Tag Archives: navy

The Final Hours and Last Eucharist

The fifth … We come now to the last hours of Byzantium. The defenders were weary after defending the city since April 5th. The Emperor’s hope lay with a relief fleet from Venice, but this had failed to appear. On … Continue reading

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Move the Navy by Road!

Number four … As you know I have been away in Albania and Macedonia trying to walk (part) of the way to Byzantium. I have felt very bad about not posting but there was little time and even less internet … Continue reading

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The Siege of Constantinople – An Update

The Sultan decided to concentrate his fire to achieve a greater effect. Remember some of his cannon were so large they they could only fire a round every few hours. He needed what modern commanders would call ‘concentration of effort’. When all cannon were in place the bombardment then continued unabated until the night before the Fall, that is for another forty eight days. Just think what it would have been like to live with the threat of cannon firing at your home all the time. Given that the citizens of Constantinople had never experience this before, you have to recognise how amazing the human spirit is to adapt so quickly in a fight for survival. Continue reading

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Replica of Byzantine ship to sail next year in Turkey

Yenikapı 12, a replica of a ship built during the Middle Ages that was unearthed during metro project excavations, will be launched at sea next year within the scope of a project coordinated by Istanbul University. One of 36 sunken … Continue reading

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The Siege Update – Moving the Navy by Road

We need to catch up a little on the siege which has been running for over six weeks now and, as we know, is soon to reach its bloody climax.    After the defeat of Baltoglu and his fleet by … Continue reading

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The Siege of Constantinople One Month On

The siege of Constantinople has now been in place for just over one month. We left the story when we discussed the development of the Sultan’s artillery under the Hungarian, Urban (which would prove crucial to the final Fall of … Continue reading

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The Final Hours and Last Eucharist

We come now to the last hours of Byzantium. The defenders were weary after defending the city since April 5th. The Emperor’s hope lay with a relief fleet from Venice, but this had failed to appear. On 3 May a … Continue reading

Posted in The Fall of Constantinople 1453 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Move the Navy by Road!

As you know I have been away in Albania and Macedonia trying to walk (part) of the way to Byzantium. I have felt very bad about not posting but there was little time and even less internet access. More on … Continue reading

Posted in The Fall of Constantinople 1453 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Siege of Constantinople – An Update

The Sultan decided to concentrate his fire to achieve a greater effect. Remember some of his cannon were so large they they could only fire a round every few hours. He needed what modern commanders would call ‘concentration of effort’. When all cannon were in place the bombardment then continued unabated until the night before the Fall, that is for another forty eight days. Just think what it would have been like to live with the threat of cannon firing at your home all the time. Given that the citizens of Constantinople had never experience this before, you have to recognise how amazing the human spirit is to adapt so quickly in a fight for survival. Continue reading

Posted in The Fall of Constantinople 1453 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment