On the land side, Sangombassa, king of the Albanians, had in his army many who had been accustomed to work in gold and silver mines,—and he ordered them to open fourteen mines under the walls of the city, to throw them down. As these mines were opened at a distance from the walls, the Christians countermined them, and at times stifled the Turks in their mine with smoke, or suffocated them with stinks: at other times they drowned them, by introducing water suddenly on them, or destroyed them by fighting hand to hand. Sangombassa constructed a high and strong tower of wood that overtopped the walls, and threw across an arm of the sea a bridge of boats one thousand fathoms in length and seven wide, for the army to cross, besides erecting other smaller towers that were both light and strong, and could be moved from one place to another when wanted. There were daily skirmishes, in which many were slain on each side,—but for one that was killed in the town one hundred were destroyed of the besiegers.
At this siege were many greek Christians, and others from different parts, who, although subjects to the Turk, are not constrained to renounce their religion: they therefore pray to and adore God at their pleasure. There were beside several captains and powerful Turks, who, out of spite to Sangombassa, as he oppressed them much, gave information to those in the town, by letters fastened to arrows and by all other possible means, of what was going forward in the camp. Among other things, the Christians were informed of the grand Turk having held a council of his ministers and principal persons for four whole days; and that in this council a captain, called Colombassa[169], had advised the raising of the siege, saying to the Turk, 'Thou hast done thy duty: thou hast already given many great battles to the Christians, and at each time numbers of thy people have fallen. Thou seest from the fortifications and defence of the city that it is impregnable,—insomuch that the more thou sendest to attack it, so many more are left dead before it. Those who have mounted the walls have been repulsed or slain,—and thy ancestors never had the power nor the inclination to advance so far as thou hast done, which ought to satisfy thy ambition, without wishing the total destruction of thy people.'
So much was said by others, in consequence of this harangue, that the Turk doubted within his own breast whether he should return, and erect two columns on the spot where he then was, to proclaim to the world that he had done more than any of his predecessors had ever undertaken, and to inform posterity that no Turk had ever before dared to approach so near to Constantinople.
Sangombassa was of a contrary opinion, and thus addressed the Turk: 'Thou hast shown thyself the strongest. Thou hast overthrown part of the walls; we will completely destroy the remainder. Only let us give one more determined attack,—and, if we then fail of conquest, we will submit to act according to thy pleasure.' He expressed himself with so much warmth and earnestness that the Turk consented to his proposal; and intelligence thereof was conveyed into the town, with exhortations to hold out with courage for a few days longer, and the siege would assuredly be raised.
The Turk, being resolved to storm the city, ordered a solemn fast to take place three days before the time fixed on, in honour of the God of Heaven, whom alone he adores. It was kept very strictly for the three days, none of the army eating any thing during the day-time; but at night they feasted, and their camp and fleet were then illuminated with a multitude of torches, so that land and sea seemed on fire: they added loud music with drums and other instruments, for with trumpets they were ill provided.
When the time arrived for the storming, both parties seemed determined on victory or death. The attack began very slowly in the evening, and the Turk had made the following arrangement of his forces:—Siglardy[170], captain-general of Turkey, was posted, with twenty thousand men, at the gate of Pucchi, where was the heat of the battle: Sangombassa, with about a third of the army, was posted at the gate St Romain, about a mile distant from Pucchi. Ebbigabeth, governor-general of Greece, was placed on the side of Galigaria[171], near to the emperor's palace. The greater part of the mines were two miles distant from St Romain. The renegade Albanian, Sangombassa, was posted on the other side of the canal near to Pera, with other renegade Christians; for, in these countries, many daily recant from their religion.
At the commencement of the attack, the Christians defended themselves well, particularly at St Romain, which was the weakest part of the walls; for lately good part had been damaged, and even thrown down. The heavy cannon and the culverins kept up so brisk a fire that breaches were made of many fathoms wide in several places; and the firing was so incessant that the sky could scarcely be seen for the thickness of the smoke.
The besieged instantly repaired the breaches with old casks and bags of earth, and defended themselves as well as they could. At this spot was sir John Justinian, who behaved with great courage: indeed, the whole city placed their dependance on his abilities.
As a last effort, the grand Turk now advanced thither in person, with two banners and ten thousand chosen men for his guard, beside an infinity of Turks, with scaling ladders, moveable wooden castles, and other engines. The attack was become very bloody: the ditches were filled, and the walls scaled. At this critical moment was sir John Justinian wounded by a ball from a culverin, and carried off to be dressed, after he had resigned his command to two genoese gentlemen. The Turks pursued their success,—and the Christians, seeing themselves overpowered, and that sir John Justinian had quitted his command, which they mistook for his having fled, abandoned the walls, and ran away. Thus did the Turks enter Constantinople, the 28th day of May, in the year aforesaid, putting all to the sword who made any resistance[172].
No attack was made on Pera, for the greater part of the inhabitants were in Constantinople assisting in its defence. Those who had remained did not attempt to carry away any of their effects, but deliberated to send the keys of their town to the Turk, and offer him the city, in which were six thousand men, and throw themselves on the mercy of God. A good many of both sexes, however, embarked on board a genoese vessel to escape, and one ship laden with women was seized by the Turks.