New-York tribune., 1903-06-28

10 fan into the grasping Turkish hand. That
hand was the hand of Mahomet II one Of the
greatest warriors in all the warlike lire Of the
House OF Gilman Secure from interference
from The north he proceeded with elaborate and
studied detail 10 the reduction OF Constantinople.
TIE, the Pope and Western Europe, now thor
oughly frightened. sent the empire little aid.
T,netiars and Genoese for the time forgot
their hatreds and joined in the defence OF Con-
st4utiuople. But the Turkish hosts were little .
disturbed by these, as they drew their lines
closer and closer about the doomed city It was
q strange siege, IN its blending Of ancient and |
modern wa-fare-wooden towers and catapults
and the testudo at the side Of cannon throwing
stone balls eighty-eight inches IN circumference!
There were some deeds Of immortal proWess, too,
such as that Of the four Italian ships which /
fought heir way into the Golden Horn through .
q fleet OF 145 Turkish ships Nor must for
set Mahomets unique achievement when, find (
ing the entrance 10 the Golden Horn barred /
with q great boom, he transported eighty war
ships overland, across Pera- and put them into .
water again in the Golden Horn above the boom.
Even in the siege the old ha,reds Of Chris
tians against Christians, which had for two /
centuries been the bane Of the empire, were re
newed Greek turned against Greek; Greek /
against Italian, Venetian against Genoese; while /
Servia ard Hungary could not or would not /
send aid and the rest Of Europe sat fatuously |
apathetic. But II the final scene ByzantiuIn
rose 10 imperial dignity on the afternoon Of
May 2S, 1853. Il knew that the end had come
The whole city, save the soldiers fighting on the
walls Joined n solemn procession through the /
streets chanting "kyrie Eleison.' Constantine /
himself delivered the funeral Grafton Of the |
Roman Empire" n the evening Santa Sophia, 7.
tie Church of Holy Wisdom, was thronged- In /
that then most splendid temple il the world was /
performed Z ceremony which our author well .
describes IS the liturgy Of death Then the /
soldiers went 70 their places on the outer ram
parts and the gates Of the city walls we're /
closed and locked behind them. Al midnight the /
Emperor made his last tour of inspection
around The walls. and an hour later the storm
burst The Turkish attack was made on three 4
SIDES II unCe but chiefly IL The Lycus valley. /
First, the bashibazouks were sent against the /
ciry. These troops were largely composed Of
German and other gades-ChTIstian fighting /
Christian Tley we're easily repu-se1 with great
slaughter. Next the AnatoIian contingent was /
sent II. These were far better fighters, and they |
entered The fray with the cry Of Allah il /
Allah But they TOO were defeated and hurled |
back by the desperate Greeks and Mahomet's
advisers urged him TO abandon the attack and
raise The siege But he would not. He ordered
forward his own bodyguard and the famous
J--lza-l=s These rushed upon the city with
incredible fury. and for a time the result was
doubt L possible ll1l tll+- ltS, FOA4o
have been beaten off. for the Greeks were fight
ing as did their si-es al The-mopylae. But at
he crucial moment John Justniani, the chief
commander Of ttla Greel-s was wounded, and
n strange Inconsistency with his former splen-
did heroisnl-insisted upon reopening the gate
md going back into the city to have his wound
dressed Thereupon the Greek troops began to
--ave- Al that moment Turkish flags appeared
mon some lofty towers within the city. They
tad been raised by a small band Of Turks who
lad stoler In through the kerkoporta, or Circus
cate minor passageway which had been leIt
g.--guarded These Turks were not strong enough
10 capture the city, but their display Of banners
on the towers was enough A mad panic selzeo
,ra Greeks Constantine fell fighting in the
forefront Of the battle. The Janizaries' TO WhoIn
q promise had been given Of three days Tree
sackirg Of the city, swarned iTreslsnoIy over
tse rarnpa-ts and all was over
Nr Pears relates the story from first to last
NTH engaging ease of style and with authority.
HIS aim IS TO present history, impartial and IN
--.-rssbea But as have said, the moral
IS -.g5rted with force We may speculate as
Io-.r IS We please over whether Justlnlans
z-r.--z ~ the neglect Of the kerkoporta had me
more 10 do with the final catastrophe. The one
domino: irg fact is that the deathblow OF the
T-as-e-n FraDire was struck when so-caleo
Christian crusaders on their way 10 fight Turk
Loot