Constantinopolis by James Shipman Read Free Book Online Page B

sure you have heard about my little building project on the Black Sea. Surely you will now agree we can proceed with a siege?”
    Halil drew himself up to speak. He clearly had considered this issue, and prepared his response. “My Lord, I must still respectfully disagree.”
    “Why? Wasn’t the city taken by the Latins by sea? Isn’t that the key to the city?”
    “With respect Sultan, we are not the Latins. They have ruled the seas for hundreds of years. They are masters of it. I agree completely with your decision to build a fleet. We should learn the ways of the sea if we are to rule the world. But we cannot simply build these boats and set them on the waters expecting to dominate. We will have to learn the art of warfare over time.”
    “So you do not think we can take the sea walls?”
    “My Lord, the Greeks still have a fleet. There is also a small fleet at Galata across the Golden Horn. Although this is a Genoese rather than Greek city, we must expect they would rush to the defense of the Greeks in the event of an Ottoman fleet invasion. The Greeks have their terrible Greek Fire, which will burn our ships to the waterline. An attack by sea would be hopeless.”
    “So you believe a fleet does nothing for us?”
    “On the contrary My Sultan, a fleet is a tremendous advantage for us, both now and in the future. Again, I urge you to continue to build the fleet. Use it in the Black Sea against the Greeks and the Georgians. Let the captains and men gain experience. In the meantime, you can generate some victories against the Bulgarians and the Serbs, and against the Greeks in Moria. Once you’ve won some victories, and perhaps have let a decade or so pass, we might be in a position to attack the city. Again, I recommend against it as a whole. Even with everything I have described, you still are in danger of uniting the Latins against us if you lay siege to the city. And no matter what, you still face the land walls. In a thousand years, no one has breached them. How many nations and leaders have fallen beating themselves uselessly against the walls of Constantinople? The city is a curse. Let it rot on the vine. Your father tried to take the city and failed. He was wise enough to realize that the city had no power over him. He could simply let it fall on its own in its own time. They are insolent, I agree. Raise their tribute even further, the faster to bleed them to submission.”
    Mehmet looked closely at Halil. “So that is it, is it? We can never move against the city until we can solve the land walls and stop the Latins from coming to Constantine’s aid?”
    “Yes My Lord. You can try, in my opinion but you must fail. Again, your father was one of our greatest leaders. He won victory after victory. He succeeded in everything he set his hand to but . . .”
    “But he could not take the city.”
    “No. Even your father could not take it. In the prime of his life, with his people behind him and the full confidence and resources of the Ottomans, he could not take it.”
    “Thank you Halil, I will think on what you say.”
    The Grand Vizier smiled and rose to his feet, bowing to the Sultan. Mehmet rose to walk him out. The Grand Vizier turned and walked to the door, reaching to open it.
    He felt a strong hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Mehmet close to him, menacing. The Sultan reached down and took the plate full of gold from Halil. He moved his head near Halil and whispered in the Grand Vizier’s ear. “Give me what I want Halil. Give me Constantinople.”
    Halil shuddered. He seemed to hesitate.
    The Sultan continued, still whispering. “If I give you peace with the west and I deliver you the walls, you will give me the city.”
    Halil stared at the Sultan for a moment. He seemed about to leave. Finally he nodded once, and turned away, fleeing quickly into the darkness.
    FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1452
    The following day Mehmet rose early and breakfasted on fruits and bread on his balcony overlooking