Source Extract: "Memoirs of a Janissary" Part 2, Konstantin Mihailovic

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As per usual with these daily blog posts, I like to keep my readers, and listeners, informed as to what I'm using in my day to day research for the show.

To that end, I've previously covered "Memoirs" and so today I'd like to share a brief extract: "Memoirs of a Janissary" Part 1

Chapter 26

HOW EMPEROR MACHOMET DECEIVED THE GREEK EMPEROR UNDER THE ABOVE-MENTIONED TRUCE

"Having assembled an army, Emperor Machomet (this would be Mehmed II) pretended that he meant against o march against the previously mentioned Karaman, into his land; and he took with him multitude of master craftsmen: masons, carpenters, smiths, and lime burners, and also various other workmen needed for that, without any lack, with axes, shovels, hoes, picks, and with other iron tools. He narthex to the Arm of St. George as if he wanted to transport himself over the sea there above Constantinople with his whole army. And he asked the Greek emperor to give him several ships for the crossing; and having crossed, the Emperor encamped on the seashore beside the Arm of St. George five Italian miles above Constantinople. He ordered his master craftsmen to take measurements, wanting to build a good fortress here; and he immediately began to carry stones himself, and others, seeing that the Emperor was not idling, each carried stone, no matter who, carrying from all sides stone, lime, wood and all the materials that were readied. And he did not move anywhere from that spot for two whole years until that fortress was finished. And no man knew his intention-what he meant to undertake with this fortress."

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Undoubtedly, Konstantin is referring to the "Fortress of Doom" of which you can listen to here and where I did an entire episode on the Ottoman Empire Podcast Fortress of Doom Episode

This "Fortress of Doom" was a major pillar in the foundation of Mehmed II to eventually lay siege to Constantinople. After the construction of the fortress, the Ottomans had the ability to severely restrict shipping coming to, in, and from the Black Sea area. This was important because the Byzantine Empire used this shipping lane not only for supplies and logistics, but also a source of revenue to tax as they passed through the Bosporus Straits.

In later centuries this fortress, and many stringed along the shipping lanes from the Black Sea and into the Eastern Mediterranean, would become a flashpoint of international conflict, tension, and controversy. Many Ottoman Sultan's would order the Turkish Straits shut down against Russian in latter part of the Empire's life.