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Siege of Constantinople (1422)
Encyclopedia
The first full-scale Ottoman Siege of Constantinople took place in 1422 as a result of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II
's attempts to interfere in the succession of Ottoman Sultans, after the death of Mehmed I
in 1421. This policy of the Byzantines was often used successfully in weakening their neighbours.
When Murad II
emerged as the winning successor to his father, he marched into Byzantine territory. The Turks had acquired their own cannon for the first time by the siege of 1422, using "falcons
", which were short but wide cannon. The two sides were evenly matched technologically, and the Turks had to build barricades "in order to receive… the stones of the bombards."
The Byzantine defenders won the battle. Contemporary Byzantine and Ottoman tradition ascribed the deliverance of Constantinople to a miraculous intervention by the Theotokos
.
, would be more successful in 1453
.
records that:
Manuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus was Byzantine Emperor from 1391 to 1425.-Life:...
's attempts to interfere in the succession of Ottoman Sultans, after the death of Mehmed I
Mehmed I
Mehmed I Çelebi was a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1413 to 1421. He was one of the sons of Bayezid I and Valide Sultan Devlet Hatun Mehmed I Çelebi (Ottoman: چلبی محمد, Mehmed I or Mehmed Çelebi) (1382, Bursa – May 26, 1421, Edirne, Ottoman Empire) was a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire...
in 1421. This policy of the Byzantines was often used successfully in weakening their neighbours.
When Murad II
Murad II
Murad II Kodja was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1421 to 1451 ....
emerged as the winning successor to his father, he marched into Byzantine territory. The Turks had acquired their own cannon for the first time by the siege of 1422, using "falcons
Falconet (cannon)
The falconet or falcon was a light cannon developed in the late 15th century. During the Middle Ages guns were decorated with engravings of reptiles, birds or beasts depending on their size. For example, a culverin would often feature snakes, as the handles on the early cannons were often decorated...
", which were short but wide cannon. The two sides were evenly matched technologically, and the Turks had to build barricades "in order to receive… the stones of the bombards."
The Byzantine defenders won the battle. Contemporary Byzantine and Ottoman tradition ascribed the deliverance of Constantinople to a miraculous intervention by the Theotokos
Theotokos
Theotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God. Less literal translations include Mother of God...
.
Aftermath
In spite of the Byzantine victory, the 'Empire' at this time had in fact been reduced to a few disconnected strips of land besides the city of Constantinople itself. It was also facing grave economic problems and severely lacked soldiers, Pius II promoted the affordable donation of cannon by European monarchs as a means of aid. Any new cannons after the 1422 siege were gifts from European states, and aside from these no other advances were made to the Byzantine arsenal. As such, the next Ottoman leader, Mehmed IIMehmed II
Mehmed II , was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to September 1446, and later from...
, would be more successful in 1453
Fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
.
Traditions
Traditional accounts, starting with contemporary Byzantine and Ottoman reports, attributed the lifting of the siege to an apparition of the Theotokos upon the city walls, which greatly inspired the defenders. John KananosJohn Cananus
John Cananus or John Kananos was a Byzantine Greek historian who lived during the first half of the 15th century. He wrote an account of the failed siege of Constantinople by the Ottomans under the sultan Murad II in 1422. Cananus attributes the survival of the Byzantine capital to the miraculous...
records that: