Siege

Chapter 22

MONDAY 28 MAY 1453, CONSTANTINOPLE: DAY 58 OF THE SIEGE

As the sun rose the next day, Longo stood on the inner wall of Constantinople and inspected the progress that his men had made reconstructing the rampart before the Mesoteichion. With the sultan's cannons silent, it was the first chance that they had had in weeks to properly address the damage there. Longo had spent a sleepless night at the walls, urging his men to work and keeping an eye on the Turkish camp. The last that he had seen of the sultan, he had appeared dead, killed by Notaras. Rumours were rampant in Constantinople that the siege would now be lifted. Longo was not so sure.

A sound in the distance caught Longo's attention, and he looked out to where a procession was just leaving the Turkish camp, marching to the beat of a drum. At the head of the procession marched a troop of around fifty janissaries. Bringing up the rear was a regiment of Anatolian cavalry some one hundred strong. Between them rode a single rider in distinctive red and black armour. Two long chains trailed from the rider's saddle, and at the far end of those chains, half-walking and half-dragging, was Notaras, still dressed in his ceremonial armour. Longo knew immediately what he was seeing.

'William!' Longo called down to where William was overseeing the placement of additional cannons on the rampart. 'The Turks are going to execute Notaras. Hurry to the palace and inform the emperor.'

The emperor arrived a few minutes later, with Dalmata and Sofia by his side. Longo and Sofia exchanged a look. 'She should see this,' Constantine explained to Longo. 'Notaras was her betrothed.'

By this time, the news of Notaras's impending death had spread and the walls were beginning to grow crowded. Longo heard scattered shouts of 'God bless you Notaras!' and 'God be with you!' Notaras had killed the sultan, and the people now looked upon him as a sort of saint. Soon enough, Longo reflected, he would be a martyr.

On the plain below, the Turks had stopped and stood motionless. Notaras had collapsed to the ground, and the Turks let him lay there. 'Why don't they just get on with it?' Sofia said.

'They're waiting,' Longo replied.

'Waiting for what?' Constantine asked.

'For a crowd,' Longo responded. 'They want us all to see this.'

Finally, the Turks began to move. The janissaries in front split, with half of them marching to either side. The lone horseman rode forward, dragging Notaras behind him. As the horseman drew nearer, Longo recognized him. 'I think that is the sultan.'

'My God, you're right,' Constantine whispered. 'How can this be?'

Along the walls men began to curse and women wail as the news spread that the sultan was still alive. Below, Mehmed stopped his horse just out of cannon range and dismounted. The people on the walls fell silent as he approached Notaras. Notaras lay face down in the dust, struggling to breathe. He had been tortured for hours the night before. His back bled from innumerable cuts, and his ribs were broken. Being dragged by his hands behind the horse had dislocated both of his shoulders. But Notaras did not mind the pain that coursed through his body. The sultan was dead. The empire was saved. That was all that mattered. And soon his pain would end.

Notaras watched as a pair of legs appeared next to the horse in front of him. The legs approached and stopped before him. Hands grabbed Notaras's arms from behind and lifted him to his knees. The pain in his shoulders was so great that he almost fainted. He began to fall, but the men behind him held him upright. As the pain receded, he found himself looking at the belt of the man before him. The man bent down so that he was face to face with Notaras. It was the sultan.

Notaras could not understand what was happening. He had seen Mehmed die. 'How?' he managed to gasp.

'I told you that you would kneel before me, Megadux,' Mehmed said. 'All of Constantinople will kneel before me.'

Mehmed stepped to the side so that Notaras now had a view of the walls of Constantinople. They were crowded with people, and squinting, Notaras could just make out individual faces; he scanned the crowd, looking for somebody he knew. The men behind him released him, and he sagged but stayed upright on his knees, his eyes still on the walls. Behind him, he heard the whisper of a sword as it slid from its scabbard. He did not turn. He thought he saw Sofia standing on the wall. His eyes fixed on her, and then… nothing. 'My God!' As Notaras fell, Sofia turned and buried her head in Longo's chest. Longo put his arms around her and then glanced over at Constantine. The emperor was studying them carefully.

'Perhaps the princess should return to her room,' Constantine said. 'The shock of Notaras's death has clearly overwhelmed her. Guards!' he called. 'Escort the Princess Sofia back to the palace.' Sofia left, and Longo and Constantine turned back to watch the Turks.

Mehmed had taken Notaras's head but left the body of the megadux where it had fallen. As Mehmed rode back to the Turkish lines, followed by his escort, two janissaries stepped forward and began to drag Notaras's body towards the walls. They headed for the gate of Saint Romanus, just below Longo and Constantine.

'Shall I have the archers deal with them?' Dalmata asked.

'No, let them come,' Constantine ordered. 'At least we will be able to give Notaras a proper burial. He deserves as much.' The janissaries reached the gate and dumped Notaras's body there before turning and running back towards the Turkish lines. 'Come,' Constantine said. 'Let us go and retrieve the megadux, or what is left of him.'

They reached the gate, and Longo ordered it opened just enough for one man to pass through. Longo went himself to retrieve the body. There was a piece of paper tucked into Notaras's armour, but Longo did not have time to read it. No sooner had he reached the body than thousands of Turks began to pour over the Turkish ramparts, marching towards Constantinople. Most carried shovels and picks. Others led horses pulling wagons filled with dirt and rocks.

Longo hurriedly dragged Notaras inside the gate and ordered it shut. Constantine was waiting for him. 'Do you think this is an attack?' he asked. 'Should I ring the bells?'

'No, they are not attacking,' Longo answered. 'They carry shovels, not weapons. They are coming to create a path across the moat, to make their attack easier.'

'Then something must be done. We will use the cannons.'

'No. It will be better to save our powder and shot for when they are truly needed. If the Turks are filling in the fosse, then the attack will come soon. We must be prepared to defend Constantinople tonight.'

'Then there is much to be done and little enough time,' Constantine said. 'Dalmata, have the megadux's body taken to the Haghia Sofia and prepared for burial. When you are done, you will find me on the wall.'

'My Lord, I found a message on Notaras,' Dalmata said and handed Constantine a sheet of paper. 'I believe that it is in Notaras's own hand. He asks that he be buried by the monk Gennadius.'

Constantine looked at the sheet of paper. 'This is Notaras's last wish. It should be honoured. Have his body delivered to the Church of Saint Saviour Pantocrator.' Gennadius sat at his desk and watched as the papers before him burned in a brazier, their edges curling, then blackening and finally collapsing in a pile of ash. Just like his grand plans, Gennadius frowned. He still did not understand what had gone wrong. Notaras had done his part, and yet the sultan lived. Gennadius was sure that Halil would not have betrayed him. What could the vizier hope to achieve by aborting their plot? And if Halil had not failed him, then that left only one possibility: somehow the sultan had learned of their plot. If that were true, then Gennadius's life would be worth less than nothing if the city fell.

Gennadius was taking no chances. He would leave this very night while the Christian forces and the Turkish army were locked in battle at the walls. He could bribe his way past the sea walls, and he had already paid a Venetian merchant to ferry him from the harbour to Pera on the far side of the Golden Horn. From there, Gennadius would hire a ship to take him to the court of Demetrius in Clarenza. And if Constantinople stood, then all was lost anyway. The Union would be vindicated, and Gennadius would never be made patriarch.

Gennadius added a last sheet of paper to the brazier. There were certain secrets — lists of bribe payments, inventories of his private fortune — that were simply too important to be carried with him or to be left here untended. Better that they burn. As the page crumbled to ash, there was a soft knock on the door. 'Enter,' Gennadius called, and Eugenius opened the door and stepped into the room. Eugenius wore chainmail under his monk's robes and a sword hung from his side. 'Is everything ready?' Gennadius asked. 'I wish to leave as soon as the battle begins.'

'All is ready, Father Gennadius. But there is something else: the body of the megadux, Lucas Notaras, has been brought here to be prepared for burial. The emperor has asked that you perform the service.'

'And when is this burial to take place?'

'Today. The body is to join the city's holy relics in procession through the streets to the Haghia Sofia. The megadux is to be buried in the crypt there.'

'And do you know why Constantine has chosen me, of all people, to perform this task?'

'I was told that Notaras's final request was that you preside over his funeral.'

'Were you indeed? That is odd.' Gennadius thought back to his final meeting with Notaras. The megadux had told him that he despised the monk's hypocrisy, and that what Notaras did, he did for Constantinople alone. 'Where is the megadux's body now?'

'He has been placed in the crypt.'

'Take me to him.' Gennadius followed Eugenius down into the dank catacombs beneath the monastery, where he found Notaras's headless body in a small room, laid out on a stone table. He was still in full armour. 'Was anything unusual found on his body?' Gennadius asked. 'A message of some sort?'

'Nothing other than the note asking that you bury him.'

Gennadius nodded, lost in thought. Perhaps he had been wrong: there was no mystery behind the megadux's odd request. Unless there was another message, one that had not been written on paper. 'Help me to take his armour off,' Gennadius ordered.

He and Eugenius undressed the megadux, pulling off first his plate armour and then the chainmail beneath it. Finally, Gennadius peeled off the blood-stained cotton tunic undergarment. The skin of Notaras's chest was grey and bruised where several of his ribs had been broken. Gennadius heaved the body over to reveal Notaras's back. There, carved into the megadux's flesh, was a message: Gennadius, open the city and you will have all you seek. Mehmed. Mehmed stood on the Turkish ramparts with his back to Constantinople and gazed out at the army assembled before him. The day was clear and fair, and the afternoon sun glinted off the men's armour, creating the impression of a giant sea spread out at Mehmed's feet. Nearest to him, the sea of men appeared dark and deep where the neat ranks of the black-armoured janissaries stood. Behind them were the Anatolian cavalry, their chainmail glittering. Further back, stretching all the way to the hills that ringed the Turkish camp, the disordered crowd of bazibozouks in their brown leather armour seemed to form a distant shore. There were nearly seventy thousand warriors in all — the greatest army in the world.

In his right hand, Mehmed held the head of the megadux. He raised it high, and the soldiers before him burst into frenzied cheers. The noise was deafening. Mehmed let it wash over him, filling him with a sense of power. These were his men. He would tell them that they fought for Allah, because that is what they wished to hear. But they did not; they fought for him. He would tell them that Allah would watch over them during the battle, but it was he, Mehmed, who would observe their every move. And when the city fell, the glory would be his, not Allah's. Finally, Mehmed raised his other hand, gesturing for silence. The cheering faded, and the camp fell silent. When Mehmed spoke, the only sounds were his voice and the faint echo of innumerable voices relaying his message to the furthest troops.

'Yesterday, one of the Christian infidels tried to assassinate your sultan,' he shouted. 'You have seen what comes of such treachery and deceit.' He cast the head of Notaras aside, letting it roll down the slope of the rampart. There was another roar from the army. 'The infidels wished for my death, but Allah would not allow it,' Mehmed continued. 'He protected me, as He will protect you. Allah is with us, and we are the sword in His hand. In the face of their armour, He gives us strength. In the face of their cannons, He gives us strength. Even in the face of the great walls of Constantinople, He gives us strength! Each fighter who falls before those walls will have a place in paradise. Each fighter who lives will have the riches and women of Constantinople at his feet. And the fighter who first breaches the walls will have wealth beyond his wildest dreams!' His men roared their approval.

'The walls of Constantinople will crumble before our cannons. The defenders of Constantinople will tremble before your might. Tomorrow, the Empire of the Romans shall fall, and you shall be its conquerors. Allah is with us! We cannot fail!' The men cheered wildly. Mehmed waited until the cheering had passed and the men had fallen silent. 'Prepare yourselves today. Sharpen your weapons, eat and sleep. Tonight we will attack and Constantinople will be ours!' The sound of Turkish cheering reached Emperor Constantine as a distant, barely perceptible roar, like waves crashing on a distant shore. He stood atop the Golden Gate and looked down at the men who had gathered to hear his final words before the coming battle. Greeks, Venetians and Genoese stood crowded together, their battered and tarnished armour gleaming dully in the light of the setting sun. There were less than eight thousand of them to fight almost ten times that number of Turks. But Constantine had witnessed the bravery of these men. Their armour might be dented, but their heads were not bowed. They would sell their lives dearly, and, God willing, they would hold the city one last time.

'Gentlemen!' Constantine called out, and his voice carried over the rows of men. 'We now see the hour of battle approaching. You have always fought with glory against the enemies of Christ. Now I ask you to fight one last time in defence of your homes and of a city known the world over!'

'Hear! Hear!' a few men yelled. The rest showed their approval by thumping the butts of their spears against the ground, creating a loud rumbling. When the rumbling faded, Constantine continued.

'Be not afraid that our walls have been worn down by the enemy's battering. For your strength lies in the protection of God. In this battle you must stand firm and have no fear, no thought of flight, but be inspired to resist with ever-greater strength. Animals may run from animals. But you are men, men of stout heart, and you will hold at bay these savage brutes.' Again there was the heavy thumping of spears.

'You are aware that the infidel enemy has attacked us unjustly,' Constantine continued. 'He has violated the treaty that he made with us; he has slaughtered our farmers at harvest time; he has cut off our commerce and sunk our ships in the sea. Now he wishes to profane our city's holy churches by turning them into stables. Oh my brothers, my sons! The everlasting honour of Christians is in your hands. The fate of the oldest empire the world has ever known lies with you. Fight in the knowledge that this is the day of your glory — a day on which if you shed but a drop of blood, you will win for yourselves crowns of martyrdom and eternal glory. Fight for each other! Fight for Constantinople!'

'For Constantinople!' the men roared, and the low rumble of spears resumed. The pounding grew so fierce that Constantine could feel the wall vibrating under his feet. Finally, he held up his arms, and the rumbling ceased. His tone was sombre.

'If you have anyone you care for in this city, I suggest you go now to bid them farewell. When it is time, the city bells will call you to the walls. I will see you there.' The servants of the imperial household had been called to the great octagonal hall of the Blachernae Palace. Everyone was present, from the cooks to the wash maids to the palace blacksmith. There were some forty people in all, standing in four rows. In another row before them stood the most honoured members of the household, including Sphrantzes and Dalmata. The sides of the hall were lined with members of the emperor's Varangian guard. All present knelt as Constantine entered, dressed in full armour and wearing his crown.

'Rise, my friends,' Constantine told them. 'I have asked you here to thank you for your service over the years. Many of us will not survive tonight's attack. Because we may not see one another again, I wish to say goodbye to you all now.' He went to the end of the furthest row, where a young stable boy shifted nervously, his eyes fixed on the floor. 'What is your name, boy?'

The boy looked up. 'Petrus,' he replied.

'Goodbye, Petrus,' Constantine said. 'I thank you for your service, and I ask that you forgive me any unkindness that I may have shown you.' The boy nodded, unable to speak. Constantine moved on to the next person in the row, the blacksmith. He was a tall man, with strong, muscled arms.

'Goodbye, John. You have served me well, and I ask your forgiveness for any unkindness that I have shown you.'

'There is nothing to forgive, My Lord,' the blacksmith replied. 'I'll see that your sword is sharp for tonight.'

'Thank you.' Constantine continued moving person by person until he had bid farewell to his entire household, save Sphrantzes and Dalmata. He came to Sphrantzes first and placed his hand on the older man's shoulder. 'Goodbye, old friend. You have been my most trusted advisor. Forgive me if I have not always followed your advice.'

'You have done what you thought was right,' Sphrantzes replied.

'If I do not see you again, then let the world know what we have done here. Let them know how we fought, and how we died.'

'I will, My Lord,' Sphrantzes replied. Constantine nodded and moved on to Dalmata. The two men clasped hands.

'Do not say goodbye,' Dalmata said before Constantine could speak. 'There is no need. I shall not leave your side during the battle so long as I live. And do not ask my forgiveness either. It has been my honour to serve you, and it would be my greatest honour to die beside you.'

Constantine gripped Dalmata's shoulder and nodded. 'Thank you,' he said at last. Then he stepped back and addressed the entire room. 'Thank you all. You have each served me well, and I know you will do the same in the hours ahead. Now I suggest that you rest while you may. We shall have need of all our strength for the coming battle.' The city was dark when Tristo and William reached their destination: a nondescript inn near the central marketplace of Constantinople. The three-storey building was centuries old and leaned perilously to the right, looking as if it might collapse if not for the building next to it propping it up. William raised his torch to illuminate a weathered old sign that hung over the door, displaying a barely recognizable bed beside a loaf of bread. 'Are you sure this is it?' William asked.

'I paid good money for this information,' Tristo replied. 'The Spanish assassin is staying here. His room is on the second floor.'

William drew his sword. 'All right then. Let's take care of this now. I don't want to worry about taking a knife in the back while I'm fighting the Turks.' He opened the front door and stepped into a large, rectangular room cluttered with tables and benches. A single old man sat at one of the tables, his head back as he drank straight from a pitcher, red wine spilling out of the sides and staining his white tunic. He slammed the pitcher down with a thud and gave William and Tristo a bleary-eyed stare. William put his finger to his lips, but the man ignored him.

'Well, come on and help yourselves,' he bellowed, then belched. 'No sense in saving any wine for the Turks.'

'Maybe later,' William told him. He and Tristo headed to the staircase that ran up the wall to the right. They mounted the stairs and found themselves in a narrow hallway with two doors on each side. 'Which one?' William whispered.

Tristo shook his head. 'The second floor was all I was told.'

'You take the two on the left then. I'll take the right. On three: one, two, three!'

William and Tristo each kicked open the door in front of them. The small room in front of William was empty. Behind him, Tristo had walked in on a couple, and the woman was now screaming hysterically while the man struggled to put on his clothes. 'I didn't know she was married!' the man exclaimed. Tristo pulled the door shut and moved on.

A grey-bearded Greek man had emerged from the next room on the left. 'What's going on?' he asked. Tristo showed his sword and the man disappeared, slamming the door behind him. Tristo and William turned to the last door.

'This must be it,' William said. He kicked the door open and they rushed in. There was a crust of stale bread and a bottle of wine on the table, but no sign of the Spanish assassin. 'He's gone.'

'Looks like he left in a hurry,' Tristo said, pointing to a chest that had been left open in the corner. Inside, they found a few shirts, a pair of boots and a jar. William unscrewed the jar's lid. It was empty save for a few traces of a viscous, black substance that clung to the sides. William sniffed at it.

'Poison,' he said. 'Carlos was here all right.'

'What're you two doing up here?' a voice called from behind. William turned to see the man from downstairs swaying unsteadily in the doorway. 'If you want a room, you'll have to pay.'

'We're looking for someone,' William said. 'A Spanish man, just shorter than me, with dark hair.'

'Carlos,' the drunk innkeeper slurred. 'He was an ill-tempered bastard, but he paid in gold. Anyway, he's gone now, cleared out earlier today.'

'Gone? Where to?' William asked.

The man shrugged. 'Said he was going home. Said his work was done here.'

'Did he say anything else?' Tristo asked.

The innkeeper leaned on the door jamb and scratched his nose. 'Aye,' he said at last. 'He said that there was no sense in risking his life to kill someone who was going to die anyway. He said that the city is doomed, and we're all of us going to die.' Midnight had long since passed, but Sofia could not sleep. She stood at the window of her quarters and looked out on the city, the only home she had ever known. She was dressed in leather breeches, a chainmail shirt and boots. Her sword hung at her side. She was prepared to fight, prepared to flee if need be. But she still could not imagine leaving Constantinople behind. She tried to picture the city before her filled with Turkish soldiers, the markets filled with the sound of Turkish voices.

Behind her, she heard the door to the secret passage open and turned to see Longo. He was dressed in full chainmail, with a solid steel breastplate. Sofia smiled as she moved towards him, then frowned. 'You should be at the walls.'

'I had to see you,' Longo replied. 'Besides, the bells will ring long before the final assault begins.'

'I am glad you came.' Sofia kissed Longo, and he held her tightly to him. For a second, she lost herself in that kiss, safe in Longo's arms. Then she pulled away. 'Tell me truly,' she said. 'Is there hope? Can the city be saved?'

'The walls are strong. Our armour is superior.'

'But can we defeat them? Do not lie to me.'

'I do not know,' Longo said, shaking his head. 'The Turks are many, and our men are tired of fighting. But I believe we can win. We must win.'

'I fear the worst,' Sofia said. She turned away and shuddered, holding her arms as if struck by a sudden chill. Longo put his arms around her. 'You know the fate of our women if the city falls,' she said. Longo nodded. 'I will kill myself before I let the Turks defile me, or I will die fighting.'

'No,' Longo said, turning Sofia so that she faced him. 'You must keep yourself safe, Sofia. Fight if you must, but fight to live. I must know that whatever happens, you will be waiting for me. I came to Constantinople to fight the Turks, but that is not why I am fighting now. I am fighting for you, for us.'

'And if the city should fall?… If you should fall?…'

'Then you must reach safety. You are a princess. After this battle, you may well be the last of your line. The fate of the Roman Empire rests with you, and your life will be worth nothing if you are found. I will send William to help you. If you hear the bells ring, then the city has fallen. Get to my ship as fast as you can. If you can make it across the Horn to the port of Pera, then you will be safe.'

'I will not leave without you.'

'I pray to God that you will not have to. But if I die…' Longo fell silent as outside, the city bells began to ring. 'I must go. Remember, if the city falls, you must reach Pera. Do not wait for me.'

Longo began to leave, but Sofia stopped him at the entrance to the secret passage. She took his head in her hands and kissed him. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Tears welled in Sofia's eyes, and she clung tightly to Longo, desperate to memorize the feel of his body, the taste of his lips. Finally, she pulled away and looked him in the eyes. 'I love you,' she whispered. 'Remember that when you are on the walls.'

'I will,' Longo said, then turned and left. Sofia waited until the light of his torch had disappeared and the sound of his footsteps had faded from the dark passage. Only then did she allow the tears to fall from her eyes. She wiped them away, angrily; she would not cry for Longo, not while he was still alive.

Sofia closed the door to the secret passage and went to the window. The bells were still tolling, and the streets were filled with men rushing to the walls. As she watched, Sofia felt a twinge below her belly, then another. She had not bled for just over a month, but only now was she certain. She put her hand on her stomach, and this time she did not try to stop her tears.