Siege of Corinth (1458)
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| Siege of Corinth | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Ottoman Empire |
 Republic of Venice[1] | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Mehmed the Conqueror | Matthew Asanes | ||||||
Template:Campaignbox Byzantine–Ottoman Wars
The Siege of Corinth was a successful attack that Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror made in the Peloponnese campaign.
Before the siege[edit]
Mehmet The Conqueror appreciated the strategic importance of Mora very well due to its geographical location. When he dominated the Peloponnese, the Aegean Sea was taken under control, and this place could serve as a base for the expeditions to Italy.[2] Apart from that, a serez merchant reported at the council meeting in Edirne that Muslim captive women were treated very badly in Morea.[3] He also had his father's will to take over this place.[4] Apart from that, the two brothers in Morea were constantly causing trouble and not paying their taxes. Upon this situation, Mehmet sent a letter to them in 1457, stating that they should either pay their taxes or go on an expedition to their country next year. But even after this letter, the payment was not made. Thereupon, Mehmed gave time to the 2 brothers again, but when there was no change at the end of this period, he decided to intervene in the situation himself. He set out from Edirne in April 1458.[5] Nobody knew where the expedition would take place, everyone thought that the preparations were made for Serbia. Because Mahmut Pasha was sent to Serbia with some forces. The purpose of this was to meet a raid by the Hungarians and to deceive the foreign powers.[6] However, when there was no sound from the despots, he marched to Morea with his army. Before the Sultan came to Germenhisar, the delegation of the Despots came. They brought 4500 gold coins. But it's too late now. The Sultan refused the offer of peace with the tax, and said that he would personally administer this treaty when he came to Morea.[7] The army entered the Peloponnese on 15 May.[8]
Siege[edit]
And after occupying the forts in front of them one by one, they blockaded Chorint with a brisk march. However, realizing that this 3-storey wall and fortified castle could not be easily obtained, the Sultan left a few soldiers and cut the river routes and the supply routes of the city in order not to waste time. And he marched with the main forces to the continent of Peloponnese[9] In July 1458, the Sultan decided to turn north with his entire army and attack Corinth. The commander of the castle is Mateos Asanis. Asanis managed to secure some food and reinforcements with Venice's help. The Sultan ordered the giant cannon to be placed in front of the castle. The cannon's hundreds of pound cannonballs were made from ancient Corinthian ruins, and cannonballs were constantly being made from the destroyed walls of Corinth. Thanks to this, the Ottoman army was able to obtain an almost endless cannonball. Before Mehmed attacked the city, he offered to surrender to the people in the city, according to Islamic tradition. He sent word to Asanis and said that if he surrendered Corinth, both he and his people would live where the Ottomans wanted, but that this would end if Asanis did not surrender the city. Asanis refused this offer, relying on his garrison. He stated that he knew the power of the Turkish sultan very well, but that even the sultan would not seize this city of Corinth surrounded by three-storey walls and would rather die than surrender. Thereupon, the sultan mobilized his large cannons. The outermost wall collapsed within a few days. After Asanis counterattacked, he withdrew behind the second wall, but many parts of this wall were destroyed by marble cannonballs. With the closure of the river routes, food shortages arose in the city. But even that wasn't enough for the defenders to surrender.[10] hereupon, Mehmet's spy Corinthian bishop made propaganda in the city with the support of the people and changed his mind with the idea of surrender. The people complained about the situation and demanded the surrender of the castle. When the metropolitan took their side, the castle commander was forced to negotiate with the sultan.[11] Upon the surrender of the castle, he sent an envoy to the sultan. As a result of the speeches, a treaty was signed. According to this, Corinth will be given to the Turks on the condition that the life and property of the Corinthian people are not touched, the castles captured by the Turks will remain with the Turks, and the despots will pay a tax of 3 thousand gold every month. In return, the cities that could not be taken in the Peloponnese would be left to the despots.[12]
References[edit]
- ↑ Franz Babinger, Mehmed the Conqueror and his time
- ↑ Mustafa Cezar, Mufassal Osmanlı Tarihi Cilt: 1
- ↑ Aşıkpaşazade, Tevârîh-i Âl-i Osman
- ↑ Selahattin Tansel, Osmanlı Kaynaklarına Göre Fatih Sultan Mehmed'in Siyasi ve Askeri Faaliyeti
- ↑ Franz Babinger, Mehmed the Conqueror and his time
- ↑ İsmail Hakkı Uzunçarşılı, Osmanlı Tarihi (2.Cilt)
- ↑ Kritovoulos, History of Mehmed the Conqueror
- ↑ Franz Babinger, Mehmed the Conqueror and his time
- ↑ Kritovoulos, History of Mehmed the Conqueror
- ↑ Franz Babinger, Mehmed the Conqueror and his time
- ↑ Selahattin Tansel, Osmanlı Kaynaklarına Göre Fatih Sultan Mehmed'in Siyasi ve Askeri Faaliyeti
- ↑ Kritovoulos, History of Mehmed the Conqueror
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