End Of The Roman Empire | Part 2: Manuel II Palaiologos

12/31/24 • 21 min

The Byzantine Empire was on the verge of collapse. Surrounded by enemies, Emperor Manuel II faced the daunting task of saving Constantinople from the relentless advance of the Ottoman Turks.

Sultan Bayezid "The Thunderbolt" had tightened his grip around the ancient city, and its fall seemed inevitable.

Yet, when all hope seemed lost, an unexpected threat to the Ottomans arose, offering the Byzantine Empire a final, fleeting reprieve...

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The Byzantine Empire was on the verge of collapse. Surrounded by enemies, Emperor Manuel II faced the daunting task of saving Constantinople from the relentless advance of the Ottoman Turks.

Sultan Bayezid "The Thunderbolt" had tightened his grip around the ancient city, and its fall seemed inevitable.

Yet, when all hope seemed lost, an unexpected threat to the Ottomans arose, offering the Byzantine Empire a final, fleeting reprieve...

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Previous Episode

End Of The Roman Empire | Part 1: The Beggar Kings

In this episode, we dive into the turbulent final century of the Byzantine Empire through the eyes of one of its most fascinating figures: John VI Kantakouzenos.

A reluctant emperor, John inherited a crumbling empire beset by internal strife and foreign threats. While others dreamed of restoring Rome’s former glory, John envisioned a smaller, reformed state that could survive by diplomacy and pragmatism. His alliances with the rising Ottoman Turks, the Italian merchant republics, and the Serbian kingdom reveal the precarious balancing act required to hold the empire together.

We also explore the destructive civil wars that fractured the ruling Palaiologos dynasty, the growing dominance of Venice and Genoa in Byzantine politics, and the meteoric rise of the Ottoman Turks—an alliance that would later become the empire’s greatest enemy.

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand why the Byzantine Empire fell—and marvel at how it managed to survive as long as it did.

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Next Episode

The 1453 Siege Of Constantinople: Part 1

In this episode, we trace the final, desperate days of the Byzantine Empire through the eyes of its last emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos, and his formidable rival, Sultan Mehmet II.

As the walls of Constantinople trembled under the relentless bombardment of Ottoman cannons, two vastly different leaders prepared for war—Constantine, a resolute ruler defending his crumbling empire, and Mehmet, a young, ambitious conqueror determined to carve his name into history.

Both men knew the battle was inevitable.

In Constantinople, fear hung heavy in the air as the people clung to fading hopes of Western aid. In Edirne, Mehmet’s forges thundered, casting the largest cannon ever built.

Ancient prophecies foretold the city's fall, but history also warned of disaster for any Muslim ruler who dared to seize it.

The last battle of the great Christian empire was at hand—and both sides knew it would be a fight to the death.

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