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🏛️ MEMORIALIZING BYZANTINE CIVILIZATION AND THE CITY OF CONSTANTINOPLE 🏛️

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Sieges of Constantinople

February 17, 2021 romeintheeast Uncategorized Comments Off on Sieges of Constantinople

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THE WORLD OF BYZANTIUM

  • EMPERORS
    • Constantine the Great
    • Alexios Komnenos
    • Constantine XI Palaiologos
    • The Varangian Guard: Imperial Security
  • CONSTANTINOPLE
    • Church of the Holy Apostles
    • Hagia Sophia
    • The Pharos and it’s Relics
    • The Theodosian Walls
    • Aqueduct of Valens
    • The Sea Walls of Constantinople
    • The Anastasian Wall
  • Other Byzantine cities
    • Nicaea
    • Amorion
    • Medieval Athens
  • Byzantine Art/Mosaics
    • The Omphalion of Hagia Sophia
    • Theodora Mosaic
    • Justinian Mosaic
    • Palace of Theoderic
    • Constantine IV Mosaic
    • Leo VI “The Wise” Mosaic
    • Nikephoros Phokas Fresco
  • Sieges Of Constantinople
    • The Fourth Crusade and the Rape of Constantinople (1204)
    • Liberation of Constantinople 1261
    • The Fall of Constantinople 1453
  • Fascinating Topics
    • Roman-Chinese Foreign Relations
    • Negative Media Portrayal of Romans
    • Being Roman: Byzantine Ethnicity
  • Roman/Byzantine Continuity
Bessarion, from the Empire of Trebizond, was aware of Ancient Greek origin of Trebizond being in ancient Athens. He said “Our city prides itself on the origin of its race — if I must start by recounting it’s earliest history — that is to say it’s Attic mother-state” After the fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453 the news spread out across Western Europe. The same powers which had either neglected to help or contributed to the downfall of the Empire directly, then reacted in horror at the idea. Serbians, Albanians, and the Despotate of the Morea pragmatically sent ambassadors to Mehmed to secure peace The Byzantine historian Doukas (1400-1462)recorded the pivotal moment Constantinople fell in The Decline and Fall of Byzantium. He wrote: The Byzantine historian Doukas (1400-1462)recorded the death of Constantine XI in the following passage from The Decline and Fall of Byzantium like it was the dramatic death of a hero in a movie. On May 29, 1453 when the Queen of Cities began to fall, Constantine had to face a moment where he knew it was over and that he faced death and the end of his city and empire. Food was a major concern in Constantinople, feeding large populations was no simple matter considering the limitations of pre-modern logistics. It is not easy to find detailed information on the diet of the people of Constantinople. But, it is certain that Constantinople had a thriving fish industry with its seaside location. There were regulations on several industries in the city, including fish. Fishmongers had the right to sell the freshly caught fish, whereas merchants could sell salted fish. Prices of fish were regulated. Leo VI “the Wise” died in May 912, succumbing to a disease which targeted his intestines. This had been shortly after the disastrous failed campaign to liberate Crete from the Arabs under Himerius. His son was only 6 years old, which meant his brother Alexander took the throne. Alexander is most famous for being one of the few Emperors whom had their mosaic survive into modernity inside the Hagia Sophia. He was 41 years old but sick when he took the purple. Warren Treadgold says he might have had testicular cancer. He also had no kids of his own, so he was not a long-term threat to Leo’s son Constantine VII. He did not rule long but his reign is actually somewhat interesting! I have always struggled in my evaluation of Emperor Theodosius “the Great.” Admittedly, he has always seemed like a good Emperor but something less than great. In Theodosius And The Limits of Empire, historian Mark Hebblewhite makes some interesting points about his successes and failures Basil II cemented the status of “the growing presence of Venetian merchants at Constantinople. In 992 Basil II encouraged their activities by reducing the tolls on their ships paid for passage through the Hellespont to Constantinople. The effect was to favour Constantinople’s role as the clearing house of Mediterranean trade and to underline her position as the cross-roads of the medieval world.” One statistic which is always hard to evaluate with certainty is the number of soldiers in a battle. But what about the numbers of not an army but THE army. How many soldiers did the medieval Romans have defending their constantly embattled borders?

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