Constantine XI Palaiologos
The final emperor who chose to die fighting with his men rather than surrender, his fall marking the end of the thousand-year Roman Empire.
1405–1453 (age 48)·Last Byzantine Emperor from 1449 to 1453·Birthday: February 8
Biography
Constantine XI Palaiologos inherited a throne that was more a memory than a kingdom. By 1449, the Byzantine Empire had been reduced to the city of Constantinople itself and a few scraps of land, surrounded by the expanding Ottoman Empire under the young, ambitious Sultan Mehmed II. Constantine, a seasoned soldier and administrator, knew the odds were impossible but dedicated himself to the defense of Christendom's great eastern capital. He appealed desperately to Western Europe for aid, which arrived only in paltry numbers. For 53 days in the spring of 1453, he directed a heroic defense against overwhelming Ottoman forces and massive cannons. On the final day, as the walls were breached, he is said to have cast off his imperial purple regalia and charged into the fray alongside his soldiers. His body was never identified, passing into myth. His death was not just the end of a man or a dynasty, but the closing act of the Roman Empire, an event that sent shockwaves through the world and defined the dawn of a new age.
#1 When Constantine Was Born
The biggest hits of 1405
Constantine's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1405Born
1410Started school
1418Became a teenager
1421Could drive
1423Could vote
1426Turned 21
1435Turned 30
1445Turned 40
1453Died at 48
Key Achievements
- Was the last reigning Emperor of the Roman Empire, ruling from 1449 until his death in 1453.
- Successfully governed the Despotate of the Morea (the Peloponnese) for years prior to his ascension, strengthening its fortifications.
- Led the final, desperate defense of Constantinople against the Ottoman siege for nearly two months.
- Sought to heal the centuries-old schism between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in a final bid for military aid from the West.
- His death in battle became a powerful symbol of martyrdom and resistance in Greek and Eastern Orthodox history.
Did You Know?
Before becoming emperor, he was the Despot of the Morea and used the name Constantine Dragases, after his Serbian mother's family.
He was offered safe passage and a governorship by Mehmed II if he surrendered the city, but refused.
A legend, the 'Marble Emperor,' states he was turned to marble by an angel and sleeps beneath Constantinople, awaiting the city's recapture.
He was married twice; his second wife died in 1442, and he never remarried, leaving no direct heir.
His younger brother, Thomas Palaiologos, continued to claim the imperial title in exile after his death.
“The city is fallen and I am still alive.”
