Fall of Constantinople 29th May 1453

Portents of Disaster

The people of the Middle Ages held the belief that the physical world, particularly the stars, locations of the planets, and other astronomical occurrences, had a strong influence on their daily lives. In April and May, the city had faced unseasonable weather including heavy rains and hailstorms. Although these signs did not bode well, the defenders held firm and concluded that the city would fall only when the moon gave a sign. On May 22nd, the moon did just that by phasing into a long and dark eclipse. One can only imagine the overwhelming sense of dread Constantinople's defenders must have felt as the moon turned a deep crimson color with a slim crescent -- the image of the Turkish standard flying over Mohammed's camp. Conversely, the Turkish army certainly would have viewed this as a sign of imminent victory and their morale must have increased dramatically.

On the 26th, a dense fog rose over the besieged city. By nightfall, the fog lifted and the defenders were horrified to see the windows and rooftops of the city flickering with ominous shades of red. Even the enormous copper dome of the Hagia Sophia, the main cathedral of the city, appeared to be engulfed in flames. This final event certainly would have had a profound effect on the defenders of Constantinople, and Mohammed may have realized it -- for three days later, he began to incessantly pound the city with his cannons, threw his entire force into the fray, and had control of the city by the end of the day.

So what exactly happened at Constantinople in May of 1453? Some scientists claim that the strange phenomena were the result of volcanic activity in the Pacific (at Kuwae) earlier in the year. The volcanic particles which were spewed into the atmosphere contributed to the inclement weather, the unusually dark eclipse, and especially the red skies at twilight. It is probable that when Mohammed II witnessed these events, he used them as a way to rally his forces. Their several attempts to take the city had all been rebuffed and morale amongst the Turkish army must have been low. Mohammed could have very well pointed to each event claiming that they were all portents of victory. The timing of the final attack on Constantinople certainly lends credibility to this idea.