The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-29

scaInE Iaddefs pTaIlItU asSllIants paI-
lantly endeayored TO win their way into the city.
They repulsed with heavy loss, aud almost I'M
mediatey after the Empeior AlexiuR, ignorant OF
the danger In which the rest OF the city was in
voved sallied ont with sixty squadrons OF Greek
cavalry. These completely surrounded the Crusa-
ders, and hut for the venetians, who abandoned
most OF the advantages they had gained in order
10 rescue their allies, the besleging force might
have been perhaps, destroyed by the overwhelming
numbers Of the besieged. But the cowardy Greeks
soon grew awed al the nrm front Of their foes and
Alexlus drew them on at niahtfall. Despairing OF
rallying them again The Emperor fed before day
break, and the Latins restored the blind
and aged Isaac TO the throne. 1t is need.
less >, to give all the circumstances that led
saders IN the following year. Isaac had again been
dethroned, and man OF less noble blood, named
Mourzoupei relgned IN his stead lie boldly refused
to assent TO certain pecunary demands of the
Latlns, and seems 70 have defended the city with
far more energy than Alexlus. This second Siege
lasted three months The grand attack was fnay
made from the side OF the harbor. After furious
nre OF darts stones and arrows, from both
walls, and the drawbridges with which they
had been furnished were hung across to the
rate, but for two days the IStns were unsnc-
cessiuL On the third day, however, the Bishops
- lroyes and scissors planted their standards on
the walls. and the city was taken. The sack that
ensued was extremely searching. Constantlnople
was undoubtedly the richest city In the ancient
establishment OF banks and the discovery OF stamped
paper, oil wealth was kept In the precious metals.
Sns are n 20 Of
the English crown at that period. The excuses OF
the Crusaders IN proiaining the Greek churches
efforts to thoroughly punder the vanqmshed. All
the gold and silver ornaments OF the famed Church
GOLD and OF curious Workmanship, was broken in
pieces ana divided; and worse than all, prostitute
was seated upon the throne OF the patriarch and per-
mlIted TO sing and dance in the cathedral and
ridicule the hymns ana professions OF the Eastern
Church. Even the Catholic Pope reproached tile
Crusaders with the infamy OF their overzealous ex
ertons IN vindlcaton of Latin Christianity.
The weakness OF the Greek empire long invited
the attack OF the Mussulman Caphs and
Arabs endeavorng TO make themselves the masters
OF Oonslantlnople. Their first attempt was made
Mecca Repused with signal loss, they repeated the
effort for the six following years. All Their exertons
fertilize the soil beneath the walls OF Byzantium with
the dead bodies OF 10000 slaughtered Mussumans.
o ne o. ,s Guy ior s1e was re-
vested the city on the 5th or April, 1853. His hume
rous forces covered the plains on the land side Of
the city while fleet of 300 sail menaced it from the
sea. The siege was begun by the planting
Of batteries IN all directions and the rals-
ing Of mounds as high anu even higher
besegers could necessarily throw into the
doomed city shower OF arrows. Great reliance
was placed IN a huge piece OF ordnance which is
SAID TO have thrown missiles weighing as much as
hundred pounds. and which soon made several
could ill up the ditch which surrounded the city
ami thus avail themselves OF the advantage gained
the success Of the Turks was a MASSIVE cham which
had been drawn across the mouth OF the harboI, and
which withstood all the efforts OF the neet TO
break II. with infinite patience, and aided
by some machines constructed by some Genoese
renegades. Mohammed transported overland
In the harbor. BY the help OF these
bridge was thrown across the Bosphorus and the
city was exposed upon yet another and her weakest
late on any terms involving the surrender OF the
city. At last Oh the 2oth OF May, the Turks mutt
VI a IL 10 Qnhf n
what to do Determined not to fan in his appointed
TASK ne promised his troops all the spoil tina, might
be taken, reserving for himself merely the empty
houses. Fired by the lust OF plumber the Turks
took new heart, and general and successful assault
a few hours the Genoese commander Of the defend
ing garrison TOR the Greeks were too cowardy to
fight themselves, and trusted almost entirely to
the vaor OF their foreign mercenarlesl was
wounded and retired to Gaata. AT the last
moment, in a frenzy of desperation, the Emperor
himself took the ield and, animated by his exam
pie some OF his subjects followed him, and con-
tested the progress of the Turks yard by yard Bat
by lar the greater number OF the miserable wretches
who boosted themselves the descendants OF Sparta
and OF Athens took refuge in the cathedral Of ST.
Sophia, together with the women and children. In
all this church Is sand to have contained at the time
OF the entry OF the Turks 100000 persons. One
knows scarcely which most TO wonder at, the cow
ardce or the superstition OF these iaint-nearted das
tards. Even in this supreme nour OF their national
destiny Instead OF connding in tne strength OF their
own right arms they trusted impicltiy in an OH
tradition, which affirmed that should the
city ever be in DANCER OF passing our
Of Christian hands, the Zoe would only succeed
In reaching a certain pillar still standing IN the
H!ppodrome. Arrived there the angel Gabriel would
himself come 10 The snccor OF tie faithful, armed
hosts OF Satan. The efforts OF the Emperor were
however, fruitless. One by one his partsans tell
around him welterlng in their blood, ana al last he
was driven to piteously eXclam, us there Chris
tan left alive to strike even my deathblow.n The
answer came from Turkish sabre and he, too, died
warriors death. The TURKS pressed OH without
delay 10 the Church of ST. sophia. The Greeks
watched their progress with baed breath. AT length
the invaders reached the fatal column. but no
avcngiDg archangel appeared TO stay their march.
The horrors OF the taking OF The church are almost
beyond description. The gates Of scupiured brass
were rudely broken open and the Mussulnans
rushed in. All the men, nearly all, were ruth
lessS massacfed, and the pavement oil the cathedral
was deuged by streams Of blood while the shrieks
OF women and the groans OF hakiled victims
assembled and echoed through the galleries and
dome. Even the holy character OF the edifice land
sanctlty) did not protect the lnatrons and virgins
who mad taken refuge in its precincts from tile last
brutal victors, indeed held o carnival OF lust and
murder, such as has seldom stained the annals Of
human history. AND worse still, the Mosems have
never yet been deprived OF the city they thus took
city which once ranked in Christendom as the
equal OF Rome. The crescent siill floats over that
Famed Byzantum,
Grit with pur DE seas,
and the Church OF ST. Sophia, nearly as fine as ST.
Peters, and built to be temple Of the cross Tor all
ages, Is now Mussunan mosque, IN which daily
the uemas recte the fables OF the Koran.
Most OF the more striking sieges OF antiquity have
now been given, and we enter upon modern times.
Here the vast number OF stately cities that have SUI
fered the presence Of beleaguering army Is almost
bewderng. Turn into whatever history you will
OF Italy, OF Austria, OF France. Of Spain-and every
few pages you will encounter some record OF this
phase OF warfare Only few even Of the more cele-
brated Will be noticed. 1t Is, OF course, impossible
to make this article complete record of modern
sieges.
PARIS
by no means at present suffers the horrors Of siege
Tor the first time She was besleged four times by
the hardy Mortimer during the ninth century,
three times with success. While the English held
France in the fifteenth century Joan of Arc
made vain but vigorous attempt to wrest
Paris from their hands Six years later
Dunois and the Comte de Richmond MADE q second
attempt, which was crowned with success. The
English garrison made a desperate resistance, re-
fused to surrender even after all hope had gone, ana
were TO q man put TO the sword Tie most terrible
siege Paris mas ever suffered, however was that by
Henri Nv. after the battle Of vry Paris had for
years been recognized as 1.-THE heart OF the League