Tuesday, 29 May 1453
Constantinople has been defeated!
It has been over a month and a half since we first heard about Mehmed’s siege on Constantinople. We all watched Mehmed II take control over the Ottoman Empire at the age of 19. Due to his young age he was expected to be an incapable ruler and a minor threat to the world. But today he proved everybody wrong. We now know that ever since he first ascended the throne he devoted all of his time to strengthening the Ottoman Navy and was already making preparations for taking Constantinople.
The siege began on April 6th, 1453. His army was made up of about 80,000 to 200,00 troops and a navy of 320 ships.
His incredible military tactics dumbfounded everyone.
As we all know there is a chain across the golden horn between the Bosporus Strait and the Sea of Marmara that prohibits ships from passing through. This proved to be a major obstacle that was almost impossible to overcome. But Mehmed surprised us all by constructing an attack plan, different then any other that we’ve ever seen before.
His army dragged 70 ships over a hill on greased runners from the Bosporus to the harbor. Parts of his troops were already attacking Constantinople from the other side, but now his army was attacking the city from both sides.
Constantinople held out for seven entire weeks but it had no chance against the mighty Ottoman commander and his army that was mostly made up of fierce and loyal only to the sultan janissaries.
Today Mehmed who is now known as “Mehmed the Conqueror” changed history forever.
Constantinople is now called Istanbul, the Ottoman Empire’s new capital.
