The Siege of Constantinople in 1453 - Primary Sources and Articles

One of the most important events in world history, the fall of Constantinople marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and the beginning of the Ottoman.  In 1453, Mehmed II (1451-1481), the Ottoman Sultan historically known as Mehmed the Conqueror, led an army of 150,000 Turks which besieged Constantinople from April 5th to May 29th, 1453.  In the final assault the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX was killed, and the city fell.  Several accounts of this battle exist and we will attempt to republish as many different accounts as possible.

Sources

The Siege of Constantinople (1453), according to Nicolo Barbaro - added September 2, 2003

The Siege of Constantinople, 1453, according to George Sphrantzes - added August 27, 2003

Articles

Herrin, Judith, The Fall of Constantinople - from History Today (2003) - added March 29, 2004

Nicol, Donald, Constantine XI and Mehmed II: the fall of Constantinople 1448-53 - from chapter 18 of  Last Centuries of Byzantium (1993) - added January 1, 2003

Philippides, Marios, The fall of Constantinople: Bishop Leonard and the Greek Accounts - from Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies v.22 (1981) - added June 9, 2003

Other Websites

The Siege of Constantinople, by Ralph Vickers