Shortly after taking power at age 21, Mehmed II and now soon to be entitled Mehmed the Conqueror launched his attack to capture Constantinople about two and a half months ago. His troops had begun firing on the city with cannons. A 26-foot gun was used, which fired 1,200 pound boulders. To keep the Turkish fleet out of the city’s harbor he ordered that a chain across the Golden Horn between the Bosporus Strait and the Sea of Marmara is created. To be able to conquer one of the greatest and untouched cities of our time he had to attack it from two sides. So they dragged 70 ships over a hill on greased runners from the Bosporus to the harbor. The city held out for the past 7 weeks and just today the Turks finally found a break in the wall and successfully entered the city. Mehmed II proved to be not only an able ruler but a magnificent warrior as well.
11/11/1453
