May 29, 1453 marked the end of the Siege of Constantinople and the triumph of the Ottoman Turks over the Byzantine Empire. It also witnessed the end of the 100 Years War between France and England. As a result, this day becomes a key anniversary in the rise of gunpowder weapons, professional armies, and modern Europe.
Constantinople had resisted invasion for so long, including several close calls in the 8th and 9th century, repeated invasions from the Turks after the loss of Manzikert in 1071, and the sacking by the army of the 4th Crusade in 1204, that its defense often seemed miraculous. But the heavy cannon of the sultan proved decisive. They weighed as much as 16.8 tons and measured 17 feet in length, and could fire massive marble shots at a range of one-and-a-half miles.
Cannon gifted to the British in the 19th century. (Credit: Wikipedia Commons)
In the same year, the French finally expelled the English from the mainland of France. For much of the previous three hundred years, the Angevin rulers related to the Counts of Aquitaine and Flanders, and the Dukes of Brittany resulted in English kings that ruled as much territory in France as they did in England. They fought the French over various claims, including the claim to the crown of France for hundreds of years until 1453. They did so largely with feudal armies based on knights, pikeman and archers. But eventually the new professional armies, budding nationalism of France, and most importantly, the heavy cannon turned the tide in favor of France. The result was a unified France that had powerful monarchs, finances, and recruitment systems that raised stronger, gunpowder- based armies.
That new and improved cannon of Francis I quickly overran much of Italy. The Italians responded with what was called the Trace Italienne, or bastion forts, that were lower and angled to defend against improved cannons. The evolution and counter-evolution of gunpowder armies and defensive fortifications favored the kings of larger states (because they had the manpower and resources to supply these armies) and resulted in larger and more powerful armies than anything seen in the medieval period. These new armies were powerful enough to resist the advances of the Ottoman Turks, who did not improve their cannon at the same rate as Europeans. Plus, the Eastern Orthodox Church, newly based in Moscow after the fall of 1453, also became concerned for geopolitical and religious regions in Southeastern Europe.
By the time European nations had reached China, the Europeans had better gunpowder weapons than their original inventors. The gunpowder revolution is credited by many historians as providing the decisive technology edge that favored Western expansion up until the 20th century. The modern rifleman supported by advanced artillery, and the modern nations of France, Turkey, and England, as well as the expansion of the written word and aggressive, expansionist Russia can all be traced to the events of 1453 and the fall of Constantinople. I hope we can take a moment to remember the flow of history and its importance in our lives.
