Siege of Constantinople

Overview

The siege of Constantinople of 1411 occurred during the Ottoman Interregnum, or Ottoman Civil War,, following the defeat of Sultan Bayezid I by the Central Asian warlord Timur. Although Mehmed Çelebi was confirmed as sultan by Timur after the Battle of Ankara, his brothers İsa Çelebi, Musa Çelebi, Süleyman Çelebi, and later, Mustafa Çelebi, refused to recognize his authority, each claiming the throne for himself. A civil war was the result. The Interregnum lasted until the Battle of Camurlu on 5 July 1413, when Mehmed Çelebi emerged as victor in the strife, crowned himself sultan Mehmed I, and restored peace to the empire.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The siege of Constantinople during the Ottoman Interregnum placed the Byzantine capital under pressure from Musa Çelebi, one of the Ottoman princes contending for supremacy in the civil war that followed the Battle of Ankara. Constantinople's position at the junction of Europe and Asia, controlling passage between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, gave it strategic importance that made it a significant objective for any power seeking dominance over the region. Manuel II Palaiologos commanded the city's defense during the siege. The city's position on the Silk Road meant that control of it carried economic as well as military weight for rival claimants to Ottoman authority during the Interregnum period.

Commanders (2)