Conquest 1453

Is 1453 a date that you often think about? Is it one of those dates in history that will live on in our heart and minds? Have you ever heard of the date? Likely the answer is no. However, this is not the case in Turkey. Remember. Turkey is really the remnants of the old Ottoman Empire. It took a World War to finally collapse that Empire. Modern day Turkey, especially under Prime Minister Erdogan, would like to resurrect the old system. Their stance on Israel has taken a marked turn for the worse. They are increasingly hostile to the West. And now, there is a blockbuster film dedicated to the defeat and annihilation of their ancient enemy, the Byzantines. The film is called Fetih 1453, or Conquest 1453 for Western audiences. This date marked the final destruction of the Western Roman Empire, a Christian Empire, albeit with its many faults. 

The fact that Turkey has created what is for them a big budget movie glorying its destruction illustrates its importance. It should also be important to the West. It shows that we are willing to allow Islam to spread without consequence. Up until that date, Byzantium battled back and forth, first with Persia and then with Islam, to retain its territory and the people that went with that territory. Now, the former Christian lands in the Middle East are virtually all Muslim. War is indeed hell, but sometimes war is necessary to hold back the hounds of hell that want to destroy you in this life and in the life to come. Take back Constantinople!

United States Does Not Recogize Jerusalem as an Israeli City

U.S. Supreme Court will hear appeal on Jerusalem passport | JTA - Jewish & Israel News: "The U.S. Supreme Court said it will hear the appeal of a U.S. citizen born in Jerusalem whose parents want Israel listed as his country of birth on his passport.

State Department officials refused to list Menachem as being born in Israel when his parents, who were both born in America and are U.S. citizens, appeared at the U.S. Embassy in Israel to obtain a passport for their son.

In what country does Jerusalem reside? The United States should recognize Jerusalem as the sovereign capital of the State of Israel. It was taken back in 1967 after several Arab countries prepared to attack Israel. Israel's right to the city goes back millennia. Just how long ago does a country need to establish its borders for it to be recognized? The aggression of Islamic states have encroached the West for years. Why recognize those borders just because the aggression took place several hundred years ago as opposed to a few decades ago. Constantinople was illegally taken by the Turks in 1453. Nobody except the Greeks think it should be returned. Why recognize those borders and not recognize Jerusalem as Israel's? It makes no sense. Take Back Constantinople! Leave Jerusalem to the Jewish people and remove the Dome of the Rock which only stands to humiliate the Israel in the middle of their own city.

Turkey's Persecution of the Orthodox Church

It is surprising the Turks didn't drive out the church long ago. That is to their credit. However, how does the population of a region become 99% Muslim when it originated as Christian? By force! The Ottoman Empire is gone and so should the Muslim rule of Constantinople.

Take Back Constantinople!

30,000 Killed in Sports Stadium During Uprising

During an uprising that centered in a sports arena, army commanders were sent in to stop the rebellion. While one general began killing the rebels from the inside, the other commander blocked the exits to those that tried to leave. Just prior to the decision, the leader was about to flee the country. However, an impassioned plea from his wife changed his mind.

How could this happen in the world today? Well, it didn't. It happened many centuries ago in the Western Roman Empire known to outsiders as the Byzantine Empire. The leader was Justinian, one of the most well-known and admired leaders of the entire reign of Byzantium which lasted until 1453. In 532, Justinian put down the "Nika Revolt" by sending in probably the best general the empire ever had, Belisarius. The slaughter lasted until more than 30,000 were killed. His wife, Theodora, instilled some sense of strength in her husband by saying the following to the Emperor and his advisers: "I do not care whether or not it is proper for a woman to give brave counsel to frightened men; but in moments of extreme dander, conscience is the only guide. Every man who is born into the light of day must sooner or later die; and how can an Emperor ever allow himself to become a fugitive? If you, my lord, wish to save your skin, you will have no difficulty in doing so. We are rich, there is the sea, there too are our ships. But consider first whether, when you reach safety, you will not regret that you did not choose death in preference. As for me, I stand by the ancient saying: royalty makes the best shroud". 

History shows that the Empire and the entire world prospered and was a better place because of Justinian. Most of his accomplishments were done after the revolt was put down. Was it good that over 30,000 were killed? Certainly not. Was it justified? History proves the answer is probably yes. 

So when is it okay to rebel against your government? Treason is defined by Webster as the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign's family. Most would say this is punishable by death. Should leaders in the 21st century use the death penalty on those who are treasonous? In many cases, the answer is yes. Chaos is not a better thing to even a corrupt leader. However, the difference between treason and a successful revolution is just that, success. Those that start down the road of rebellion must know the consequences of such a decision. Success or failure means the difference between life and death.  

Take Back Constantinople!

The Byzantine Empire was dedicated in 330 A.D. by the Roman Emperor, Constantine, and dominated most of Eastern Europe for over 1,000 years. It began and continued to be a Christian Monarchy. The emperor was thought to be Christ’s representative on earth and one of a long line of Roman Emperors. 

In 1453, the city was overrun by the Turks under Mehmed II who had previously swore an oath by the prophet Mohammad and the Koran that he would be devoted to peace with Byzantium. 

Audio of The Battle of Constantinople:

From an Islamic Perspective -About 1 hr long, but worth it.

From the West's Perspective -Excellent conclusion to a series.

Also available is 12 Byzantine Rulers which is a very good series of podcasts.

This picture depicts the city’s last stand. 7,000 Romans defended the city with Constantine IX as its last Emperor. The city held out for 53 days against a force of over 80,000 and almost repelled the Turkish hordes completely.

Much of modern day Turkey and Northern Africa were Christian prior to Muslims taking control. The populace, which was at various times and in various places Christian, was forced to convert to Islam. Now these countries are left to maintain Islam with little or no resistance from Christian nations elsewhere.

Catholic News Agency - In a.d. 632, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, North Africa, Spain, France, Italy, and the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica were all Christian territories. Inside the boundaries of the Roman Empire, which was still fully functional in the eastern Mediterranean, orthodox Christianity was the official, and overwhelmingly majority, religion. Outside those boundaries were other large Christian communities — not necessarily orthodox and Catholic, but still Christian. Most of the Christian population of Persia, for example, was Nestorian. Certainly there were many Christian communities in Arabia. 

By a.d. 732, a century later, Christians had lost Egypt, Palestine, Syria, North Africa, Spain, most of Asia Minor, and southern France. Italy and her associated islands were under threat, and the islands would come under Muslim rule in the next century. The Christian communities of Arabia were entirely destroyed in or shortly after 633, when Jews and Christians alike were expelled from the peninsula. Those in Persia were under severe pressure. Two-thirds of the formerly Roman Christian world was now ruled by Muslims.

There have been attempts to regain Constantinople, however.

• 1454 - Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, avowed to take up arms against the Turks. Did not materialize.
• 1459 - Pope Pius II calls for another Crusade to recover the city. It does not materialize.
• Greek War of Independence (from the Ottoman Empire/Turkey) 1821-1830
• “Following the fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Empire, most of Greece came under Ottoman rule.” Wikipedia
• Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878
• Greco-Turkish War 1919-1922

The patriarchs of the early church were based in the following cities where the region was predominately Christian:

1. Alexandria - present day Egypt (Muslim)
1. Last taken by the Muslims in 641.
2. Destruction of the one of the most famous libraries in the world. Documents that will never be recovered.
2. Antioch - present day Syria (Muslim)
1. Last taken by the Muslims in 1268.
2. Prior to 1268, the city changed from Christian to Muslim many times with the Byzantines, Crusaders, and Muslims battling for control throughout the centuries.
3. Last to take the city was Egyptian Mamluk Sultan Baibars massacred the Christian population.
3. Jerusalem - present day Israel (Secular/Jewish)(Temple Mount controlled by Muslims)
4. Rome - present day Italy (Christian)
5. Constantinople - present day Turkey (Muslim)

Islam would like to rule the world and subject all peoples to their sharia law. The people in the regions of Northern Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East are given no choice only because the last conquest of their lands were made by Muslims. Since it was long ago, the will in the West to take these lands back is non-existent.

References in the Bible that at one time were Christian:
Ephesus (In modern day Turkey - Muslim)
Galatia (In modern day Turkey - Muslim)  
Phillippi (In modern day Greece - once held by the Ottoman Empire)
Thessolenica (In modern day Greece - once held by the Ottoman Empire)

At its peak, Islam was on the precipice of taking over all of Europe. The primary force holding it back was Byzantium.

Map of peak of Byzantium’s Influence

Animated map of the Byzantium’s progress and regress

Questions not answered:

• Why are these vast lands left in the hands of Islam?
• Should Islam be allowed to stop at the current borders? 
• Why is the last conquest the final conquest? 
• What makes these borders the final borders?
• What if Islam intended to force their way further into the West? Would we resist or would we settle for the “new normal”? 

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This glorious church, the Hagia Sophia, was converted into a Mosque after Constantinople fell. However, one can still see its Christian origins throughout. 

The Hippodrome of Constantinople

The Great Bastion