The MASSIVE Ancient Superweapon That Shattered The Walls Of Constantinople: The Basilic Cannon
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- Standing 40 feet tall and boasting a thickness of over 16 feet, the inner Theodosian Walls of ancient Constantinople were once thought to be impenetrable. Yet, in the year 1453, these seemingly unbreakable barriers met their match in one of the largest caliber weapons ever forged - the Ottoman Empire’s Basilic Cannon.
In the 15th Century, the development of the cannon marked a groundbreaking advancement in artillery. This colossal weapon proved to be a catalyst for military and diplomatic transformations, heralding a new epoch of siege warfare and defensive tactics.
Constructed when cannons were still in their infancy, the Basilic Cannon's massive size and historical significance assured its place in the annals of history. The cannon's tremendous power was indisputable; however, even its ambitious creator could not have foreseen the pivotal role it would play in the 1453 Siege of Constantinople...
Can you imagine the sound those cannons made, and the sheer destruction of such masive walls....epic and choatic.
Even seen or been near an M777? yeah
@@Thx1138sober6 inches vs 30 inches, makes the 777 a mere pop gun.
All I'm hearing is tinnitus when i imagine it.
Slow burning powder and crumbly stoneballs. It took many days to kick s wall down. Most large bores were wrecked during a siege and within 20 shots fired.
Metal af
I work with cranes around 20ton capacity, hearing their cannon weighed 16tons and they managed to move it around back then is amazing enough.
It's insane how this thing could be transported and fired at all! I wouldn't have expected the metallurgy to be good enough to cast barrels of that size and them survive firing.
Or historians made up lies like this fantastical, gigantic canon about the mysteries of the past, and they built lucrative, highly esteemed careers on those lies.
@@tardigrade9493 Examples? It's easy to cast doubt, and there is no shortage of things to doubt in the world, but I see a lot more evidence in this video proving the cannon existed than what you are producing that it never existed. Just sayin'.......
@@choosesomethingfun5608 Ummm, do I look like God to you? Gee, thanks, I guess. "The person making a negative claim cannot logically prove nonexistence. And here's why: to know that a X does not exist would require a perfect knowledge of all things (omniscience). To attain this knowledge would require simultaneous access to all parts of the world and beyond (omnipresence)." - random internet source.
@@tardigrade9493 You are the one who called it a lie when you said, "Or historians made up lies like this fantastical, gigantic canon".
@@choosesomethingfun5608 It is best not to argue with child or idiot.
humans are crazy. as soon as you make something and go "this is the best! it's indestructible!" someone just gotta be standing there like "holdeth mine meadhorn! 😈"
Or Mother Nature does something like hit you with an iceberg
It took over 1000 years to breach it though….
😆😆🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😆😆😂😂😂😂
Yes Harold Horn Holder
@@HarupertBeagleton-dz5gw beat me too it lol
Man that dude Constantine XI is def my new fav dude from history. This BAMF is the freakin Emperor, but that didnt stop him from going out like a true G. Made the wrong decision as a leader, but came all the way down to the streets as just a man, and fought til the bitter end right alongside everyone else. He didnt hide, he didnt run, he didnt beg, didnt do anymore talking, he grabbed a sword and went out in a blaze of glory. That is a good death, a very very good death. Timeless G isht. And if the victor truly does write the history books, then even them guys were blown away by his actions, to the point they didnt even lie about it, for him they told it like it was and gave him his props. The Emperor must have swung that sword really, really well since there was no coverup this time in the history even the victors wrote, and they were savage too. What a cool man this Constantine XI must have been.
He was a great Emporer. Every bit as good as any of the best of his Imperial predecessors. Prior to this conflict, he re-took territory in Greece with his then limited resources. He was a valiant warrior, leader of men, and a Christian Believer ! I hope to meet him one day in Heaven and tell him he has been a hero of mine since first reading about him in my World History class in 1970-1 . I enjoyed your post and good words.😊
Definition of keeping your chin up for the end.
Amen
Turkish Bombards: the most awesome, iconic and siege-changing medieval weapon in the history of the world
Build by Hungarian .European not a turk...for ur information.
@@JkHellas the biggest cannon was made by a Hungarian but the rest of the cannons were made by Turkish engineers. Don't talk without knowledge mr popodopoloso.
Turkish Bombards.Actually we call ŞAHİ.
Overshadowed in every way by American firepower
@@n00b_n00b_ The hungarian sold his ass for $ and fucked up Europe for turkish delight
One of the greatest oversights in Medieval military history is the belief that the Ottoman's didn't posses the necessary natural resources to build the canon. The Ottoman empire at this time was ascending to the peak of its financial superiority, with the peak being at the reign of Ahmed III. This would be Mehmet II's great-grandson.
They didn't, they needed hungarians to build it
@@Storm-zc6ji The hungarians knew how to build it but the ottomans had mines and gold to allow them to build it and be paid to build it.
@@Storm-zc6ji we're talking about money here. If you can buy it, you don't need to mine it/build it yourself.
The Ottomans' metallurgy was more advanced in general. They discovered the use of limestone for iron production so they had the purest and strongest metals and a lot of them.
@@Storm-zc6ji I thought historians built it, then hid it real good :)
i'm watching this for the third time in as many years, it's fascinating, i've been subscribed since before the AI youtube clip really was a thing so I trust you dude, thank you very much, you always illuminate me about something new or something I thought I understood but was wrong, way way wrong. You are a champ pal.
How have I not heard about or been taught about this? It’s so annoying that history class could’ve been so fascinating and fun but my school always managed to make it boring.
And even the history teachers always seemed very bored with the subject themselves. I guess because they had a story they had to teach.
Roger Crowley wrote a few very interesting books about the various sieges and the maritime issues arising therefrom. This video did justice to the knowledge that I have from those books.
I learned about it both in middle school and high school when we talked about the Byzantine Empire.
Schools are meant to teach you how to be a good slave, nothing more.
Because its Muslim history. Christian, secular ppl always been enemy of islam. I invite you to learn Islam and muslim history your mind will be blown away more ..
'Ottoman Slap' .
Ottoman soldiers were feared for their 'slap' . One slap was enough to break the neck vertebras.
Orban adds new meaning to the word traitor and mercenary.
which orban?...
Idk why but your voice makes me sleep like a baby through these vids
i like how they were willing to inconvenience themselves & put heavy intricate carvings on it just to flex a little harder lol
Interesting documentary ! The notable work “Chronographia” of Michael Psellos (Psellus), prominent Byzantine Historian and Imperial Courtier to several Byzantine Emperors (11th century), is one of the best accounts and series of biographies from emperor Basil II to Nikephoros III.
A unique and valuable source on the history of the 11th century Byzantine Empire. Truly, a historic and academic treasure.
So sad, that the walls of such a mighty and iconic place as Constantinople were blown apart in that manner..
A one_of_a_kind city, having its fortification shredded like that.
So Beautiful
Attilary
The Byzantine soldiers were brave and led by a real leader who led from the front.
"In the coming conflict ideas will be more important than bombs."
Now behold as the Neo Ottomans construct equally game changing weapons of the future. In sha Allah.
What? Skyrocketing inflation?
Stop saying it was a continuation of the roman empire, It stopped being a Roman/Latin-based empire in about the 5 century AD and transformed linguistically and culturally into a Hellenic/ Greek empire. There was a saying in Constantinople " Better a Turk than a Latin" as the distrust for the Catholics was palpable after they sacked the city in 1204. It is also thought that the Hungarian who designed the cannon first offered it to the Byzantines.
After the first Sack, you are absolutely correct. But before the first Sack, Hellenes of the area identified as Romans, Romii (Ρωμιοί) to be exact, meaning not the actual citizens of Rome but of the Empire. They definitelly knew their ancestors were mythycal heroes like Heracles and Achilles but they fully embraced their new identity.
Also, a level of "exploitation" of the name "Rome" took place in the Middle Ages. A Roman had prestige among barbarians to the North, South, East and West. Because West until the 8th century was irrelevant.
@@Billswiftgti I believe that the Hellenes/Greeks once converted to Christianity became dogmatic in their beliefs, so much so that they rejected their Hellenism and embraced a Roman identity to undermine their own legacy and past. Yet paradoxically Rome itself was pagan. This was the very psychology that produced a Byzantine Romi (Ρωμιοί).
@@epigoniisnow787 I think this is true up until the end of 12th century. Until then Greeks were cocky of being Roman and all but got humbled by the first sack. Then became localists again (they never stop being), many kingdoms "empires" rose and claimed "Imperium", but the re-Hellenization was in full effect. Since then the Roman citizen identity is lost, but not forgotten.
Rome began conquering the Greeks, then the Greeks conquered Rome from. The inside after the success of the Macedonian ddinasty.
The Byzantine Empire was the Roman Empire run by the Greeks.
Sayeth hello to thy little friend!
When the customer doesnt want to buy your cannon so you sell it to the people invading them 😂😂😂
I had that thought also. The humans can be frightfully ruthless, greedy, heartless, etc., etc.
@dariixxiv5371...It's called Free Enterprise...gotta love it...!!
Yah, that part didn't escape me, either. Pretty wild
At least the Bizantines could have refused the offer and then murder the salesman... That way he couldn't sale it to the enemy either...
I have always thought about that.
30 ton cannon & 1500 lbs ammunition, so how'd they load it cuz these are sword , horse , wagon people & no mention of how much powder?
By far, the two most important development of weapons that changed warfare was the invention of cannons, and the invention of machine guns.
Before cannons, it was pretty easy to make a fort that couldn’t be penetrated.
Before machine guns, armies fought in lines with one side charging, the other side defending, and in general it was thought that the charging army had the advantage.
I would add tanks to that list as well imo
More general, the invention of gunpowder and the application of it to weapons.
Not even just machine guns. Hell, being able to just squeeze the trigger on a arquebus eliminated the near decade of training to become a skilled bowman
The invention of Atomic and Nuclear Weapons changed Humanity, and Warfare, Forever. Weapons of Mass Destruction Took us from Humans Fightings Wars and Battles and let us Play God. We could Kill Hundreds of Thousands, if not Millions of People in Less Time than it Takes a Human to Blink.
Wrong on every count, trebuchet and catapults made short work of stone walls, battering rams have always pwned gates and doors, guerilla warfare mooted formation attacks, etcetera. Plus most of your premises are wrong. Defense is always an order of magnitude more expensive than offense, walls have never historically been successfully used for defense, etcetera. I could go on for half an hour refuting this nonsense above.
Is it basilic or basilisk cannon?
Orban the creator of the cannon to the Sultan Mehmed 2 "I can not only turn the walls of Constantinople into dust with my gun, but the very walls of Babylon itself."
Very well done. Small point - the Czar cannon is inside the Kremlin, not outside. (Yes I've been there)
shut it
Oh bs you were not there. I was there and I never saw you!
@@jimmylight4866
He was there Jimmy, he was standing right behind you!
I can attest that he was there. I saw him in the bathroom.
@@alexcortez3007 Men's or Ladies?
Excellent
My mrs says i have a huge calibre weapon too 😎🤣🤣🤣
Cool video, more cannon videos from around the world please 👍
"The bombard hits the tower of St Romanos and cuts him in half"
In Golconda Fort Hyderabad , there is a big massive cannon all the way up in 'bala hisar'
I wonder how they were able to bring it up. And the stairs are too narrow for even a human being.
If an Ancient Roman tactician were there... He would station some ballistas and have alchemist make white phosphorus or napalm to counter the cannon? Maybe just tie some explosives to the giant arrows fired by the ballistas? Perhaps the range and accuracy still cannot match that cannon?
thank you
The Ottomans didnt ikll the Emperor like they may have thought when they saw him go down in battle. See a man dies 2 deaths, but he isnt really dead until the second death; a man's first death happens when his physical body dies. His second, real, death only happens when his name is finally spoken for the last time by those who knew him, or those who knew of him. So all the Ottomans really did was make Constantine XI immortal. All of history seems to have witnessed the Emperor's heroic last stand, when the Emperor was slain fighting alongside his people in the streets of his legendary city. His name will never cease to be spoken of now, his name, Constantine XI, will now be spoken throughout all the history even still yet to happen. Immortal.
4:50 Damn! That is a big boi!
There are massive cannons used by Tipu Sultan in Madras museum.
who has the cannon now, where is it today?
Destroyed and recycled as it broke after repeated firings. The Dardanelles gun is a scale model of the former cannon.
Good video thank you👋👋🎩🌴
really cool fkn video man.. wow!!! 😮💪💪💪👊👊👊👊🙏🙏🙏💥💥💥💥💥BOOM!!!! 💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
I read this superweapon was very bad to use against the walls, it was not worth it and the superweapon did not make Contantinople to fall. It was several smart choice from Mehmet 2.
Besides Turks are deemed as some of the best warriors.
The ruthless Turkish barbaric Islamic savages are known mostly for committing genocides and attrocities by expatriation of millions of indegenous people from their ancestral lands.
The turks like the Ottoman savages they always pick
on smaller countries with a smaller population fraction of their size.Never their own size.During the Greek War of independence the Greek freedom fighters they had to fight not only turks but all Arabic Muslims and yet they
managed to defeat their armies numerous times their size.
Just like in the fall of Constantinople where 7500 thousands Byzantines fought 100,000 jannisary savages and still managed to defend the polis over two months. Without any outside help from the Latino catholic traitors..
by who xD
That's why their best units historically were either mercenaries or the janissaries! And don't let the fact that Turks were Mongols vessels for centuries ruin this almighty dream of yours! Let's face it dude there are no real Turks left, there is nothing Turkic in modern Turks and that's a good thing I may add
@@anastasiosrounis3969 these were their best units, but their best opponents were civilians.
@@anastasiosrounis3969 what you have been drinking bro xd
Always informative you’re an excellent documentary maker..
Imagine being the guy to say “nah fam we good”
And then seeing the thing you turned down, blow out your castle wall for the first time ever
I am astonished they built the biggest cannon in history (of significant historical value) in THREE MONTHS! cad drawings would take longer in modern times
They didn't speak like that back then.
@@Zoomboomdoom414 bet, build one
@@paulryan2128 nor in English, ift thy did thyst in thy slang
He didnt believe they "was good" he simply could not afford it, even to hire mercenaries for defence they melted all the gold from the churches further angering the Orthodox priests.
@@spiritusIRATUS I’m actually surprised they didn’t just whack the guy
What exactly he means Constantinople was controlled by the Byzantine empire? .
Constantinople was their capital city
Basilic is overrated as it was operated only several times before it simply cracked due to heat and pressure. Still even the presence of such giant firing to the Walls had surely huge psycological effects on the defenders.
Intense
Rite now...I'm commentless
Orban is my last name... I would like to think that there is relation lol
Where is it now?
..... Amazing, how th difference of just one letter can turn a forum into a comedy that beats anything on tv.
Yes, folks : some really heavy duty CANONS were in fact constructed, back in the day, by Bach and other heavyweight composers.
And those CANONS had no known role in taking down city walls.
Great narration and corresponding pictures of the topic being discussed, excellent!!!
Those walls stood firm for 1000 years and had protected Byzantium a great many times. And thanks to the fact, Roman History lives on to this very day.
😂😂
*protected the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire it’s culture does exist because Turks did decide not to destroy the culture of others. Protecting of others meant in the Ottomon Empire meant: Romans die have their own lows, own judges, own taxes, own schools own history language lessons, own leaders own churches. They where almost an country inside the Ottoman Empire.
Could the ottoman Turk destroy all this… answer Yes easily. They could if wanted destroy roman and others 400 times at least. Why because they have always been strong. Not afraid not accountable . But Turks believe in justice.
No
How many people died.
Imagine being the bloke who lit the fuse !
Imagine being the bloke on the walls !
@@VIPER03100 😂
unless they had a really long fuse they prlly had to get a new guy each time they shot it lol
an honored position, no doubt
You mean the Giant... Look how large the cannonballs are we couldn't even load it ! 😂
15th century gerrad bull
3 hour reload time 😂 wow
Do a video about women
Hungary Master Orban.Picaso in militaty history.
THE BOMBARD
Orban was a traitor.
no a Hero and a genius
This is an incredible video.❤
BIG BERTHA: HOLD MY BEER.
The only empire to regain itself after being conquered by the ottomans was the Spanish and they did quite a good job they were left with such a sour taste they would seek to impose the same treatment they recurved now amongst others
not 1.5 miles but 1.5 km
@ikman3410 they weren't Americans
They like their superfund in that part of the world 😂
Die Superfünder... great movie
@@chrislevack405 Should have read super guns, fat fingers 🤣🤣🤣
Do you know the movie I'm talking about? Wonderful cover art.
@@chrislevack405 sadly no, I tried to look it up but got nowhere.
@ddoherty5956 oh... well... it's a German porn... and the cover is this ridiculously fat lady in-between subway sandwich bread... and she's pretending like she's trying to get out. It's absolutely hilarious (even funnier that I thought that's what you were referencing).
Not sure if you wanted to know that, but good day to you =]
The Holy Hand Grenade! 1...2...4..3 sir...3!
Free cookies!
Is that real, firing a 1500 pound cannonball around a mile to mile and a half.😮
our ancestors didn't fkn play around
Through out history there have been many pivotal moments but this was a portent of things to come and would repeat itself 492 years later while this cannon made more than 2 shots it was the first 2 that changed the battle and bringing the end of the medieval age, 492 years and another 2 shots and the end of one age and the beginning of the atomic age.
It was never called the Byzantine Empire.
They called themselves "Romania."
Nebelwerfer 42
Please consider that not all of your listeners / viewers are nativ english speakers. You talk extremely fast !
Orban and the turks - how appropriate!
Dude wtf man, someone seriously needs to do something about these nonstop fn nonsense ads because to be 100% honest it's like "ENOUGH IS F'N ENOUGH"!!!!! seriously youtube it's F'N ENOUGH!!!!!!
Seriously enough is fn enough dude. If thy were being sued for each ad thy shove down our throats they'd be FLAT BROKE. "FACTS"!!!!
Orban was just one of the masters who poured the balls. There were other masters like him. Of course, Europeans like to take credit for themselves, as usual.
As do most people in general
@@rimrunz1795exactly, this is common in mostly cultures.
Show me then cannon
If you haven't done a video on Gerald Bull, it would be a good topic for one of your other channels.
I am sure that the Israelis already saw such a video on it, which is why Mr. Bull no longer is breathing.
Great job on this video.
Efing bozgors, man!
Constantinople should be re named and brought to its original glory and title along with the Hagia Sophia, now it stands as a mosque and has had its interior painted over and not even done nicely…that was where people sought refuse and where slaughtered along with animals
This wasn’t uncommon for the age but it’s something we don’t hear much about now something once beautiful has now got the name Istanbul…it just sounds and looks crap still to this day
Lies
@@Y_mhfda typical response pattern from your type.
No decent argument?..... Just accuse the other side of lying.
Hav you ever even BEEN there?
They did not fall rather the Turks beached a gate so don’t talk crap
In 2 of 3 Old German , Law Books . The Queen of California asked The Habpsburg King IF She could destroy Constantinople.
Not the first Orbán who helps the Turks in history.
its not ancient its medival.But yes you can get more fame with clickbait.
Muslims destroyed Chistrians.
It's God the pass judgment.. Yes, God have used the Muslims to punish Christians, but God used Mongols to punish the Muslims.. I think Muslims will bring down the USA, though.. Your right, Muslims took down Christians in the Middle East, most nations there are not Christians, but Muslims.. They took down Constantinople.. Now they got the West, in their sites.. I think God may give them to them, even with nukes.. What can USA do against, Muslim Terrorist such as ISIS ? ? God is punishing USA, for their homosexual sins..
Greek fire can only do so much.
It can't do a SHIT
Greek Fire was gone by then. Forgotten. People forget that in 1453, Constantinople was a shadow of it's former self. Even had crops between the ruins of old buildings.
The last nail to the coffin was hit by the Ottomans.
@@BillswiftgtiThere are some reports that Greek fire was used or attempted to use in the Golden Horn by the Byzantine Navy.
@@n00b_n00b_ I think you are right. But you need quantity on that. Otherwise it's just elaborate fireworks.
@@Billswiftgti from what I read is that they attempted to use it, but were bombarbed by Ottoman guns from the side positioned on land and by their ships in the front. They couldn't close the gap to use it.
You are Dark5 and i have Religiously followed, Liked & commented for over a Decade but this Video is Heartbreaking.
Hagia Sofia holds no Role: as a Musk!
What a beautiful MOSQUE 🕌 is HAGIA SOFIA)
Constanople fell ..and the world has been suffering ever since.
The greatest crime ? The theft of Hagia Sofia .
Istanbul seethes still with despotism .
Stupid comment
Then what are you HOMOSEXUALS infidels are waiting about tray too teak it if you can
Η πόλη έπεσε.. οκ για το τι έγινε με τους κατοίκους από τους Οθωμανούς ξέρει κανένας να μου πει.
Εσφαζαν, βιαζαν και λεηλατουσαν για 4-5 μερες ενω η πλειονοτητα της πολης καηκε. Πολυ τυπικο για πολιορκια της τοτε εποχης βασικα, ποσο μαλλον που παλευαν δυο μηνες να την παρουν
@@spiritusIRATUS Ψεύτικοι οι Οθωμανοί γλίτωσαν τους Έλληνες και ο Σουλτάνος γλίτωσε και τα θρησκευτικά κτίρια. Σε αντίθεση με την προβλεπόμενη χρήση. Ωστόσο, εάν μια πόλη αντιστέκεται πάρα πολύ και προκαλεί απώλειες στον αντίπαλο, συνηθίζεται να γίνεται στάχτη η πόλη. Η Ρωμαϊκή Αυτοκρατορία έκανε το ίδιο πράγμα με την Καρχηδόνα.
One famous cannon in India Bijapur the Malik e maidan which is 57 tons
But this one existed about 300yrs before the one you mentioned. That's what makes this story.
What is Istanbul? At least someone got the name right
Can you imagine how many people were slaughtered when those walls were shattered? To make it Istanbul.
thanks for the vid my dark friend love all ur vids. very entertaining
Even with the cannons they wouldn’t have been successful had the city not already been in ruins, 40,000 people almost repelled the siege imagine if the city had even just 150,000 instead!
😮 Constintien died rough..wow....
News to me. Great short documentary. Thanks for putting this together.
And yet the defenders managed to repair almost all the damage from the wonder cannons every night