Part 33
By Harith Ubaidah
The Byzantines spared no effort in their attempt to save Constantinople. Their forces were carefully deployed along the city’s walls, defensive positions were reinforced, and the fortifications were placed on high alert. In response, the Ottoman army intensified the siege, tightening the noose around the city. In the early days, violent clashes erupted between the attackers and the defenders, opening the doors of martyrdom. A significant number of Ottoman soldiers were martyred, particularly those fighting near the city gates, where resistance was strongest.
Ottoman forces launched coordinated attacks from multiple directions. The thunder of cannons and the relentless noise of battle sent waves of fear through the Byzantine ranks. Repeated artillery strikes damaged several sections of the walls, but the defenders reacted swiftly, calling in engineers who repaired the breaches and restored the fortifications with urgency.
Meanwhile, European support continued to arrive. Among the most significant reinforcements were five Genoese warships led by the commander Giovanni Giustiniani, accompanied by one hundred volunteers from various regions. Despite encountering Ottoman naval resistance, the fleet managed to reach Constantinople. Their arrival boosted Byzantine morale, and Giustiniani was appointed commander-in-chief of the city’s defensive forces.
The Ottoman navy made repeated attempts to break the massive double chain blocking access to the Golden Horn, a critical barrier that prevented Ottoman ships from entering the harbor. These efforts, however, proved unsuccessful. As pressure mounted, the city’s bishops and Christian clergy intensified their presence, moving through streets and fortifications to rally the population. They urged patience and encouraged the people to gather in churches, praying to Jesus (peace be upon him) and the Maryam for the city’s salvation. Emperor Constantine himself visited the churches on multiple occasions, offering supplications and seeking divine deliverance.
Negotiations Between Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih and Constantine
As the siege grew more intense, the Ottomans launched increasingly ferocious assaults. They advanced with unwavering resolve, and at the forefront of the attackers stood Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih himself. The Byzantines, under the direct leadership of Emperor Constantine, mounted a determined defense and displayed notable courage in the face of overwhelming pressure.
In a final attempt to avoid disaster, Constantine sought negotiations. He offered wealth, tribute, and political submission in exchange for lifting the siege. Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih rejected all such proposals and made his position clear: Constantinople was to be surrendered to the Muslims.
The Sultan pledged that a peaceful surrender would guarantee the safety of the city’s inhabitants, their property, and their places of worship. In his message, he declared:
“Hand over to me your empire, Constantinople. I swear that my army will not harm the lives, property, or honor of anyone. Those who wish may remain in the city, and those who wish may depart in safety to wherever they choose.”
Despite these assurances, the waterway of the Golden Horn remained firmly under Byzantine control, leaving the siege strategically incomplete. Nevertheless, the Ottomans pressed forward with relentless force. The courage and resolve of their soldiers were unmistakable. With every thunderous discharge of the cannons, soldiers surged ahead, advancing without fear of death and striving to dismantle the formidable walls.
On April 18, Ottoman artillery succeeded in opening a breach in the western section of the fortifications near the Lycus Valley. Through this opening, Ottoman troops pushed into the city. But the Byzantine defenders, led by Giustiniani, resisted fiercely, standing firm like an unbreakable wall against the advancing forces.