In 1453 Constantinople is the impregnable jewel of the East. It has stood as the greatest Christian city for a millennium as hordes have crashed fruitlessly against its walls.
But Mehmet II, the youthful Sultan of the Ottoman Turks, has besieged the city. His opponent is Constantine XI, the wise and capable ruler of the crumbling Eastern Roman Empire. Mehmet, distrusted by his people and hated by his Grand Vizer, must accomplish what all those before him have failed to do: capture Constantinople. To prove that he deserves the throne that his father once took from him, Mehmet, against all advice, storms the city. If he fails, he will not only have failed himself and his people, but he will surely lose his life.
On the other side of the city walls, the emperor Constantine must find a way to stop the greatest army in the medieval world. To finance his defenses, he becomes a beggar to the Pope, the Italian city-states, and the Hungarians. But the price for aid is high: The Pope demands the Greeks reunite the Eastern and Western churches and accept the Latin faith. If Constantine wants aid for his people he must choose between their lives and their souls.
Two leaders, two peoples, two faiths battle for their future before the mighty walls of Constantinople.
In 1453 Constantinople stood as one of the greatest christian cities in the world. However the city had declined for centuries, and was surrounded for hundreds of miles in each direction by the powerful Ottoman Turks. Mehmet II, the 21 year old Sultan of the Ottomans longed to capture the city and make it the center of his world empire. He was opposed by Constantine XI, the capable Emperor of the crumbling Eastern Roman Empire. The leaders and their people battled for the future of the city. Two nations, two religions, two leaders.
Robbi Podgaysky, Amazon.com review of "Constantinopolis."
I truly love learning from historical fiction. James Shipman does an amazing job of telling the historical story of Mehmet II, who at the beginning of the book had just taken over as Sultan of the Ottoman Turks and the Emperor Constantine XI of Constantinople.
Living in America, I may have briefly been over this in a college history class, but had no memory of who had won the battle of Constantinople. Maybe if college teachers or world history teachers would assign books such as these we would remember more out of classes.
Shipman's vivid description of the character's thoughts and feeling draws you into the world of history and explains all of the battle for Constantinople.
You will be entertained while learning about the fight for people, territory and religions, the infighting in religions, the many betrayals out of greed, power or hate, Mehmet's fight for his right as Sultan and his ingenuity in battle, and Constantine's love for Constantinople, his people all he will do and give up to defend his love.
This is a brilliantly written book and I will never forget this part of history. I found myself so drawn in I was rooting for both Mehmet and Constantine. Unfortunately only one can win.
I highly recommend this book to all history fans out there and I feel people who normally do not read history can also be drawn into this book. I will be reading other books by this author! Thank you Mr. James Shipman for a truly historically accurate description of a battle that would change the world forever. This book helped open my eyes to the history of a part of the world I will probably never see.
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