Siege

'You are the emperor. It is for you to decide.'

'You are right.' Constantine straightened, and his jaw took on a firmer set. 'Come. There is much to decide and not much time. I must speak with the council.' The council met that evening in the emperor's palace. Sphrantzes, Notaras, Longo, the Archbishop Leonard and the various commanders were all there. When the emperor arrived, he looked as if he had aged years since that morning. His shoulders were slumped, his brow creased and bags had formed under his eyes.

'Thank you for coming,' he began. 'We face a difficult decision. The sultan has offered to spare the lives of my people if I surrender. He will give free passage to any who wish to leave the city, and he has offered me the Morea and a fiefdom in his lands.' Constantine paused and looked at each of the men around the table in turn. 'I will not surrender Constantinople,' he said finally. 'I will stay and fight, to the death if necessary. If we withstand this final assault, then victory will be ours.

'But I will not force you to stand beside me,' Constantine continued. 'If any of you wish to try to escape tonight by sea, then I will understand. You will have my thanks for the sacrifices that you have already made.'

'I will stay by your side to the death, My Lord,' Dalmata said.

'And I,' Longo echoed. One by one, each of the men around the table pledged themselves to stay.

'Thank you all,' Constantine said. 'Tomorrow I will send a messenger to the sultan telling him that I have refused his offer. Whoever delivers the message may not return. I will not order a man to his death. Ask amongst your men for volunteers.'

'I will go,' Notaras said.

Longo had not expected anything like this. 'No, Notaras,' he said. 'We need you here, at the walls. The Greeks look to you as their leader.'

'And if I die, then they will fight to avenge me,' Notaras said. 'But I do not plan to die. I have heard that the sultan is an honourable man. I do not believe that he will dare to put to death the megadux of Constantinople. And if he does, then I will not die without a fight.'

'I thank you for your offer, Notaras,' Constantine said. 'But I forbid it. You are too valuable to risk your life in such a way.'

'You cannot forbid me this,' Notaras replied. 'As megadux it is my right and duty to speak for Constantinople. I will not send another to do my duty.'

'It is not your duty to die like this,' Constantine said.

Notaras met the emperor's eye. 'You said it yourself, My Lord. If I am not willing to give my life, then how can I ask the same of my men?'

'Perhaps Notaras is right,' Sphrantzes added. 'The sultan has killed lesser emissaries, but he will hesitate before putting the megadux to death. Notaras might even be able to persuade the sultan to let us evacuate some of the women and children.'

'Very well,' Constantine said. 'You will deliver my message to the sultan, Notaras. But I expect you to return. Do nothing foolish.'

'I will not, My lord,' Notaras replied. 'I swear it.' The next morning Notaras stood in the shadow of the Golden Gate, dressed in his finest silver-plated armour in preparation for his visit with the sultan. The armour was for show only. Notaras had no intention of fighting. He had spent the night before at the Haghia Sofia, praying. Now he felt calm and ready. He would do what needed to be done.

The emperor and Longo had come to see him off. Constantine stepped forward and embraced Notaras. 'God give you strength We will be watching and waiting on the walls. I expect you to return.'

'I will do what I must, My Lord,' Notaras replied. Longo stepped forward and offered Notaras his hand. After a moment's hesitation, Notaras took it.

'It has been an honour to fight beside you,' Longo told him. 'Do return, Notaras. We will need you in the days to come.'

'If I do not return, guard the city well,' Notaras replied.

'I will,' Longo said. He lowered his voice. 'About Sofia…'

'You are a good man,' Notaras cut him off. 'I cannot blame you for loving her. I ask only that you protect her.'

Nearby, bells began to ring, signalling a changing of the guard on the walls of Constantinople. 'It is time,' Constantine said. 'God be with you, Notaras.'

Notaras nodded and mounted his horse as the Golden Gate swung open before him. He rode out past the walls and on to the plain beyond. Ahead of him loomed the Turkish fortifications: pointed logs projecting from a rampart of dirt some four feet high. Notaras headed for a low point in the middle of the earthen wall. When he reached it he found a troop of janissaries in their black armour waiting for him. At their head was a giant of a man.

'Dismount and come with us,' the huge janissary said in heavily accented Greek. Notaras dismounted and the troop closed around him, forming a large square with Notaras in the centre. Together, they set off into the middle of the camp. Notaras could see little past the janissaries around him, but from what he did see, the camp appeared to be in a frenzy of activity. He glimpsed several men piecing together wooden ladders, and many others sharpening weapons. Clearly, the sultan anticipated a fight.

The square came to a halt, and the janissaries in front of Notaras stepped to either side, revealing a large red tent with the sultan's standard flying atop it. Notaras stepped towards the entrance, but a tall, thin man in luxurious robes came out of the tent and stopped him. 'Greetings,' the man said in perfect Greek. 'I am Halil, grand vizier to the sultan. What is your name, and why have you come?'

'I am Lucas Notaras, megadux of Constantinople,' Notaras replied. 'I have come on behalf of the Emperor Constantine to deliver his response to the sultan.'

'Very well,' Halil replied. 'You must remove your weapons.' Notaras unbelted his sword and handed it to the janissary leader. The giant man began to search Notaras, but Halil waived him off. 'I will search him personally, Ulu,' he said. He quickly searched Notaras, patting his sides and feeling under his armour. When he had finished, Halil waived Notaras forward. 'Follow me.'

Notaras followed Halil into the tent. The floor and walls were covered with thick carpets, and the space was well lit with braziers and lanterns. On the far side of the tent the sultan lounged upon a divan, surrounded by generals in dark-grey armour and advisors in robes of gold and scarlet. Janissary guards lined the sides of the tent. Ulu followed Notaras inside and stood directly behind him. Halil motioned for Notaras to stop some twenty feet from the sultan. The grand vizier then spoke to Mehmed loudly in Turkish. Notaras understood nothing but his own name.

When Halil had finished, he turned and addressed Notaras in Greek. 'It is customary to kneel before the sultan.'

Notaras frowned. 'I am megadux of the Roman Empire. I kneel before no man but the emperor.'

There was grumbling from all sides at his response. Ulu leaned forward and growled in Notaras's ear, 'Bow before the sultan, dog.'

Notaras stood his ground. Ulu began to draw his sword, but the sultan waved him back. 'Let him be, Ulu,' Mehmed said in Greek. 'If the megadux will only kneel before his master, then so be it. He shall kneel before me soon enough. Now tell me, what message do you bring from the emperor?'

'The emperor will not surrender,' Notaras said. 'Nor will he ever serve you. He does ask, however, that you give safe passage to any women or children who wish to leave the city.'

Mehmed laughed. 'The emperor refuses my offer, and yet he makes demands.' The smile fell from Mehmed's lips, and when he spoke again his voice was harsh. 'There will be no safe passage. The people of Constantinople have had their chance to flee. When Constantinople falls, my soldiers will be given two days to sack the city. That is our law. I cannot change it. Tell that to your emperor. You may go.'

Notaras did not move. 'I have not finished. There is more that I must tell you, but I must speak to you alone.'

'Alone?' Mehmed retorted. 'Do you think me a fool? Whatever you have to say, you may say it here.'