The Dickinson press., 1889-04-20
MOHAMMED'S CASTLE,
THE FORT THAT SEALED THE DOOM
OF coNsTANTlNoPLE.
Story of the Ruse by Which the Site of
the Fertilization Was Sccured-How It
Was Constructed In Such Short Time-A

Was Constructed In Such Short Time-A
Conflict That waged Over 800 Years.
The castle of Mohammed was built on
height overlooking the Bosphorus at its mar
rowest point, and Just where Darius threw
across his famous bridge of boats for the pas
sage Of his Persian invaders. 1t was planned
some two thousand years after that invasion
by the young and ambitious Mohammcd IL.
whose bold and determined nature prompted
him to do and dare far more than had ever
before been attempted for the conquest of
that much coveted and much fought over
capital Constantinople
That fortification like this and in this 10.
cation was of almost immeasurable import
ance to the besicgers of Constantinoplc was
well understood by Mohammed lis grand
father, Sultan Bayazid, as early as the year
1871, when he built the stronghold ON the
Asiastic shore directly opposite, and only six
miles from Constantinople. BY building this
castle the young sultan completed tho circle
his ancestors had been forging about the
doomed city.
STRETCHING AN OK HIDE.
Traditions differ regarding the ruse by
which Mohammed II first gained foothold on
the rocky heights of Heromoion. One tells
us it was through the influence of traitor
Gus Greek priest, who humbly sued for per-
mission to build there a hunting box on land
that could be covered by an OK hide. This
modest request being granted, an OK hide was
cut i'll strips so narrow that when joined they
could be stretched around the site of this I'M
mense tortifcation, from whose high towers
the doomed city could easily be overlooked,
While Its great guns commanded the passage
OF the BoSphoruS and thus held the key TO
both empires.
There Is disagreement among historians
about the time occupied i'll building the castle
OF Mohammed. Some say it was built in
forty days, others i'll four months still others
tell us SIX months were thus consumed Ger
tain 1t is that Mohammed had been industri-
ously gathering material in the forests of
Asia Minor, along the shores of the Marmora
and the Black seas, around Nicomcdia bay.
and when all the men and material he could
command i'll his own dominion were collected
he had no scruples about appropriating any
thing he could lay his hands on in this vicn.
lty. We are told that when digging to Law
these walls he unearthc,l massive foundations
of former castlc and baths, which he at
once utilized. 1t was during the winter of
l43l-52 that men and material were hurried
here from all parts of his realm Then the
cffcninatc and luxurious rulers of ByZautilm
were first awakened to their peril and great
CONSERVATION prevailed in Constantlnoplc:
but so needless and given to procrastination
had they become that, although it was begun
March 20, l45a, and doubtless occupied at
least four nlont:.s. the sultan was intcrruptcd
but once in his work, and that was when the
Church of St Michael at Arnatukue was be.
Ing dragged away.
The Importance of this site for q for,iiica-
tion could hardly be ovcrcstimated, as it af-
fordcd n short and easy passage for troops
between bays that We're protected from tho
violent winds and waves of both the Blacl,
sea and the Marmora The foundations were
laid i'll such a form as to spell the slltau's
name. 1t was to have four gates, facing the
four cardinal points of tho compass. The
circumference of the central tower ON tho
top was 2225 feet, height 50 feet; inside di-
anctcr, i6 feet; thickness of wall, 10 or more
feet The outside diameter of two of the
huge towers was about GO feet Ono thou
sand masons, each with two assistants, worked
on the outside of the walls. as many on the
inside, as well rs countless carriers
FATE OF TIE WEARY WORKMAN
~ large nu,nt,er of troops were stationed to
protect the workmen. The sultan was pres
possible dispatch The building of the tlrcc
larger towers was ntrusted to three of the
sultan's ablcst generals, The Turks Of today
will tell yon with an air of great solemntv
that the dari; sculpturc;l head you see hi.-li
up i'll th" massive wall of tho white towc,
yon'lcr is i.:y the mummy of n workman
who refused to perform bis task. and the gen.
cral in charge had him walled in at that i'm
nlcnsc height The cannon upon these walls
and upon the sea tower carried, balls weigh
ing COO pounds.
You may sec many Of these great ball:' of
granite still pileI up or Tho quay beneath The
castles. The Sultan placed a garrison com
posed OF 400 picked men within the fortilic;.
lion when completed Many Of their dc
scen'iants still live there, and cIic out scanty
subsistence by following the peaceful occupa-
ton OF fishermen In one of tho strong
towers Mohammcd II placed his treasure,
another was used rs a magazine, and others
were used as prisons, not only for persons of
rank, but after I; time for the dreaded Jan.
nisarics. Today these white towers stand like
shected ghosts i'll the moonlight, sole witnesses
Of the mighty host that stormel the great
capital of the Roman empire in tho east.
Hitherto MosIen valor had dashed in win
against its triple walls. and might asain have
done so if only ntern:,l feuds and jealousics
had been set aside. But the day had come
"ilcn people 50 stained with sin and cursed
VIII: greed must give way to stal,Yart arms
ane! trenchant swords despite their strong re
sstancc for !ou:, centuries
Ii was in the year G::-Ii that the Mchanl,.,c-
dan host first began their inroat,s, and the
conflict ragged until the :9th of May !.i:i3} not
continuously. it is true, but in three furious
storms, The first was the Argonaur onset,
which lasted ''to years, and tore from her
scepter the provinces of Egypt Syria and
Mcsopotanlia. Next fell the assaul, Of the
Gejourhian TURKS, las; ing two centuries and
half. and ending in Tie loss of almost the
whole of Asia Minor. Then came the Turks
of the house Of Othnan, strengthened bv
memories of the remarkable, and, to them
prophetic. vision Of their founder
Nohanamed Ills triumph was not alone the.
result of the power Of one Elan, viii. he lat
echoed the voice of past generations. lis
'!4ed< o.2llFa,ttl '!ie efforts that lad i.on" !,-
ic:c. c:c.-Col.t;.i.tiMo.,.c Cor San Francisco
Chronicle