Chapter VII

Progress of Turks between 1391 and 1425: Sultan
Bajazed’s reign: conquests in Europe: Bulgarian
kingdom ended: Western armies defeated at Nicopolis:
Anatolia-Hissar built: capital threatened: summons
by Timour to Bajazed: Timour’s progress: reply
of Bajazed: battle of Angora and crushing defeat
of Turks: further progress of Timour: death of
Bajazed, 1403: alarm in Western Europe: departure
of Timour: struggle between the sons of Bajazed:
ultimate success of Mahomet: his good understanding
with Manuel: death of Mahomet, 1420: accession of
Murad: war with empire: siege of Constantinople,
1422: death of Manuel, 1425: triumphal progress of
Murad: he besieges and takes Salonica: besieges
Belgrade but fails: combined movement under Hunyadi
against Murad: battle of Slivnitza, 1443, and
defeat of Turks: Murad sues for peace: treaty made
with Ladislaus: violated by Christians: battle of
Varna, 1444: Murad ravages Morea: Iskender Bey, his
origin: captures Croia: Hunyadi again attacks Murad:
defeated at Cossovo-pol, 1448: reasons for failure
of Christian attempts: John has to forego joining
Western combination against Turks: death of Murad,
1451: Mahomet the Second becomes Sultan 131

CHAPTER VIII

Causes leading to decay of empire: not due to
demoralisation of Court; internal and external
causes; Latin conquest and form of government
had produced internal dissensions and checked
assimilation of hostile races; method of Turkish
conquest and its fatal consequences; ravages of
black death; population of capital in 1453; its
commerce; relations of people with government;
resemblance to Russia; difficulty of obtaining idea
of domestic life 180

CHAPTER IX

Accession of Constantine Dragases; Patriarch Gregory
deposed; renewed attempt to obtain aid from the
West; emperor meets with little success; arrival of
Cardinal Isidore; reconciliation service December
12, 1452, in Hagia Sophia; dissensions regarding it 201

CHAPTER X

Character of Mahomet the Second; receives
deputation from city; returns to Adrianople from
Asia Minor; his reforms; builds Roumelia-Hissar;
rejects overtures from emperor; castle completed,
August 1452; war declared; Mahomet returns to
Adrianople; he discloses his designs for siege
of city. Constantine’s preparations for defence;
arrival of six Venetian ships; aid requested from
Venice; Justiniani arrives, January 1453; boom
across harbour placed in position. Turkish army,
estimate of; notice of Janissaries; mobility of
army; religious spirit of; casting of great cannon;
Turkish fleet arrives in Bosporus; description of
vessels composing it. Mahomet’s army marches to
city; offer of peace 206

CHAPTER XI

Topography of Constantinople; disposition of
Mahomet’s forces and cannon; estimate of fighting
men under emperor; Venetians and Genoese: disparity
in numbers: arms and equipment: attacks on Therapia
and Prinkipo 237

CHAPTER XII

THE SIEGE

Investment by Turks; first assault fails; attempt to
force boom; attempt to capture ships bringing aid;
gallant fight and defeat of Turkish fleet; Turkish
admiral degraded; transport of Turkish ships across
Pera into the Golden Horn 254

CHAPTER XIII

Constantine alleged to have sued for peace; attempt
to destroy Turkish ships in the Golden Horn;
postponed; made and fails; murder of captives;
reprisals; operations in Lycus valley; bridge built
over Golden Horn; sending to seek Venetian fleet;
proposal that emperor should leave city; attacks on
boom; jealousy between Venetians and Genoese; new
assaults fail both at walls and boom; attempts to
undermine walls; construction of a turret; destroyed
by besieged; failure of vessel sent to find Venetian
fleet; unlucky omens 277

CHAPTER XIV

Dissensions in city: between Greeks themselves;
between Greeks and Italians; between Genoese and
Venetians; charge of treachery against Genoese
examined; failure of Serbia and Hungary to render
aid; preparations for a general assault; damages
done to the landward walls; construction of stockade 300

CHAPTER XV

Last days of empire: sultan again hesitates; message
inviting surrender; Turkish council called; decides
against raising siege; proclamation granting three
days’ plunder; sultan’s final preparations; his
address to the pashas and last orders to generals.
Preparations in city: religious processions:
Constantine’s address to leaders and to Venetians
and Genoese; last Christian service in St. Sophia:
defenders take up their final stations at walls, and
close gates behind them: emperor’s last inspection
of his forces 313

CHAPTER XVI

General assault: commenced by Bashi-Bazouks; they
are defeated; Anatolians attack--are also driven
back; attacks in other places fail; Janissaries
attack; Kerkoporta incident; Justiniani wounded
and retires; emperor’s alarm; stockade captured;
death of Constantine: his character; capture of
Constantinople 334

CHAPTER XVII

Attacks in other parts of the city: by Zagan and
Caraja; by fleet; the brothers Bocchiardi hold
their own; panic when entry of Turks became known;
incident of Saint Theodosia’s church; massacre and
subsequent pillage; crowd in Saint Sophia captured;
horrors of sack; numbers killed or captured;
endeavours to escape from city; panic in Galata;
Mahomet’s entry; Saint Sophia becomes a mosque; fate
of leading prisoners: attempts to repeople capital 358

CHAPTER XVIII

Capture of Constantinople a surprise to Europe;
conquest of Trebizond; summary of its history.
Character and conduct of Mahomet: as conqueror;
he increases Turkish fleet; as administrator; as
legislator; his recklessness of human life; as
student; was he a religious fanatic? summary 386

CHAPTER XIX

Dispersion of Greek scholars, and their influence
upon revival of learning; Greek a bond of union
among peoples of empire; disappearance of books
after Latin conquest; departure of scholars to
Italy begins after 1204; their presence stimulates
revival of learning; enthusiasm aroused in Italy
for study of Greek; students from Constantinople
everywhere welcomed; increased numbers leave after
Moslem conquest; Renaissance largely aided by Greek
studies; movement passes into Northern Europe; MSS.
taken from Constantinople 399