Setting the Stage

Constantinople stood on a triangular peninsula dividing the Bosphorus from the Sea of Marmora, a strategic position that commands the narrow waterway linking the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The circumference of its walls was fourteen miles. On the east side was the great natural harbor of the Golden Horn, the west side bordered on the sea of Marmora. The land walls faced northwest.

That first day, as the Emperor Constantine toured the wells exhorting his troops to stand firm under the Turkish barrage, he was grimly confident his city could withstand the siege. Constantinople had repulsed countless assaults during more than a thousand years. Only once had the city fallen, and not to enemies but to friends - fellow Christians of the Fourth Crusade. In 1204, they had forced entry from the Golden Horn. But they had been aided by treachery and an only half-hearted resistance by the populace. This time there would be no treachery; the city was solidly united against the Turks. And this time Constantine was determined the invaders would not gain control of the Golden Horn. He had ordered a massive chain boom to be drawn across the harbor entrance, and this barrier was protected by some of his most powerful galleys and triremes.

However, the city was divided by bitter religious strife. This had prevented Constantine from obtaining the help he needed from the Pope, although some token vital supplies were reportedly en route. At one time, the population of Constantinople had been nearly a million souls. Now it had dwindled to barely 100,000. Constantine had been appalled to learn that in all the city there were not quite 5,000 Greeks of military age. Fortunately there were some 2,000 foreign troops, most of them Genoese and Venetians - who regarded each other as enemies.

To save the city, Constantine was relying heavily on one man, Giovanni Giustiniani Longo, a young Genoese nobleman who had arrived in January as a volunteer with 700 well-armed troops. He was reputed to be highly skilled in the defense of walled cities. Constantine had immediately appointed him commander of all the land walls, where the main Turkish attack was expected. Giustiniani was also an adroit enough diplomat to persuade the Venetians to accept his command. So far the young Genoese had performed his duties loyally and effectively, and he would do so until the end. Yet he was fated to end his days in shame.

When evening stretched its shadows across the battlefield on the second day, a small section of Constantinople's wall near the Gate of Charisius lay in ruins. The Sultan Mohammed was satisfied so for, but he decided to suspend the bombardment for a few days until more cannon arrived.

In besieging the city Mohammed could hope to gain little value beyond some glory and the fulfillment of a pledge. On the other hand he was risking the military reputation of the Ottomans, not to mention his personal prestige. For Mohammed, this was a decisive undertaking.

He had succeeded his father Murad to the throne only two years before, and although he was able and intelligent - he spoke six languages fluently - he was still an inexperienced young man of twenty-one years. He was of medium height thin - although very strong - with piercing black eyes and a large hooked nose. He was thoroughly trained in science, which had enabled him to immediately perceive the feasibility of the siege weapon a Christian engineer had offered to build for him, Urban's huge cannon that was already contending with the city's walls.

Unlike his father, a man of peace and friend of Constantinople who had desired only to lead a contemplative life, Mohammed was ambitious, arrogant and trusted no one. Twice during his boyhood, when he was twelve and again at sixteen, Mohammed had assumed the throne when his rather abdicated to take up the life he yearned. But both times the young sultan had been so precocious, opinionated, and unpopular that the vizier, Halil Pasha, had mistrusted his ability to deal with a crisis. Twice the vizier recalled Murad from retirement. The last time Mohammed had been banished from the court for two years. The vizier, another friend of Constantinople, was still a man of great influence and he was present at the siege now.

Even the Janissaries disliked Mohammed. A year ago in Asia Minor they had mutinied for higher pay. Mohammed had -partially met their demands, but as a counter-move had enlisted into their ranks most of his 7,000 loyal falconers.

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