Brief Summary
This video discusses the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to Sultan Mehmed II, marking the end of the Eastern Roman Empire and the rise of the Ottoman Empire. It explores why Constantinople was so difficult to conquer, its strategic importance to the Ottomans, and the innovative tactics used by Sultan Mehmed to achieve victory.
- Constantinople's strategic location and strong defenses, including the Theodosian Walls and naval capabilities, made it a formidable city to capture.
- Sultan Mehmed II's determination, strategic planning, and innovative military tactics, such as the use of large cannons and the transportation of ships over land, were crucial to the Ottoman victory.
- The conquest of Constantinople was significant for the Ottomans due to religious prophecies, strategic advantages, and the city's importance as a center of trade and culture.
Intro
The video introduces the mighty Roman Empire and its eventual division, leading to the rise of Constantinople as the center of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire. Despite its strength, the Eastern Roman Empire eventually dwindled, existing solely within the city of Constantinople. The video highlights the city's fall on May 29, 1453, at the hands of Sultan Mehmed II, one of the most successful sultans of the Ottoman Empire. The video will discuss the strategies and tactics employed by Sultan Mehmed to conquer the city.
কন্সট্যান্টিনোপল জয় করা কেন এতো কঠিন ছিল ?
Constantine the First founded Constantinople in 324 AD, and for about 1000 years, it served as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. During this millennium, Constantinople faced numerous attacks, including those by the Arabs, Bulgarians, Russians, and Thomas the Slav. The city's resilience was due to its strategic location, which allowed it to effectively use the sea for defense, and its advanced naval technology, including Greek Fire, a highly flammable substance used to set enemy ships ablaze. Additionally, the city was protected by the Theodosian Walls, a triple-layered defense system stretching from the Sea of Marmara to the Golden Horn, which had never been breached for a thousand years. These walls consisted of a deep moat, multiple layers of fortifications, and numerous defensive towers manned by soldiers, making Constantinople a formidable city to attack.
ওসমানিয় সুলতানদের জন্য যেকারনে এই শহর এতো গুরুত্তপূর্ন
By 1451, when Sultan Mehmed II ascended to power after his father's death, the Ottoman capital was Adrianople, and their territory extended to Serbia. Constantinople remained a coveted prize that no Sultan had managed to capture, with failed Ottoman sieges occurring in 1394 and 1422. This city held immense fascination due to religious prophecies. Upon gaining power, Sultan Mehmed began preparations to conquer the city, starting by seizing Roman fortresses along the Bosphorus Strait, including the strategic fortresses of Rumelihisarı and Anadolu Hisarı, before initiating the siege of Constantinople. While some sources claim Sultan Mehmed attacked with around 200,000 soldiers, modern historians estimate the force was closer to 60,000. Despite being outnumbered by the Romans' 5,000 soldiers, the Romans had the advantage of their well-defended city, including the formidable walls and naval capabilities in the Golden Horn.
সুলতান মেহমেদের বিজয়
Sultan Mehmed introduced large cannons, some nine meters long, capable of firing 500 kg projectiles over 1.5 kilometers. Before ascending to the throne, Sultan Mehmed extensively studied Constantinople and the reasons for previous failed attacks. He invested heavily in the empire's best siege engineers to create cannons capable of breaching the city's walls. By April 2, 1453, after thorough preparations from 1451 to 1453, he positioned his army before Constantinople. On April 6, the Ottomans began bombarding the city walls with their new cannons, causing significant damage. However, the cannons required extensive cooling time between shots, allowing the Romans to repair the walls. On April 7, Sultan Mehmed sent troops to attack the walls directly, but they were repelled by the defenders. The Ottoman cannons became inoperable, putting the Ottomans at a disadvantage. On April 8 and 9, the Romans attempted to attack the Ottoman camp but were driven back into the city. The Ottoman navy's attempts to enter the Golden Horn were thwarted by a chain and the Roman navy. Italian ships arrived to assist Constantinople, damaging the Ottoman navy. On April 17 and 18, Sultan Mehmed ordered a night attack, but it was also unsuccessful due to the Romans' archers.
Facing potential defeat, Sultan Mehmed implemented an unprecedented strategy: he moved his ships over land to bypass the naval blockade. The Ottoman ships attacked the unprepared Roman fleet in the Golden Horn, gaining control of the waterway. This forced the Romans to divert troops from the Theodosian Walls to defend the Golden Horn. Sultan Mehmed launched two more attempts to breach the walls on May 6 and May 11. On May 29, Sultan Mehmed planned an all-out attack, using his entire army and naval bombardment from the Golden Horn. The Ottomans breached the Saint Romanus Gate, and the Janissaries captured a fortress. The Italian commander assisting the Roman Empire died while trying to recapture the fortress, leading the Italian and Venetian soldiers to abandon the wall. The Ottomans gained control of the city. The last Roman Emperor, Constantine, led a final charge with his remaining troops but was overwhelmed. The thousand-year-old Roman Empire ended, and Sultan Mehmed established the powerful Ottoman Empire in its place. Constantinople was renamed Istanbul, which remains its name today.
