1453: The Holy War for Constantinople and the Clash of Islam and the West

by Roger Crowley

In an atmosphere charged with foreboding, a move was made to persuade Constantine to leave the city for the Peloponnese, where he could regroup, gather new forces, and strike again. Giustiniani offered his galleys for the emperor’s escape. The chroniclers give an emotional account of Constantine’s response. He “fell silent for a long time and shed tears. He spoke to them as follows: ‘I praise and thank your counsel and all of you, as all of this is in my interest; it can only be so. But how can I do this and leave the clergy, the churches of God, the empire and all of the people? What will the world think of me, I pray, tell me? No, my lords, no: I will die here with you.’ Falling, he bowed to them and cried in grief. The patriarch and all of the people present started to weep in silence.”