Remember that grasping the possessions of others, thou mayest thyself become the prey of others!”. Here it is! He undertook to fortify the city and appealed for support from Catholics in Western Europe, but it would be for naught. You will find many articles about society and culture, music, arts and literature, history, and current affairs. Unlike the valiant last stand by Constantine XI in Constantinople which marked the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, the Roman Empire in the West did not fall after a notable battle. But it is impossible for me to go away: how could I leave the churches of our Lord, and His servants the clergy, and the throne, and my people in such a plight? Before continuing, it is worth noting that we will be relying on ancient sources, mostly as condensed by the writers of two nineteenth century history books. Enter your email address to sign up for The Newsletter Leaf Journal. As we know, the Christian emperor would, within the day, cast aside his regalia and make his final stand as a Christian soldier, falling with his men. “[Constantine] listened to the monotonous beating of the drums, and to the wild tumult that prevailed in the Turkish camp. It was likely, as historian Sean Munger suggested in a blog post in 2014, that Constantine likely removed removed royal regalia before he entering the fray (as some accounts reported), leaving the Ottomans with no way of recognizing him among the thousands of dead. So far the good news. If He should inspire thee with a wish for peace, I shall indeed be happy. by Paul Antonopoulos. Having heard the Emperor’s determination, the council acquiesced, and it would not have the opportunity again to persuade Constantine to abandon his post. The next morning, the Ottomans launched the final assault. After the death of his father Murat II, Mehmet II ascends to the Ottoman throne. Because no Greeks who survived were with the Emperor in his final moments, the exact circumstances of his end are lost to the tides of time. Mijatovic then described Constantine’s departing the Hagia Sophia: “When he turned to leave the church, the great congregation wept aloud. With the ascent of Mehmed II as Ottoman Sultan in February of 1451, it quickly became evident that Constantine’s declining Empire was in existential danger. Constantine XI Paleologos, the last Emperor of the East Roman Empire, who was martyred by the forces of Sultan Mehmet during the assault on The City on May 29, 1453, was a man whose personal life was marked by tragedy, but who above all maintained steadfast his Christian faith and his dedication to his duties as the Christian Emperor. Constantine XI Palaiologos or Palaeologus (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος ΙΑ' Δραγάσης Παλαιολόγος, Kōnstantinos XI Dragasēs Palaiologos), (February 8, 1405[1] – May 29, 1453) was the last reigning Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, from 1448 to his death. If it be His will that the city should become thine, where is he who can oppose His will? He left his imperial chair, and approaching the screen separating the altar from the nave, he prostrated himself before the great eikons of Christ and the Madonna, which were on the left and on the right side of the central entrance to the altar.”. Although the situation remained grave, the Emperor fought on. Similarly to the Greeks, who made the final Byzantine Emperor a symbol of national resilience during their ultimately successful push for independence in the early nineteenth century, I find the story of Constantine XI’s last stand quite moving. Constantine and the Last Vespers at Hagia Sophia. Welcome to The New Leaf Journal Guestbook. Saved by Alex Aja. but even then, he put up a heroic last stand and almost won. Into your hands I commit now my scepter. Alternatively, the Sultan would offer the Emperor the suzerainty of the Peloponnesus under his jurisdiction. The vast church echoed with the loud sobs of men and with the wailings of women. Although he could not save his Empire or the physical church in his capital, his last stand inspired others, notably his Greek descendants centuries later. Constantine XI’s reign was brief, and his dominion, even before the fall of Constantinople, was small. Heading for the gate, they engaged Turkish troops and fought until the end. A stand-alone adventure, or use its detailed background as source material for your own campaigns! Finally, although the Eastern Roman Empire (or Byzantine, as it is most often called) had been for centuries a Greek Empire, it still traced its lineage, with a few hiccups, to the Roman Empire established by Augustus. At the time, Mistra, a fortified town also called Sparta or Lacedaemon due to its proximity to the ancient city,was a center of arts and culture rivalling Constantinople. For three days the city was abandoned to pillage and massacre, after which order was restored by … Constantine XI, also known as Constantine Paleologos, led a valiant effort to defend the city until the final day of the siege when he was killed. Before the beginning of the siege, Mehmed II, the leader of the Ottoman forces, made an offer to Constantine to surrender the city. The pre-Christian Romans fretted over their final words and revered honorable deaths. The last stand of Emperor Constantine XI. The legend of Constantine, as I noted earlier, was a rallying cry for the Greeks in their war for independence against the Ottomans in the nineteenth century (Munger, supra). See our About page to learn more. Rather than give an order to the men who remained with him, Constantine offered a choice: “Whoever wishes to escape, let him save himself if he can; and whoever is ready to face death, let him follow me!”. We feature creative writing content and musings from our editors and writers. The New Leaf Journal’s tag-line – “Where the leaves are perennially virid” – highlights the common fiber that holds our content together. Then he received his last communion. Some accounts report that the Ottomans paraded the head of a man that they thought was Constantine, but it was not recognized by the inhabitants of the city. As the sun both literally and figuratively set on the Roman Empire on May 28, the Emperor addressed his commanders and chief citizens one final time. (Sultan Mehmed II subsequently had his head cut off, peeled off the skin, and stuffed it … Constantine’s death, however, would spark many legends – likely owing to his courage, the inability to find his body, and the sense of loss of the Greek people. This content may not be used or published elsewhere without the express permission of the owner(s). Constantine XI Palaiologos was the last Byzantine emperor in history. In Constantine XI’s view, it was his duty to God and to his station to defend Constantinople with his life. Benjamin Harrison’s Memorable July 4, 1888, Irene Triplett, last Civil War Pensioner, Dies. Whoever of them was persecuted by misfortune and came to us was safe; but whoever raised a hand against our city never prospered.”, “Retain as thy rightful possession the territories which thou has unjustly taken from us, and settle the amount of tribute, which we will do our utmost to pay every year, and then go in peace. Constantine became the Despotes of the Morea (the medieval name for the Peloponnesus) in October 1443, ruling from the fortress and palace in Mistra. And amidst such displays of sympathy from deeply moved human hearts, Constantine, himself, greatly and visibly affected, walked slowly out of the church which his predecessors had raised as a grand monument of their glory and of their piety.”. And he went out in a way that none of his predecessors had ever come close to matching. Resolved to die with the city he ruled, he asked his council to not speak of his fleeing again, but rather to plead with him to stay by their side until the very end. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. After speaking to his men, he visited the Hagia Sophia. A census made in the first half of 15th century revealed that the city officially only had 4,973 Greek professional soldiers as defenders, accompanied by around 200 foreign residents. Evidence suggests the European Renaissance was brought about an influx of, “Gr… Mijatovic then offered a detailed account of Constantine XI’s prayers: “Constantine prayed with great fervour. Our first account comes from “Constantinople:  The Story of the Old Capital of the Empire,” by William Holden Hutton. As the sun set on the Roman Empire for what would be its final night, anxious citizens of the city gathered in the magnificent cathedral, the Hagia Sophia, for what would be its final night to date as a functioning Christian church. Nicholas A. Ferrell, a life-long resident of brownstone Brooklyn, is the content editor and acting site administrator for The New Leaf Journal. After addressing his Court for a final time, Constantine made his last inspection of the walls of Constantinople. Struck down by an Ottoman soldier position of Constantine XI ( Palaeologus ) was... Capital of the New Leaf Journal is a growing online magazine elicited tears from both Emperor... 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