Constantin XI Paleologist

Constantin XI (or XII) Paleologist , known as Dragasés , born in 1405 with Constantinople, dead the May 29th 1453 on the walls of Constantinople, is the last Byzantine emperor October 31st 1448 with the May 29th 1453, and consequently the last Roman Emperor of the History, at the end of almost 1500 years during which the title was carried.

Wire of Manual II Paleologist, Byzantine emperor, and of Helene Dragas (Serb), it Marie twice: initially in 1428 with Madeleine Tocco († 1429), girl of Léonard II Toco, lord of Zante, then the July 27th 1441 with Catherine Gattilusi († 1442), girl of Dorino Ier, lord of Lesbos.

In 1443, it is despotic of Mistra, and to died of his/her brother Jean VIII the October 31st 1448, it goes up on the Byzantine throne. He is not regarded as an emperor because he is crowned in Mistra and not in Constantinople as it was the case for his/her father and his brother.

On Tuesday, December 12 1452, it makes read solemnly the Laetentur Coeli , with the basilica Holy-Sophie of Constantinople and proclaim the union of the two Churches, Roman and Byzantine.

Mehmed II becomes Othoman sultan in 1451 and threatens Constantinople. Constantin XI, without money, can align only six to seven thousand soldiers, mainly Italian, vis-a-vis the two hundred and thousand Turks.

Mehmet II puts the seat in front of Constantinople that Constantin defends heroically. On Tuesday, May 29, 1453 in the morning, a Turkish section discovers a postern - the Kerkoporta , close to the palate of Blachernes - left open inadvertently: it is the beginning of the end. The battle is baited and when all is lost, Constantin XI surrounded by faithful, gets rid of the imperial badges and throws itself in the mass of the Janissaires in an ultimate heroic load.

Its corpse was never found: if it is not excluded that it was identified and buried in secrecy by the rare Christian inhabitants lived Constantinople after the conquest, or by the soldiers Turkish at the time of the calculation of deaths, the most probable version is that its body never was not identified and was buried in a common grave with the bodies of its soldiers. Another widespread legend is that it is buried in what is today the hagiasma of Aydabir in the district of Unkapani. With him finishes the Byzantine Empire on May 29th, 1453.

The emperors Jean VIII and Constantin XI die without male heir. The two last wire of Handbook II, Démétrios and Thomas, divide the government of the despotat of Morée (Peloponnese). Instead of carrying help to Constantinople besieged, the two brothers deliver a suicidal fratricidal war. The sultan Mehmed II decides to liquidate the last vestiges of the Byzantine Empire. Démétrios chooses to go to the sultan: it receives a money large sum and some islands of Égée in prerogative. Thomas takes refuge initially in Raguse which refuses to accommodate it then with settles in Rome where it accommodated by the pope Pie II. Until its death, he is regarded as the heir to the Byzantine Empire.

During years 1990, the workers who repaired the foundations of an old Greek church of Istanbul discovered a fitted decapitated skeleton of boots crimsons struck of a silver plated eagle. It is possible that it is about the body of the last emperor of Byzance

N.B. Certain byzantinists consider one or the other of the Constantin Co-emperors in the numbered list of the emperors of this name, so that Dragasès becomes it twelfth of the name.

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