The Sultan Who Ended Rome Called Himself CAESAR #Shorts
Pack: 37 - The Sultan Who Ended Rome Called Himself CAESAR
In 1453 Sultan Mehmed II took Constantinople, and the last Roman emperor died as the city fell. Then the conqueror took the empire's title: Kayser-i Rûm, "Caesar of Rome". The story in two Renaissance medals of Mehmed and the words of his historians.
- On May 29, 1453, Mehmed II, aged 21, took Constantinople; Emperor Constantine XI is reported killed (Britannica).
- He made the city his capital and converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque (Britannica).
- He "began to look upon himself as the heir of the Roman Caesars" and took the title Kayser-i Rûm (Halil Inalcik, Britannica, Mehmed II).
- A medal by the Venetian Gentile Bellini, c. 1480, calls him IMPERATORIS MAGNI, "great emperor"; its reverse shows the crowns of Constantinople, Iconium and Trebizond (National Gallery of Art).
- In 1480 his troops landed at Otranto, which showed he meant to invade Italy; he died the following spring (Britannica).
Should he count as a Roman emperor? Tell us why in the comments. Full story in our documentary, The Full History of Rome.
Quick answers
What is “The Sultan Who Ended Rome Called Himself CAESAR” about?
In 1453 Sultan Mehmed II took Constantinople, and the last Roman emperor died as the city fell. Then the conqueror took the empire's title: Kayser-i Rûm, "Caesar of Rome". The story in two Renaissance medals of Mehmed and the words of his historians.
What are the key facts?
On May 29, 1453, Mehmed II, aged 21, took Constantinople; Emperor Constantine XI is reported killed (Britannica). He made the city his capital and converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque (Britannica).
What sources is this Short based on?
It cites Britannica, Fall of Constantinople; Britannica, Mehmed II (Halil Inalcik), Mehmed's empire; National Gallery of Art, Gentile Bellini, Mehmed II medal (1957.14.737.a) and Three Crowns reverse; National Gallery of Art, Costanzo da Ferrara, Mehmed II medal (1957.14.695.a). Links are in the Sources list below.
Sources
- Britannica, Fall of Constantinople
- Britannica, Mehmed II (Halil Inalcik), Mehmed's empire
- National Gallery of Art, Gentile Bellini, Mehmed II medal (1957.14.737.a) and Three Crowns reverse
- National Gallery of Art, Costanzo da Ferrara, Mehmed II medal (1957.14.695.a)
Images
- Mehmed II (obverse), c. 1480, later casting, National Gallery of Art — Gentile Bellini — CC0 —
- Three Crowns: Constantinople, Iconium, and Trebizond (reverse), c. 1480, National Gallery of Art — Gentile Bellini — CC0 —
- Mehmed II and his army before Constantinople, c. 1903, as imagined — Fausto Zonaro — Public domain —
- Mehmed II medal (obverse), c. 1477/1480, National Gallery of Art — Costanzo da Ferrara — Public domain (NGA open access) —
- Medal of Sultan Mehmed II (reverse), old aftercast, The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Costanzo da Ferrara — CC0 —
- Hagia Sophia, reconstruction — Shadowfetch Studio (Unreal Engine) — our own work
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