The Fall of Constantinople

What were the primary reasons for the decline of the Byzantine Empire by 1453?

• Constant warfare and a schism within the Christian Church.

• A series of natural disasters and widespread famine.

• Internal political instability and economic collapse.

• Lack of strong leadership and foreign invasions from the West.

What features made Constantinople's defenses particularly strong?

• Its location on a high plateau and a large standing army.

• Extensive walls, deep moats, seawalls, and a heavy chain across the harbor.

• Advanced siege weaponry and a network of underground tunnels.

• Alliances with powerful neighboring empires and a well-trained navy.

What was the approximate population of Constantinople at the time of the Ottoman siege in 1453, compared to its peak?

• Around 800,000, which was its peak population.

• Approximately 50,000, a significant decrease from its peak of 800,000.

• Over a million, due to an influx of refugees.

• About 200,000, a moderate decline from its peak.

Why did Western European powers provide minimal support to Constantinople during the Ottoman siege?

• They were actively supporting the Ottoman Empire against the Byzantines.

• They were wary of the growing power of the Papacy and exhausted from the Hundred Years' War.

• They believed Constantinople was too well-fortified to fall.

• They were preoccupied with internal religious conflicts and had no resources to spare.

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What was Sultan Mehmed's initial strategy to secure his army's position outside Constantinople?

• He immediately launched a full-scale naval assault on the Golden Horn.

• He focused on building massive cannons to bombard the main city walls.

• He sent elite troops to capture smaller Byzantine strongholds outside the city.

• He attempted to negotiate a surrender with Emperor Constantine XI.

How did Sultan Mehmed manage to get his ships into the Golden Horn after the Byzantine chain blocked the entrance?

• He ordered his fleet to destroy the chain with cannon fire.

• He had his ships sail around the entire city to enter from another side.

• He constructed a road of greased logs and manually pulled his ships over land.

• He waited for the Byzantine defenders to remove the chain themselves.

What was the Byzantine response to the Ottoman attempts to dig underground tunnels beneath the city walls?

• They reinforced the walls with additional stone and mortar.

• They launched a surprise attack on the Ottoman tunneling crews.

• They dug counter-tunnels and flooded the Ottoman tunnels with Greek fire.

• They used their cannons to collapse the Ottoman tunnels from above.

What event significantly weakened the morale and defense of Constantinople during the final assault?

• The city ran out of food and water supplies.

• The Genoese General leading the defenders was seriously wounded and evacuated.

• Emperor Constantine XI surrendered to Sultan Mehmed.

• A large section of the main city wall completely collapsed.