The Fall of Constantinople

The Fall of the Earthly Heaven
To this day the 29 May 1453 is regarded as a holy day, not only in the Orthodox Church, but in all of Greece. The fall of Constantinople not only symbolized a collapse of the Roman Empire, but of all of Eastern Christendom at least that is what was thought. It was the wealthiest city in the world at the time, possessing over one-third of the world’s wealth: and a city of such great magnitude, which only city of one-sixth of the worlds population could poses. At it’s fall it was the longest, and to this day still is, the longest lasting empire in human history lasting way over one thousand years. This Empire encompassed all of Christendom and beyond, extending an arm of influence at every corner of the globe.1
Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire, also know as the Eastern Roman Empire, and was known for the ingenuity in matters of state, society, infrastructure and economics; which the Byzantines were able to perform with such efficiency and excellence.2
The state affairs where that of a modern nation. Complex, intricate and full of balance in both the seats of government and the governments rule of the people. The things that today seem to be expected as rights were seen as a modern invention at the time, and began in Constantinople. Written codes and laws, legal codes all were perfected in Constantinople, while the rest of Europe lye in a state of intellectual dormancy. The greatest growth in the Empire’s history was during the reign of Emperor Justinian. During his reign Hagia Sofia was brought to the glory we see today and the Church was glorified as an equal hand of the government. The worlds first organized school of higher learning was created, thus the first University was born.
The economy was also one of the most stable systems with a balance of agriculture and service jobs. This system was left unaltered for hundred of years, and many blame this alteration in the financial system on the collapse of the empire.
In the early 1200’s the Crusaders are called to once again fight for the return of the holy land to Christendom. The Byzantines at the time saw no need to fear these Christian brethren so it was an easy route for the crusaders to Constantinople. Upon nearing the city however the Crusaders began to attack. With a completely un-prepared military defense behind the walls of Constantinople the Crusaders found little resistance and, quickly captured the city. Thus begins the beginning of the end of Byzantium.
The empire was overrun by the “western horde” and was looted of not only money, but gold, exotic riches and worst of all, the holy relics of this great city were either destroyed for their gold casings of pawned to the churches of the West.3
Constantinople was eventually returned to Eastern hands however. One could say then that after over two hundred years the Empire should have been able to recuperate but it was not the war itself that lead to the fall because for it’s very long history it had endured, but rather it was the system that the western Europeans left behind in the form of a new financial system. Almost every nation was able to capitalize on the hardship of Byzantium, by taking the financial resources they had stolen for the city and using it as capital to fund the rebuilding of the city. The flow of money into western Europe created a world of villages in the west to dozens of small Byzantium’s.4
The constant success of the Byzantines in the financial sector led to little changes and advancement. The fact is it was so well balanced there seems to have no need. A few economic crisis occurred, but it was all saved by the empire’s industry and will. The problem faced by the Byzantines of the post- crusader occupation is that the government could no recuperate the losses of financial power that was now in the hands of foreign investors. Any remaining profit in the great city was slowly leaving through the stranglehold the foreign traders possessed. With the government losing money slowly but surely the financial system ended up solely in the hands of the foreign nations. These foreign traders took hold of this channel and were able not only to control the empire but all European trade, which placed a favoritism towards the westerners and made Byzantine economic growth difficult and with little control.5 The Venetians, who played a key role in the initial crusade of Constantinople, gained power in Byzantium and soon the government became a complete oligarchy with only the church speaking for them. These oligarchs possessed not only more wealth than the government, but used it to amass militaries that warred between the state and the other aristocrats, causing chaos, division and civil war.
This system of oligarchs slowly eroded the foundation of the Byzantine political system that had become so important in the survival of the empire. Due to the expansiveness of the empire these oligarchs were able to divide and conquer. They controlled these territories as if a separate empire, using ethnic diversity and nationalism as a way of turning the people in their land against a central “Roman” government towards a nationalistic perspective of feeling occupied.6
The government would later call upon these oligarchs for help with the war against the Ottomans, only to have no help and their fleeing from the city left it poor and defenseless was able to withstand so much when the Turks began to circle the city, and cut off all supply routes. The Pope was to send troops to aid the city but in the end never did.7 After all the ecumenism of the Emperors of Constantinople their last and final hope, that was created at the Council of Florentine, was without benefit and the city fell to the Turks, which would last for over 400 years.