In 1452, the last remnant of the Roman world, the Byzantine Empire, was largely reduced to its ancient capital of Constantinople and a few territories in southern Greece. The young Ottoman Sultan, Mehmed II, was determined to conquer it. To cut off the city’s vital supply lines from the Black Sea, he built a massive fortress at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus strait. The Byzantines watched as over 1,000 master craftsmen completed the fortress, Rumeli Hisari, in just 139 days. When Emperor Constantine XI sent messengers to protest, Mehmed had them executed. The fortress was nicknamed Bogazkesen, the 'Strait-cutter,' and its completion sealed the city’s fate from the sea. How could the ancient land walls possibly hold against an enemy this relentless?
The Fall of Constantinople
In 1453, Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II used giant cannons and an overland fleet to conquer Constantinople, ending the 1,100-year-old Byzantine Empire.
The Strait-Cutter
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Basilic cannon?
The Basilic was a giant bronze cannon built for Mehmed II by an engineer named Orban. It was 27 feet long and could fire a 1,200-pound stone ball over a mile, designed to break the ancient walls of Constantinople. Due to its size, it could only be fired about seven times per day.
How did the Ottoman fleet get into the Golden Horn?
The Byzantines blocked the harbor entrance with a giant chain. To bypass it, Mehmed II ordered his men to construct a road of greased logs over a hill. Under the cover of darkness, they dragged around 70 ships overland and into the protected waters of the Golden Horn.
What happened to Hagia Sophia after the conquest?
Immediately after conquering Constantinople, Mehmed II ordered the Hagia Sophia, the main cathedral of the Byzantine Empire, to be converted into a mosque. Christian mosaics were plastered over rather than destroyed, and Islamic features like a minaret were added. It became the city's principal imperial mosque.
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