, 809
Sena Gallica, 551
Setina, 1017
Shirimni, 1021
Singara, 344
Sirmium, 441
Sirmium, 580-582
Sirmium, 1167
Siscia, 388
Skafida, 1304
Solachon, 586
Spercheios, 997
Strumica, 1014
Strymon, 1185
Sufetula, 647
Svindax, 1022
Syllaeum, 677
Syracuse, 827-828
Syracuse, 877-878
Taginae, 552
Taormina, 902
Tarsus, 965
Thacia, 545
Thannourios, 528
Thasos, 829
Thessalonica, 586
Thessalonica, 615
Thessalonica, 617
Thessalonica, 676-678
Thessalonica, 904
Thessalonica, 995
Thessalonica, 1014
Thessalonica, 1040
Thessalonica, 1185
Thessalonica, 1224
Thessalonica, 1264
Thessalonica, 1430
Thomas the Slav, 821-823
Tornikios, 1047
Trajan’s Gate, 986
Tricameron, 533
Troina, 1040
Tryavna, 1190
Utus, 447
Vasiliki Livada, 1050
Veregava, 759
Versinikia, 813
Vescera, 682
Vesuvius, 553
Vid, 447
Viminacium, 599
Volturnus, 554
Wadi al-Arabah, 634
Yarmuk, 636
Zombos, 1074
Zygos pass, 1053
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Aspis

Fall of Constantinople

year:

1453

29 May 1453
The Fall of Constantinople and the end of Byzantium ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Ottoman Turks
location:
Constantinople
 accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type:
City Capture
war:
Byzantine-Ottoman Wars
modern country:
Turkey
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Constantine XI Palaiologos) The Enemies
Commander: Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos Sultan Mehmed II
Forces: 7,000 (incl. 2000 westerners)+26 ships perhaps 45,000
Losses: 4,000 dead Unknown but heavy

Background story:
On October 31, 1448, the Byzantine emperor John IX Palaiologos died and was succeeded by his brother Constantine ΧΙ Palaiologos. Until then, Constantine was the Despot in the Despotate of Mystras (where he shared power with his brothers Thomas and Demetrius).
The coronation of the new emperor took place in Mystras on January 6, 1449. Two months later he arrived by a Catalan ship to Constantinople. The new emperor, like the previous one, was in favor of the union of the churches and becayse of that he was not welcomed by part of the population of the city. For this reason he avoided being crowned in Hagia Sophia.
Byzantium at that time was not an empire any more. It was confined to Constantinople and its environs and to some isolated and remote territories, the most important of which was the Despotate of Mystras. The Byzantine Empire when Constantine IX took over was essentially a city surrounded by lands already conquered by the Ottomans who had attempted to conquer the city in the 1390s and, again, in 1422, without success.
But the Byzantines knew that they would not last long; unless help came from the West ...

mehmet
Mehmed II
Shortly after the ascension to the throne of Constantine Paleologos, Sultan Murat II died in 1451 and was succeeded by his son Mehmed II who was only 19 years old. The new Sultan had from the beginning the ambition to be the one to conquer Constantinople.
The young Sultan’s first offensive move, which revealed his intentions, was the construction of a castle north of Constantinople, on the European shore of the Bosphorus, at its narrowest point. This castle became known as “Roumeli Hisar”. Its construction began in March 1452 and ended very quickly, in August of the same year. Mehmed manned the castle with a force of 400 men.
The Byzantines had realized the danger from the new castle, but they were unable to react and prevent its construction. This fortification, in combination with the oldest fort that already existed from 1393/1394 on the opposite Asian coast, completely cut off the maritime communication and supply of Constantinople.

Despite a union of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches that was finalized on December 12, 1452, the Byzantines received no official aid from Western Europe, with the exception of a few soldiers from Venice and Genoa. 2,000 western mercenaries, 700 of which were Genoese, under Giovanni Giustiniani Longo, arrived to assist the 5,000 militia soldiers raised from a city whose population had been seriously eroded by heavy taxation, plague and civil conflict.
The Turks assembled an army of 150,000 men and 400 ships, although more recent historical research suggests that the Ottoman army should not have exceeded 45,000. Of these, 11,000 were janissaries who were the elite force. There were also troops from Anatolian and Christian countries that had already been conquered by the Ottomans.

The Battle:
Constantinople
The Turkish army encamped outside the city on the Monday after Easter, 2 April 1453 and the Sultan declared the commencement of the siege on 6th April. The Turks had employed a mysterious Hungarian named Urban who constructed a big canon (the "Basilica"), 9.2 long, and able to hurl a granite ball over a mile. The weapon was dragged by 60 oxen. Urban also produced other cannons, 68 in total, instrumental for the Turkish siege forces.
The big canon caused terror but it was not so successful, as it took 3 hours to reload and the Greeks were able to repair the damaged walls in the meantime.

The Ottoman fleet could not enter the Golden Horn due to the chain the Byzantines had laid across the entrance. Although one of the fleet's main tasks was to prevent any ships from outside from entering the Golden Horn.
On 20 April a small flotilla of 4 western ships managed to slip, in an event which boosted the morale of the defenders and caused embarrassment to the Sultan who ordered the construction of a road of greased logs across Galata and rolled his ships across on 22 April, thus bypassing the chain. From then on, the defenders were forced to disperse part of their forces to the Golden Horn walls, weakening the defense in other sections of the walls.

The Turks had made several frontal assaults on the land wall, but were always repelled with heavy losses, including a persistent effort to undermine the walls with tunnels.

The final assault began shortly after midnight on 29 May
The Christian troops of the Ottomans attacked first, followed by successive waves of irregulars and Anatolians who focused on a section of the Blachernae walls in the northwest part of the city, which had been damaged by the cannon. The Anatolians managed to breach this section of walls and entered the city but were just as quickly pushed back. Finally, the last wave, consisting of elite Janissaries, attacked. The Genoese Giovanni Giustiniani, was grievously wounded during the attack, and his departure caused panic.
The defenders were also being overwhelmed at several points in Constantine’s section, in the middle of the land walls. When Turkish flags were seen flying above a small postern gate, the Kerkoporta, which was left open, the defense collapsed.
It is said that Constantine, throwing aside his purple regalia, led the final charge against the incoming Ottomans, dying in the ensuing battle in the streets with his soldiers.
The city was captured. Slaughter and plundering followed. On the third day, Mehmed ordered all looting to stop and sent his troops back outside the city wall.

Aftermath:
The capture of Constantinople marked the end of the glorious Byzantine Empire, which lasted for more than 1,000 years. It was also a massive blow to Christendom. Constantinople became the Ottoman Empire's new capital.