Part 37
By Harith Ubaidah
When Sultan Mehmed II finally became convinced that the Byzantines would not surrender the city, he issued orders for a full-scale intensification of the assault. He turned in particular to his artillery corps, instructing them to accelerate their operations with maximum force. The Muslim forces pressed forward with renewed vigor, and the gunners unleashed a relentless barrage upon the city’s ancient walls.
At the height of the bombardment, the massive Urban’s Cannon, the pride of the Ottoman arsenal, exploded under the strain of continuous firing. Yet the man responsible for operating it, a master artilleryman and gifted blacksmith, did not falter. Without hesitation, he reassembled and repaired the cannon, bringing it swiftly back into action as if the setback had hardly occurred.
Recognizing the physical toll exacted on the artillery under such intense operation, the Sultan ordered the use of oil to cool the heated metal of the cannons, an innovation that proved remarkably effective. The bombardment resumed with devastating intensity, shells raining down upon Constantinople once more. Ottoman gunners displayed extraordinary precision, firing projectiles that soared past the ramparts and fortifications and crashed deep into the heart of the city.
Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror Convenes a Council
At this critical juncture, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror summoned a grand council. Present were ministers, generals, seasoned soldiers, respected scholars, and revered Sufi figures, a representation of the Ottoman Empire’s martial and spiritual backbone. The Sultan urged the assembly to speak openly, without fear or hesitation, and to offer candid counsel regarding the path ahead.
A portion of the council recommended lifting the siege. Leading this faction was the Sultan’s grand vizier, Khalil Pasha. He argued that the siege should be abandoned, and that should the Muslims ultimately enter the city, they must refrain from bloodshed so that Christian Europe would not turn against them. Khalil Pasha expanded on his reasoning, appealing to caution and diplomacy over conquest.
It was widely whispered, however, that Khalil Pasha had been secretly aligned with the Byzantines and was acting to safeguard their survival.
Others in the council pressed with equal conviction for perseverance. They argued passionately that the siege must not be lifted under any circumstances, and that every possible effort must be exerted to expose the weakness of European support for Byzantium. To adopt the tone of resignation, they warned, would sap the fighting spirit of the Muslim army and extinguish the flame of jihad that burned within them.
Among those advancing this argument was a bold and resolute commander whose words found strong resonance among many present. His name was Zaganos Pasha, an Albanian by origin. Once a Christian, he had embraced Islam and risen to prominence within the Ottoman ranks. Zaganos Pasha outlined the failings and limitations of European military capabilities and insisted forcefully that abandoning the siege would be a fatal error.
Historical chronicles record his intervention with dramatic clarity:
When Sultan Mehmed asked Zaganos Pasha for his view, the commander straightened as though prepared to leap to his feet, and in Turkish shouted: “Allah forbid, O Sultan! I shall never accept the view offered by Khalil Pasha. We have not come to this place to retreat. We have come to lay down our lives in the path of Allah!”
His cry struck the gathering with profound force. For several still and heavy moments, no one spoke. At last, Zaganos Pasha shattered the silence and continued:
“Khalil Pasha seeks to smother the fire of zeal that burns within your veins. He intends to sever the lifeblood of courage and bravery from your being. From his counsel, nothing will emerge but despair and failure.”
He pressed on with sweeping historical comparison:
“When Alexander the Great marched out of Greece, he reached India and conquered vast expanses of Asia. His army was no larger than ours. If Alexander’s soldiers could subdue such immense territories, why can our army not triumph over walls built merely of stone?”
Zaganos Pasha then turned directly to the fear of Europe:
“Khalil Pasha warns that Western nations will crush us and seek vengeance for Constantinople. But what constitutes these so-called mighty Western powers? They are Latin states mired in perpetual conflict among themselves, wasting their strength in petty rivalries. And the Mediterranean states, what are they but nations accustomed to piracy and plunder, capable of little beyond treachery at sea?”
“If they were truly able or willing to save Byzantium, they would already be here. Their armies would have marched into the field, and their fleets would be clashing against ours in the waters beyond these shores.”
“And suppose, if only for the sake of argument, that all of Europe were to unite and attack us after Constantinople falls. Would we stand helpless and paralyzed? Would our hands be bound? Do we not command an army capable of defending our honor and preserving our dignity?”