Fall of Constantinople

The City of Constantinople was the capital of what is known by historians as the "Byzantine" empire. This was a direct successor of The Roman Empire. The Byzantines were known for their preservation of some of the "Lore of the Ancients" including technological achievement, high literacy and a reputation for artistic craftsmanship, having innate advantages due to their superior political stability. They were also strong defenders of Greek Orthodox Christianity. They were a potent military force; not as exotic as a stereotypically medieval Proud Warrior Race, around but quite professional and helped by a well-earned reputation for strategic and political skill. While seldom strong enough to think of expansion the Byzantine Empire could usually survive. However they slowly fell into decline. In the 1200's the Fourth Crusade attacked and Pillaged the city. They stayed for several years until the city was retaken in a coup by the Greek warlord Michael Palaiologos who declared himself The Emperor of the restored Byzantine Empire, now effectively little more then a Land of One City. There was for a few generations a minor Renaissance in the City, but its time was soon to come to an end.

In the meantime more Turkish migrants arrived from the steepelands to set themselves up as "ghazis" (something between holy warriors and holy brigands; "Islamic cossacks" if you will). Eventually they took the service of the chieftain Osman and formed what would become the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans expanded and conquered territory until they surrounded Constantinople. An attempt was made to conquer the city but it was frustrated by the coincidental arrival of the Mongol Timur the Lame on the other side of the Ottoman Empire. It would be left to Mehmet II, later known as The Conqueror to finish the job.

The Ottoman forces available outnumbered the entire population of the City, let alone the tiny garrison of soldiers. However the walls of Constantinople were among the most formidable in the world. For this reason many of Mehmet's advisors counseled against the campaign. However Mehmet plodded on. There was little prospect of aid from the West although there was some which distinguished itself. Still the city refused to submit. The Ottomans, besides their vast numbers had giant siege cannons; this was one of the first famous campaigns that used gunpowder. Despite all these advantages Constantinople was a tough nut to crack. Assault after assault was repealed. The Turks even dragged a number of galleys across land to dominate the harbor in a maneuver that is famed as a Crowning Moment of Awesome. Finally the Turks breeched the walls and swarmed into the city. The last Emperor, ironically named Constantine XI, died fighting. As was customary the Turks sacked much of the city but fortunately the layout of the neighborhoods allowed many of the citizens to barricade themselves long enough to negotiate reasonably favorable terms of surrender. After this Constantinople became the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

Depictions in fiction:

 * The Emperor's Winding Sheet by Jill Paton Walsh. A children's version of the siege from the point of view of an English boy who happens to be serving as a page to Emperor Constantine.

Tropes displayed in the event include :

 * BFG: The Turkish bombards. The largest of which called The Basilica had to be wheeled around on a carriage pulled by 40 cattle and crewed by 200 men. It was so loud that the defenders had to issue warnings to the populace to always keep their ear plugs handy so no one would die of fright or women wouldn't miscarry.
 * David Versus Goliath: Except this time Goliath won.
 * Despair Event Horizon: Giovanni Giustiniani being wounded, by either a crossbow bolt or a cannonball, and subsequently retreating. It was the event that led to Constantine's Dying Moment of Awesome below.
 * Downer Ending : From the Byzantines' point of view.
 * Dying Moment of Awesome: From the Byzantines' point of view. This was the last fight of The Roman Empire and well did they live up to the reputation of the original version.
 * In fact, it was a great deal more awesome than the event which is often said to be the death of the Western Roman Empire, the abdication of the emperor Romulus Augustulus to Odoacer.
 * Constantine XI, the final Emperor of Constantinople, had his own. Seeing that the fight was hopeless, he is said to have cast aside his imperial raiments and personally lead his retainers for one final suicide attack. For this, he remains a hero to the Greeks even to this day.
 * And let us not forget the last charge of the Byzantine Army, when 1,000 Greek soldiers hurled themselves into a force of over 100,000 Turks to try and buy some time for people feeling the impending sack of the city.
 * Eagle Squadron: a few Venetian, Genoan, and Papal troops served as this.
 * Fire-Forged Friends: The native Greek Orthodox and foreign Catholic defenders held a joint service in the Hagia Sophia the night before the fall of the city.
 * The Glory That Was Rome: The Byzantines, sort of. An Alternate Character Interpretation is that They Were Hellas. Constantine considered his country a continuation of both.
 * Istanbul Not Constantinople : This is the reason why it is Istanbul and not Constantinople. Any questions?
 * Actually, "Istanbul" predates the Turkish conquest, and "Constantinople" or its Turkish variant ("Konstantiniye") remained the official name until the 20th century.
 * King in the Mountain: Constintine became yet another one of these.
 * The Lancer: Giovanni Giustiniani came to help defend the empire that his namesake Justinian The Great once ruled.
 * Last Stand
 * Living Relic: several refugees set themselves up in Venice; the knowledge they took with them helped encourage the Italian Renaissance.
 * Rousing Speech: Constantine gave one hours before the final assault, and the historian Gibbon called it a worthy funeral oration for the Roman Empire. "Animals may run from animals, but you are men, and worthy heirs of the great heroes of Ancient Greece and Rome."
 * The Siege
 * Slave Mooks: The Janissaries collected from Balkan Christian peasants. It was a Janissary that was first past the wall according to tales.
 * Turks With Troops: Lots and Lots of troops.
 * Urban Warfare
 * Warrior Prince: Mehmet and Constantine.
 * Weapon of Mass Destruction : Turkish siege guns
 * We Have Reserves : The Turks had lots of reserves.