The Twenty Medieval Sieges of Constantinople
Discover the twenty medieval sieges of Constantinople, from early attacks by Avars and Arabs to the city’s final fall in 1453.
The Siege of Belgrade (1521)
The Ottomans launch another siege against the city of Belgrade. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Kelly and Michael explore how Suleiman the Magnificent and his forces ultimately achieved victory.
The Siege of Belgrade (1456)
The Ottoman Empire, led by Mehmed II, clashes with Hungarian and Serbian forces under John Hunyadi. In this episode of Bow & Blade, we examine the first of two sieges that took place in Belgrade.
New Medieval Books: Charter of the Order of the Dragon
In 1408, King Sigismund of Hungary and Croatia created a chivalric order which would play an important role in efforts against the Ottoman Empire. This book contains the Latin text and English translation of the charter that set up this order.
The Travels of Manuel II Palaiologos, Emperor of the Romans
The story of Manuel II Palaiologos, whose travels would take him to Paris and London, and his efforts to protect his empire.
New Medieval Books: The Memoirs of Shah Tahmasp I
This is an account written by a 16th-century ruler where he describes many events and wars of his reign. It aims to both justify his decisions and offer advice to his descendants on how to rule.
Ali Pasha of Ioannina, antiquities and archaeology between empire and the nation-state, with Emily Neumeier
We talk about how he crated his own brand-image, in part by forging closer relations with his Christian Greek subjects and also through archaeological work and use of antiquities.
The Battle Of Ankara (1402)
Huge armies clash as the Ottoman sultan sultan Bayezid I faced off against the emir of the Timurid Empire, Timur. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly look at the battle and the account of the fighting by Johann Schiltberger.
New Medieval Books: Across the Green Sea
Examines the connections – commercial and cultural – between various communities and peoples around the western half of the Indian Ocean. There would be much competition in this maritime world, from local players as well as from European and Ottoman powers.
The Siege of Constantinople (1453)
One of the key dates from the Middle Ages is the year 1453. In this episode of Bow & Blade, Michael and Kelly discuss how the Ottomans were able to conquer the city of Constantinople and bring an end to the Byzantine Empire.
Bertrandon de la Broquière: A Medieval Secret Agent?
Bertrandon de la Broquière embarked on a remarkable journey across the heart of the Ottoman Empire, for one year in 1432, documenting his experiences in a detailed account that continues to fascinate historians today.
The Life of Vlad the Impaler: A Timeline (1429-1476)
A look at the events that took place in southeastern Europe during the fifteenth century and the role that Vlad III, Voivode of Wallachia, would play in its many conflicts.
The Siege of Rhodes (1522)
The Mediterranean island of Rhodes would once be the stage for the conflict between the Hospitallers and the Ottoman Empire. In this episode of Bow and Blade, Michael and Kelly talk about how Suleiman the Magnificent was able to besiege and overcome the Hospitallers and their fortress.
The Battle of Zonchio (1499)
In the first naval battle covered by Bow and Blade, Kelly and Michael discuss the Battle of Zonchio, fought on four separate days in August of 1499. The Ottoman and Venetian fleets fight off the coast of Greece in the Ionian Sea to determine who would control the waters of the eastern Mediterranean.
The Battle of Nicopolis (1396)
In 1396, a Crusader army coming from France, Germany, England, Hungary, the Teutonic State and other parts of Europe would march into southeastern Europe, determined to attack the Turks. At Nicopolis they would find the Ottoman forces led by Bayezid I, and fight in one of the most important battles of the Middle Ages.
The Siege of Rhodes (1480)
In the year 1480, the Ottoman Empire massed its armies to conquer the small island of Rhodes. Defending the island were a group of medieval monastic warriors – the Hospitallers. In this episode of Bow and Blade, Michael and Kelly discuss the Siege of Rhodes in 1480.
The Parthenon mosque, with Elizabeth Key Fowden
A conversation with Elizabeth Key Fowden on the Parthenon mosque and Athens under the Ottomans.
Vlad III Țepeș: The man who inspired Dracula
The story of Vlad III Tepes – the prince himself, his brutal reign, and the historical context in which he lived.
Dreaming of Constantinople after the Failed Ottoman Siege of Vienna
The failure of the Ottoman campaign against Vienna in 1529 had further consequences beyond the center of the conflict. This event seems to have given new hope to traumatized Christian rulers and their subjects that perhaps the Ottoman armies could be halted from their steady advances into Europe.
Hagia Sophia to be a mosque again, court rules
One of the most famous landmarks in the medieval world will be used as a mosque again, after a top Turkish court ruled that the decree making Hagia Sophia into a museum in 1934 was illegal.
Portrait of Mehmed the Conqueror returns to Istanbul
There are only three surviving portraits of the Ottoman ruler Mehmed II, better known as Mehmed the Conqueror. One of them has just been purchased by the city of Istanbul for £777,000.
The Ottomans in Medieval Eastern Europe
How the Ottomans expanded into medieval Eastern Europe – an overview from the 14th century to the 16th century.
Medieval Manuscripts: A Walk through 16th century Constantinople, Baghdad, and Aleppo
Do you want to see the 16th century Middle East through an illuminator’s eyes? Check out the interactive maps!
Medieval Manuscripts: Muhibbî Dîvânı: A Sultan in Love
From sultan to servant: in this collection of poems, Süleyman the Magnificent gives up all his powers to worship a girl “as tall as a cypress, with cheeks as red as roses”. And what better decoration than ever-changing gold and pastel floral patterns?
