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Mehmed had promised his men three days of plundering this city, which were to rip it apart. Soldiers brutally fought over spoils of war, thousands of Christians were murdered or raped, and 30,000 citizens were enslaved and forcibly deported. Riding through the city weeks later, the Sultan would find swathes of the city in ruin, churches torn down, houses deserted, and shops burnt down.

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All out offensive began shortly after midnight. The Ottomans sent in force-conscripted Christians first, and then poorly equipped irregulars, to wear down the defenders, followed by Anatolians attacking an older, and so weaker, section of the wall. They succeeded in breeching it, but were quickly repelled by defenders. Finally, a last wave of elite Janissaries attacked the walls- managing to grievously wound Giovanni, a sight which caused panic in the defenders ranks.

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After inconclusive frontal offensives, the Ottomans attempted to mine under the walls, but a German engineer working with the Genoese built countermines, allowing the defenders to intercept known Ottoman tunnels and kill workers. They were able to capture two officers in one such skirmish, and tortured them to gain the whereabouts of all the other tunnels- promptly destroying them.

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Using a road of greased logs, Mehmed was able to transport ships into the Golden Horn, limiting supplies the defenders could receive and severely damaging morale. The defenders attempted to destroy the Ottoman ships with fire ships, but failed- with Mehmed ordering the would-be saboteurs to be impaled on stakes within sight of the walls.

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With Giovanni's men retreating, Constantine was left to try and hold back the Janissary waves, and many points along the wall were overwhelmed. A gate accidentally being left open resulted in some Janissaries able to raise the Ottoman flag on the ramparts, further shattering moral. Seeing the turn of battle, many Greeks ran home to try and protect their families. Many more committed suicide by jumping off of the walls. Aware of his city crumbling around him, Constantine threw off his royal cloak and led a final charge into the incoming waves. He died like a common soldier on the streets.

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One of the greatest fortifications yet built, recently renovated made Constantine believe he could hold out for reinforcements, but they only had enough men to garrison this one wall

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Greatest artillery pieces of the period, with one cannon (Basilica) having a range of a mile. Reloading, however, took so long as to allow defenders to repair the wall

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Member of one of the great Genoese houses who personally financed and captained an expedition of 700 trained soldiers to support Constantine

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Had 80,000 men and 120 ships, compared Constantine's to 7,000 men and 21 ships

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Chain raised to stop enemy ships from attacking the sea wall in the Golden Horn

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Called for Western nations to support him, but only nations immediately threatened by the Ottomans (mostly Genoa and, half-heartedly, Venice) bothered

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The doomed final emperor of the beleaguered Romans, his city still crippled from the Fourth Crusade

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Crowned Sultan of the Ottomans at age nineteen, immediately beginning to prepare for an assault on Constantinople