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Constantinople Abstract Constantinople: The Modernization of Warfare in the 15th Century Conclusions This research focuses on the military aspect of the fall David Armstrong If not for the construction of this new cannon used by of Constantinople on May 29, 1453. The intention of Colorado State University-Pueblo the Ottomans, it can be assumed that the siege in 1453 this research is to highlight why the Ottomans were may have failed just as their attack in 1422 had. The successful in the 53-day siege of Constantinople against Byzantine Empire may have continued their history and the Byzantines due to the rise and use of gunpowder and lasted much longer than they did had it not been for this shift in military tactics because of this new commodity successful attack on the city in 1453. Gunpowder, of war. Most modern teachings of the siege of cannons, and rapid evolution there of, helped a great Constantinople focus on the implications that the fall deal and led to the ultimate fall of the Byzantine had on the empires involved and in surrounding areas. Empire. While it is important to understand the The focus on empires after the fall of Constantinople implications of the fall of Constantinople, it is also of undermines the rise of new technologies and strategies great importance to understand exactly how it came to that would set a precedent for new guidelines in warfare be. around the globe for generations to come. Based off research conducted by scholars that focus on the ancient world, the fall of Constantinople was due to the walls surrounding the city being intended for pre-gunpowder siege craft and due to the rapid rise of gunpowder technologies such as cannons, the walls were unable to protect the city and remain standing from heavy th bombardment. A modern version of the ballista, a common weapon of 15 Modern painting of the cannon used by the Turks during the century siege craft siege Results Sultan Mehmed II prepared and gave a speech to his Council and emphasized that he had command of the sea which was important because up until this point all attempts against Constantinople had been made from land only. By attacking from land Methods and sea, the Sultan was able to bring to the battle against the city a new and more well rounded attack. Cannons had been used in Bibliography Europe for a few centuries and had been used in sieges throughout. Sultan Mehmed had an interest in the sciences and ordered his Research on this topic began with finding the most in foundries to experiment in producing larger cannons. In the summer of 1452 a Hungarian engineer arrived in Constantinople and Melville-Jones, John. "The Siege of Constantinople in 1453, depth secondary source on the siege of Constantinople offered his services as a maker of artillery to the Emperor, Constantine. Constantine was unable to supply the Hungarian with raw According to Nicolo Barbaro." De Re Militari. 1969. Accessed in 1453 that would help me in finding primary sources. materials or the money he desired to be paid for his services so he left the city and met with the Sultan. He declared that he could April 01, 2018. https://deremilitari.org/2016/08/the-siege-of- Many of the primary sources were in languages other construct a cannon that would blast the walls of Babylon itself and was given a salary four times what he had asked by the Sultan. constantinople-in-1453-according-to-nicolo-barbaro/. than English and were difficult to find translated. With Upon completion of the first and the testing of its fire power, the Sultan asked him to construct another twice the size of the first. some assistance and deeper research I was able to find They too tested this one and as the Sultan was pleased with the cannon’s capability he ordered the road to Constantinople be Riggs, Charles T. "The Siege of Constantinople in 1453, some accounts of the siege that go into detail of the 53- leveled, bridges be strengthened, and once complete the cannon would begin its trip to the city. It took some sixty oxen and two According to Kritovoulos." De Re Militari. 1954. Accessed day siege that took place in 1453. After finding the hundred men to move the cannon along the road. During the initial stages of the siege cannons on the city’s walls were of little use April 01, 2018. https://deremilitari.org/2016/08/the-siege-of- sources used, I went through them looking for the battle due to small amounts of ammunition and the recoil of the cannons damaging the wall with every shot. The Ottoman’s fleet on the constantinople-in-1453-according-to-kritovoulos/. specific paragraphs and phrases that would help me to sea ensured that the city could not retrieve any resupply efforts. In the final days of the siege by the Sultan’s men, a dense fog better understand why after other attempts the Turks covered the landscape and under the cover of the fog his men moved in. The outer wall of the city had been dismantled by the Runciman, Steven. The Fall of Constantinople 1453. New were able to take Constantinople from the Byzantines. cannon and the inner wall was heavily damaged. They set in motion, climbed over the inner wall with ladders, and so the final York: Cambridge University Press, 1965. assault on Constantinople began leading to the fall of Constantinople and eventually helped lead to the fall of the Byzantine Empire..
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