53And Then It Came!
On May 29, 1453, about 300 Turkish soldiers
entered the city through a smoking and rubble-
strewn breach blown in the inner wall. When they
appeared behind the garrison, panic spread
quickly, and the defense collapsed. A few managed
to flee the city, but most were cut down. The
emperor himself, Constantine XI, fighting as a
common soldier, was killed defending the breach.
For seven weeks, the Byzantines had held out
against impossible odds, but the end had
come. Mehmed the Conqueror rode on a
white horse through the streets to claim
his prize (see illustration above). About
90 percent of the population was sold into
slavery. Soon after, Constantinople became
Istanbul, capital of the Ottomans. The
Byzantine Empire, which stretched back
to antiquity and the glories of Rome, had
come to an end.