CONSTANTINOPLE, SIEGE OF (A.D. Moham med II., becoming sultan of the Ottoman empire, in Feb. 1451, set his heart on the capture of Constantinople. A pretext was found, and a castle was at once built on the Bosphorus to secure his army during the projected siege. On June 21, 1452, the Greek Emperor, Constantine Paleologus, closed the gates of Con stantinople, and the sultan declaring war appeared before the city at the head of 250,00o men supported by a blockading fleet of 300 galleys and 200 smaller ships. Fourteen batteries of cannon were at once brought to play on the land face of the city, among which was an immense piece drawn by so oxen. The garrison of Constan tinople was weak, comprising 5,00o armed Greeks, 2,000 for eigners and some 40o Genoese who were the heart and soul of the defence. The fleet of the emperor consisted of 13 war ships, and his artillery was vastly inferior to Mohammed's.
Whilst the bombardment was in progress, 15o Turkish vessels attempted to force the harbour, and astonishing as it may seem were defeated by one Greek and five Genoese galleys. Mohammed then dragged 72 galleys five miles over land from the Bosphorus to the inner part of the harbour, and to assist their work he built a bridge of casks across the harbour, but all to no purpose. Bom bardment and assault having failed, the sultan sent his brother-in law to treat with the emperor, who refused to yield. Thereupon the sultan announced to his army that on May 28 a general assault would take place. Trumpets were sounded and fires lit around the city until it was surrounded by a glowing half-moon of flame symbolic of its approaching capture.
The defences were held as follows : The gate of St. Romanus by the emperor, Gustiniani, captain of the Genoese, and Don Francis of Toledo ; that of "The Thousand Men," by Paul and Anthony Troilus Bochiardi of Genoa; the Charsis gate by Theodorus of Caristos, the noted archer, and John Grant the German artillerist. At the gate of Kynegion was posted Cardinal Isodorus, whilst the palace of Blachernae was held by Jerome Minotto the Venetian. At the Xyloporta stood the Genoese, Leonard of Langasco. Then along the harbour came Lucas Notarias, high admiral, Gabriel Trevisano, the galley-captain, Andreas Dinio and Pedro Giuliani, the Spaniard. Between the Golden Gate and the gate of Selivria stood Maurice Cataneo, and Theophilus Paleologus held the defences between Selivria and the gate of St. Romanus.
The assault took place on May 28, and after two hours' fierce fighting was repulsed. Gustiniani was, however, wounded, and to the consternation of the emperor retired to his galley and sailed for Galata. A second assault was then made and repulsed, when an astonishing event took place. The Kerkoporta, or gate of fluted wood, long ago blocked up by Isaac Comnenus to frustrate a prophecy that the Emperor Frederick would enter the city by it, had been a few days before opened up to facilitate a sortie, but so accustomed had the defenders become to disregard it that no gar rison was posted over it. Fifty Turks stole through this gate, and though they were at once despatched, this rear attack, one of the most famous in all history, was followed by the direst results. A cry went up that the Turks were in the city. The garrison, over wrought by the strain of the defence, suddenly took panic. Mo hammed, noticing the disorder, flogged his men on to a third as sault, and the almost undefended walls were scaled. The emperor seeing his men fall back cried: "Is there, then, no Christian who will kill me," and rushing on his enemy, he fell under the swords of the Osmanli. Thus perished the last of the Roman emperors. See Von Hammer, Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches; J. C. Engel, Geschichte des Ungrischen Reichs (1813) ; G. Finlay, History of the Byzantine and Greek Empires, from 10S7 to 14.53 ; G. B. Malleson, Ambushes and Surprises (1885) . (J. F. C. F.)