Byzantine refugees after fourteen fifty three?

Originally posted by Count Belisarius I havn't been able to find anything on the refugees that fled constantinople after fourteen fifty three, Can anyone direct me to some informaiton regarding that? or tell me anything? and what about the seven thousand byzantine soldiers who fled? what happened to them?

Edited by Byzantine Emperor - 11-Oct-2008 at 17:38

This is a good article for introduction.
http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/late/laterbyz/harris-ren.html

So what happened to the byzantine soldiers? did they settle down, buy a farm, raise a family? or form their own band of wondering mercenaries?

Well the problem is none of my libraries have those books and I don't have money to buy them

They do but none of them have the books I'm looking for  

Originally posted by Patrinos Originally posted by Count Belisarius So what happened to the byzantine soldiers? did they settle down, buy a farm, raise a family? or form their own band of wondering mercenaries? Well,I know that many of the soldiers who fought in the army of Palaiologos and other local Byzantine archontes,mainly after 1453 consisted the mercenaries groups of stradioti(soldier in Greek) (http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Stradioti.html ). There also existed the institution of pronoia(πρόνοια) when Emperors and Despots gave to veterans big pieces of land mainly in Peloponnesus and till today we have many toponyms in my area that derive from surnames of famous byzantine generals,soldiers and military and social  titles like Doukas,Spathari(os),Pikerni(s),Maniakes,Asanis,Kavasilas etc

Indeed! It would not be out of the ordinary to seperate soldiers from those persons who actually ran Constantinople, IE, those of royal blood, and the others who were considered as "associates" by blood and faith!

Most of the real soldiers were merely Mercs!

Therefore, it could also be expected that some of these "special people" (the monied), also made a "bee-line" to the coast of France and even England!

Just think of the Merovingians? chuckle!

Edited by opuslola - 23-Nov-2009 at 17:13

Can you spell a seven letter word beginning with "s" and ending with "y?"

Remember, I wrote that only the "top shelf" of the city actually could afford to escape, or pay off, or run like hell!

Dear Simba,

I meant that it is quite likely that the 7000 did not really escape! They were well within the net of the Ottomans, and it is really likely that they were caught, and executed, or re-educated and placed into service of the Ottoman army?

At least that is what I think!

Actually, I apologize, you are quite likely correct! It seems the historian F. Gregorovius, wrote in his "History of Athens in the Middle Ages", that "..., they began to emigrate in masse and settle in foreign countries. The west welcomed them warmly: their soldiers and officers served in the European armies...their clerical and intellectual aristocracy found shelter in many capitals and universities of Italy, having brought Greek literature to these parts once again.." Reportedly found on page 360 of the above book.

One must remember that the influx of these people began before the actual fall of the city/state to the Ottomans, years before it seems, since many of the residents and soldiers, literally saw "the handwriting on the wall!" Others it seems had already assimilated themselves within the all inclusive Ottoman Empire.

Thus, it seems, many managed to escape with some of their fortunes intact, whilst other had to flee with their "hats in their hands!" But, within the family of Royals and traders, many already had cousins who gave them support and provided them refuge.

Edited by opuslola - 25-Nov-2009 at 07:11