The siege of Constantinople

[Beelzebub]

Playing this game since it's release has made me curious about the real history of the time so I have been looking up some stuff about the crusades, the war for spain, etc. And today while bored at work I decided to check out some Byzantine history since I was fooling around starting a campaign with them out last night. I found this story of the siege of Constantinople and it's very thrilling:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/5990/byzantine/

The first thing that sprang to my mind when I finished was how similar the events and description was to the siege of that huge fortress city in the 3rd book of Lord of the Rings if any of you read that. Tolkien was definitely using the siege of Constantinople as inspiration. Of course in his book, relief came and the siege was lifted, the real defenders weren't so fortunate in real life http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif.

For sure I'm playing the Byzantine campaign a lot this weekend. The Empire will be restored to glory!!

[ydejin]

Very interesting link. Thanks for posting it.

[NagatsukaShumi]

Nice.

[Iced~Metal]

Constantinople was sacked by the Turks, not Spain.

[Kalisari]

The link was definitely interesting, but it wasn't completely true.

It basically made Mohammed a villian. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

For example, it never mentioned how Mohammed regretted his attack at the end, as he was walking through the city.
Quote
What a city we have given over to plunder and destruction!

Sultan Muhammed II
[/QUOTE]
Here's something else that might be interesting to look at http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
It contains several links for more information about the siege of Constantinople as well. http://militaryhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa120300a.htm

[Xiahou]

Heh, he must not have regretted it too much as he kept the city.. and made the Hagia Sofia into a mosque http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/tongue.gif

[Toda Nebuchadnezzar]

Quote The Turks swarmed round the high decks of their enemies. Despite the modifications, the Turkish cannon had proved useless. Braving the showers of Christian javelins, arrows, stones, darts and snot...[/QUOTE]


I wasn't aware that the Christians used this to fight the enemy. Is it another unknown mystery??

http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif
P.S. fun reading

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DIPSY SAYS EH-OH!!!!!!!

[Paladin]

A tragic end to a great empire.

The damage that the 4th Crusade did to the Byzantine Empire was so bad that the Empire never recovered. If the 4th Crusade had not happened, there is a good chance that Byzantium would be around today.

The reason is because the Byzantines no longer had the financial capability or the tax base to defend itself. Add that to the fact that the Turks were actually brought into Asia Minor as mercinaries on behalf of a rival heir to the Byzantine throne. The Turks stayed afterwards and carved out for themselves a small area in Asia Minor, then taking advantage of the power vacuum in that region, they were able to enlarge their territory until eventually encompassed all of the former Byzantine Empire.

The other responsible parties for the destruction of the Empire were the Serbs and Bulgars who unceasingly kept invading the lower Balkans. That sapped the Empire of its' resources that could have been used to defend and reconquer Asia Minor.

In the end, everyone paid dearly for what they did to the Empire. The Serbs and Bulgars were overrun by the Turks and suffered through hundreds of years under the oppression of the Turk. The Europeans spent hundreds of years in conflict with the Turks and during WWI lost a great many lives in places like Gallipoli.

It's amazing how short-sighted greeed like what occurred during the 4th Crusade can produce.

[Mr Durian]

Yes i agree. Who knows, the world would be far more technologicaly adavanced now.

I really feel sorry for those people who were massacred or raped during the 4th crusade. Such a sad story to hear.

[Oda Matsu]

You think that's bad?

How distressing do you think it is for an Armenian, to know that the only people who can build Armenian Cavalry are the Turks? Oh, that's a nasty joke that one.

Armenian and Byzantine relations may have been rocky, but the Armenians never could have been mistaken for enthusiastic supporters of the Ottomans. Really now.

[Kraxis]

Yes, it is hard to forget the actions in the early 1900's.

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You may not care about war, but war cares about you!

[Gil galad]

aye sseing what the ottomans did to the armenians in WW1, it's kinda sick

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And almost every war since too.Fear the C word (change),
its Tradition that wins wars.Damn Machine gun its an ungentlemanly weapon if ever there was one.
It'll never catch on,you mark my words Old Boy.Whaat's that your saying,damned effective weapon,
nonsense dont be such a fool,
which Gentleman would sully his reputation and Honour brandishing such a weapon.
Its a preposterous notion Old Chap,you will be telling me men will be able to fly next.

[ShadesWolf]

Check out my site, it might help
www.shadesmtw.com (http://www.shadesmtw.com)

I have large sections on

100 years war
and the Spanish reconquest

[Ottoman]

Read
The Fall of Constantinople 1453
by Steven Runciman.

Good book.

[dclare4]

An interesting bit of history w/c may add some flavour to your games...

After the siege was over the Turkish Sultan had gained many important captives including the Byzantine admiral Lucas Notaras and his youngest son. When he saw the boy he was apparently so taken with him that he ordered that the young man be brought to him *wink wink*.

Old admiral Notaras who had already lost two sons during the siege refused. The two were ordererd executed by the Sultan.

Sounds like 'secret perversion' to me!

Gilbert de Clare

[theforce]

Very interesting link there mate. I am reading it right now.

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I cannot return l presume so l will keep my name among those who are dead by bows!
http://www.dedicatedgaming.com/~angelsofdarkness