Episode 16 - Constantine XI

The 14th century was not a kind one for Byzantium. The Fourth Crusade had left it a hollow shell of itself, fatally crippled in the face of Turkish aggression. A series of forgettable rulers did what they could, but by the middle of the next century all hope was lost. Surrounded on all sides by the hostile Turks, the once vast empire had shrunk to little more than the city of Constantinople itself. Led by the indomitable Constantine XI, the Byzantines faced certain destruction and fearsome new weapons of war with dignity and courage, determined to go down fighting with heads held high. Join Lars Brownworth as he talks about the last of the Byzantine Emperors, Constantine XI whose heroic final defense of the city earned him recognition as the first Greek National Martyr.

You can listen to Episode 16 - Constantine XI online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 16 - Constantine XI is an episode from 12 Byzantine Rulers: The History of The Byzantine Empire by Anders Brownworth.

This episode is 37:44 long.

This episode was published on Sep 24, 2007.

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