Tag: conquest of Constantinople

  • The Palaiologos family

    The Palaiologos family

    The Palaiologos family was a Byzantine Greek imperial family that ruled the Byzantine Empire from the 11th century until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. They held the throne for over two centuries. The last reigning member of the Palaiologos dynasty was Constantine XI Palaiologos.

    By the 14th century, the Ottoman Turks were rapidly expanding their empire, encroaching upon Byzantine territory. The Byzantines, under the rule of the Palaiologos family, found themselves in a precarious position, struggling to defend their lands against the rising power of the Ottomans.

    One of the pivotal moments came in 1354 when the Byzantine Emperor John V Palaiologos sought Ottoman assistance against rival factions within his own empire. While the Ottomans helped him regain his throne, they gradually gained influence and control over Byzantine affairs.

    Over the years, the Byzantine Empire continued to decline, facing internal divisions and external pressures. The Ottomans exploited these weaknesses, launching military campaigns and gradually capturing Byzantine territories.

    In 1453, the Ottoman Turks, led by Mehmed II, besieged Constantinople. Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Byzantine Emperor, fought bravely during the defense of the city. However, on May 29, 1453, the Ottomans breached the walls of Constantinople, leading to the fall of the city. According to historical accounts, Constantine XI died in battle, fighting on the front lines. The fate of his body is not entirely clear, and there are different accounts of what happened to it.

    Palaiologos family

    After the fall of Constantinople, members of the Palaiologos family faced various fates. Some were captured by the Ottomans, while others managed to escape and sought refuge in other parts of Europe. The diaspora of Byzantine nobility contributed to the spread of Greek culture and learning during the Renaissance.

    The fall of Constantinople in 1453 marked the end of the Byzantine Empire, and the Ottoman Empire replaced it as the dominant power in the region. The Palaiologos family’s political influence came to an end with the fall of Constantinople, and its surviving members scattered throughout Europe.

    Source: Wikipedi, Patrick S., Britannica

  • Mandela was a true freedom fighter

    Mandela was a true freedom fighter

    It is with sadness that I heard of the news of Mzee Nelson Mandela’s death.

    Museveni-ICCThe sad and heroic story of Mzee Mandela starts in 1453 AD when the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople (Istanbul as it is called today) from the Byzantine empire.

    That capture blocked the overland route from Europe to Asia that had been established by Marco Polo many centuries before.

    That route was important to Europe especially for spices and silk trade.

    With that blockage, the Europeans started looking for an alternative sea route to the east, around the massive African continent.

    Prince Henry, the navigator, of Portugal established a naval school at Cadiz to improve on the construction of ships and on navigation techniques so that they could have ships that could withstand long ocean voyages to Asia, around Africa.

    This is not the time and place to go into the details of that European effort of circumventing the Moslem blockade.

    Suffice it to say that by 1498, a mere 45 years after the fall of Constantinople, the Portuguese, Vasco Da Gama, had rounded the Cape of Good Hope (Cape Town) and spent the Christmas of that year at Natal, that is why that area was so named, remembering the birth of Christ.

    With the discovery of the sea route to the Far East by the Europeans, that is where the sad but also heroic story of Nelson Mandela and Africa begins. Initially, the Europeans came as traders, establishing refuelling and replenishment stations for their ships on the way to the Far East.

    Within a few centuries, however, the traders had become the colonisers. The sad thing is that while all this was unfolding, the African chiefs and other leaders never made serious efforts to co-ordinate in order to guarantee our future as free people. Yes, various tribes fought the colonialists. However, the co-ordination was either not there or too late.

    On account of internal weaknesses within Africa, therefore, by the birth of Mzee Mandela in 1918, the whole of African continent, except for Ethiopia, had been colonized. Therefore, Mandela had the misfortune of being born under colonialism like many of us were.

    Various individuals reacted differently to this situation.  Many acquiesced and accepted colonialism or even collaborated with it. However, a few others like Mandela, Albert Luthuli, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, etc., chose the difficult, hard route of resistance to colonialism.

    That resistance invited reprisals from the oppressors. The African National Congress (ANC) people are more qualified to go into the details of that resistance by the party and the individuals that were involved. On account of our Pan-Africanist orientation, we linked up with the ANC in 1967 in Dar esSalaam.

    Ever since that time, the NRM, or its precursors, have been working closely with the liberation movements of southern Africa – ZANU, ZAPU, FRELIMO, ANC, SWAPO, MPLA, etc, etc.

    The resistance of all the colonized peoples in the world had benefitted from three factors: the continued resistance of those colonised peoples, the fratricidal fighting among the imperialists (the first and second World Wars); and the solidarity from the socialist countries (Soviet Union, China, etc, ever since 1917).

    That resistance had led to some of the cleverer imperialists giving back the freedom of the people peacefully, examples being India and many of the African countries, including Uganda. However, those who were not so clever, such as Portugal and the Boers of South Africa and Rhodesia, thought they could maintain their colonial or minority and racist regimes.

    It was the lot of freedom fighters like Mzee Mandela and his colleagues to sacrifice and fight those regimes. Mzee Mandela spent almost the whole of his adult life fighting for freedom, starting as a youth in the 1940s.

    Eventually, he went to jail where he spent 27 years. Out of his 95 years on earth, given to him by God, it is only in the last 22 years, since 1991, that he has lived as a free man. What a sacrifice!!

    Even those 22 last years of his life, he was not out of danger. Did I not recently hear of South African racists that were plotting to kill him for fighting for freedom?

    Didn’t Chris Hani die, shot dead, when South Africa was preparing for the first democratic elections? Chris Hani had been at Rwakitura to visit me where I tried to prevail on him not to go back to South Africa yet, but in vain.

    Mzee Mandela and his colleagues in the ANC have fulfilled their mission of throwing out the oppressors. It is the duty of the present generation to immunize Africa against future colonisation.

    Salutations to the sacrifices and achievements of Mzee Mandela and his colleagues.

    The author is the president of Uganda.

    via The Observer – Mandela was a true freedom fighter.

  • Anniversary of Istanbul’s conquest celebrated with light, laser show

    Anniversary of Istanbul’s conquest celebrated with light, laser show

    The 558th anniversary of Istanbul’s conquest was celebrated with a laser, light and water show in the Golden Horn on Sunday.

    AA photo
    AA photo

    The celebration started with voice and light shows before continuing with a movie, “The Conquest of Istanbul,” which was projected on a water curtain. The show took place on a platform made especially for the conquest celebration in Balat. The show included Mehter musicians from Janissary bands re-enacting the conquest and Mehmed the Conqueror’s entrance into the city.

    The finale of the event was organized with a firework, light and laser show. Speaking before the show, Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş said: “Istanbul means unity and piece. This city gathers different cultures and different religions.”

    Istanbul has been a site of peace and tranquility and known to the world as such since Sultan Mehmed conquered the city more than five-and-a-half centuries ago, Topbaş said during the ceremony.

    Noting that the 1453 History Museum at the Topkapı City Park had important artifacts, Topbaş said the museum was one of the most developed museum in terms of technology.

    It is possible to witness the life from older history, said Topbaş. “Approximately 1 million people visit the museum in one year.”

    via Anniversary of Istanbul’s conquest celebrated with light, laser show – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review.

  • Bosnian musical ensemble celebrates İstanbul’s conquest

    Bosnian musical ensemble celebrates İstanbul’s conquest

    The choir’s founder and arts director, Mehmet Bajraktarevic, said he was very proud to be in İstanbul for such an important occasion.

    bosna koro1

    The Sultan Mehmed Fatih Ensemble, a Sarajevo-based choir, was at İstanbul’s historic Aya İrini Museum on May 29 to mark the 558th anniversary of the conquest of İstanbul by the Ottomans in 1453, marking the end of the Byzantine era. The choir performed a number of İlahis, or Muslim hymns, during the concert, which was organized by Turkey’s state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT).

    The choir’s founder and arts director, Mehmet Bajraktarevic, said he was very proud to be in İstanbul for such an important occasion. “During my 35-year career, I’ve directed many concerts throughout Europe, but this is the most significant task that I have been given. I am honored that Sultan Mehmed Fatih was chosen to perform at Aya İrini on such an important day in history. This is by far the ‘trophy of my career’,” he said, adding that he was delighted to have been invited to perform at Aya İrini by TRT.

    The performance at Aya İrini marked Sultan Mehmed Fatih’s ninth appearance in Turkey in seven years. “We are always excited to perform in Turkey. We are respected here, and our talent is recognized. While in our own country, Bosnia, people are not interested in our choir, or our İlahis. It saddens me, but it is a harsh reality,” Bajraktarevic said ruefully.

    The choir director also shared information on the background of the choir. Formed in 2004, the ensemble is made up of nine pedagogues and 100 vocalists of varying age groups. “Sultan Mehmed Fatih has two generations of vocalists. We even have a mother and a daughter singing together,” Bajraktarevic said.

    The choir was invited to perform on the anniversary of İstanbul’s conquest, after the general director of TRT, İbrahim Şahin, discovered the ensemble at a concert during a random visit to Bosnia. The ensemble is made up of different choirs from Bosnia and Turkey such as the Choir Dzulistan from Novi Pazar, Serbia. The ensemble’s popular repertoire consists of songs in several different languages, including Persian, Turkish, Bosnian and Arabic, with a unique blend of Western and Balkan influences and traditions.

    Cihan news agency

    via Bosnian musical ensemble celebrates İstanbul’s conquest | Art & Culture | World Bulletin.

  • Turks mark 558th anniversary of Constantinople”s conquest by Mohammad

    Turks mark 558th anniversary of Constantinople”s conquest by Mohammad

    Turks mark 558th anniversary of Constantinople”s conquest by Mohammad

    Religion 5/29/2011 11:59:00 PM

     

    By Taha Oudah (with photos) ISTANBUL, May 29 (KUNA) — Turks marked Sunday at an atmosphere of love and amity the 558th anniversary of the fall of the Constantinopl, the bygone capital of the Byzantine empire and latter-day Istanbul.

    Constantinople fell at the hands of Turkish Sutlan Mohammad II, known as Mohammad the Conqueror, in 1453 in what marked the end of the Byzantine empire which lasted for a millennium.

    Thus, Istanbul saw today another glorious day with thousands of people who have their hearts throbbing with the city’s historic triumphal entry having flocked to Esmat Pasha Stadium in the nearby Kocaali city, while chanting the old songs of conquest which revived the feelings of thousands.

    These acts of rememberance revived the nostalgic feelings of thousands who recalled again Sultan Mohammad, the Conqueror, Sheikh Aq Shams Al-Din, Ulubatli Hassan, and Abu Ayoub Al-Ansari, may God be pleased with him, and so the joy turned into a gala with fireworks launched in the middle of the program and at its last.

    Then, a group of Istanbul’s youth have carried, amid calls of Allahu Akbar, stating Allah is the Greatest, as well as the military music a wooden ship signifying the ships which Mohammad II made his soldiers carry from the western coast of Bosphorus, and pushed them up a wooden ramp to the pinnacle of the eastern hill, the current, then taking the ship down to Qassem Pasha zone overlooking the coast, and launching it into water in order to set sail toward Istanbul.

    This dramatic act sums up the military tactic used by Sultan Mohammad, the Conqueror, at that time to transport the Ottomanic Islamic army and reach the Constantinople’s walls after Byzantine Romans had closed the entrance of Golden Horn with strong iron chains that prevent ships from crossing the Bosphorus Strait in order to prevent their arrival at the foot of Constantinople’s walls.

    The celebrations marking this historic event were held under the sponsorship of Istanbul’s Metropolitan Municipality with the participation of a big number of Turkish officials, and at their forefront came Istanbul’s governor Hussein Ahbeuni Mutlu, and the city’s mayor Kadir Topbas who laid a wreath at the unknown memorial in remembrance of those who fell at the battle field. (end) ta.aff KUNA 292359 May 11NNNN

    via كونا : Turks mark 558th anniversary of Constantinople”s conquest by Mohammad – الديانات – 29/05/2011.

  • ‘558. Yılı Kutlu Olsun’

    ‘558. Yılı Kutlu Olsun’

    ARIANA FERENTINOU

    You could not miss it even if you wanted to. Stuck in an endless line of cars leading to the Bosphorus Bridge almost on a daily basis, you have no other choice but to keep yourself busy with other pastimes: looking at the slopes of fresh green grass on the side of the motorway, admiring the spring flowers where tulips in all conceivable colors make up the overall majority; gaze at groups of people obviously nostalgic about their villages, enjoying themselves just by sitting on the grass and gazing at the endless army of cars stuck in first gear in the morning traffic.

    And if you’ve done all that and have gotten dead bored having visited every radio station, your eyes will inevitably wander around some more and probably alight upon a space that has become very popular for advertising in recent times: a small framed surface underneath the street lights that usually host ads from the Istanbul Municipality.

    Being utterly frustrated at having again miscalculated the time I needed to cross the first bridge, I noticed the other day the latest announcement on that small ad space underneath the city lights on the side of the street: “558. Yılı Kutlu Olsun” (Happy 558th Anniversary).

    It has been 558 years since Constantinople fell to the Ottomans and to their 21-year-old ingenious leader Mehmet II. Already a depopulated capital of a devastated empire, Constantinople could not survive the onslaught of the new, much-larger army of the Ottomans. It was the last act of a drama that had started perhaps two centuries earlier. So far I understand.

    But I have a problem with historical anachronisms. They blur the past for the sake of the present. The fall of Constantinople and its replacement with Istanbul as the capital of the Ottoman Empire is a historical fact which has been the subject of a great number of historians all over the world. They have researched and written about the reasons of its collapse as the capital of the Byzantine Empire and the reasons for its rise as the capital of the new regional superpower, the Ottomans. This is a fascinating subject which continues to offer a wealth of new information as archaeological work unearths more fascinating evidence. Istanbul does not only have a dynamic present, it also has a dynamic past.

    My objection with this year’s anniversary-and every year’s anniversary during the last decade or so, is its ceremonial aspect. On Sunday, May 29 – the actual date of the event which took place in 1453 – major ceremonial enactments of the final battles before the end of the siege six centuries ago took place. Hundreds of Turkish extras dressed as Muslim Ottomans and Orthodox Christians fought in full fake weaponry in the presence of thousands of spectators. The modern Fatih mounting his white horse entered the city under the powerful sound of the Ottoman military bands and the expensive fireworks brightened the night in the memory of the real fires of destruction and victory all those centuries ago.

    With an Islamically rooted political party in power in Turkey for almost a decade and with the same party about to return to power in a few weeks’ time, I can understand the boost of Ottoman nostalgia as a means to gather more support. But if the conquest of perhaps one of the most beautiful cities in the world was so important to the conquerors, then I would have thought that the preservation of its history and cultural texture should have been equally important. To be also the keeper and protector of Istanbul’s pre-conquest past should be, I would have thought, not only a show of respect but also of cultural maturity. I know I am unrealistic or impractical but I would still put forward my idea for replacing next year’s “Istanbul Fetih Kutlamaları” with “Istanbul Kutlamaları” as a celebration for the city itself as one of the oldest urban monuments of mankind.

    Perhaps not next year, but at least some time in the future. For this year, though, I will have to limit myself to a bit of gastronomic history as offered by an imaginative restaurant in the area of Sultanahmet, which has announced that this year “Between May 13 and June 3, for the 558th anniversary of the Conquest of Istanbul, our restaurant, next door to the Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace, will be serving Ottoman Imperial Court dishes from the table of Sultan Mehmed.”

    But it might prove to be a gastronomic disappointment because the late Stefanos Yerasimos, who wrote a book on royal Ottoman recipes in the 16th century, once said, “I tried to cook those dishes, but I must say they were not suitable to our modern palates.” He had added that the recipes lacked all those products like potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants that did not appear until the discovery of America. Ottomans used a lot of meat and honey in their recipes.

    via ‘558. Yılı Kutlu Olsun’ – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review.