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2015-12-06 -Short Attention Span Theater-

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Posted by swksvolFF 2015-12-06 00:00|| || Front Page|| [10 views ] Top

#1 *It should be noted that the CD audio is abridged to some extent, if I remember the audio correctly.

And, if you will (pages 71-72)

In the four decades following the launch of Barbarossa's first imperial fleet in 1534, thousands of people were snatched from the coasts of Italy and Spain: eighteen hundred from Minorca in 1535, seven thousand from the Bay of Naples in 1544, five thousand from the island of Gozo off Malta in 1551, six thousand from Calabria in 1554, and four thousand from Granada in 1566. The Ottomans could apply sudden and overwhelming force at precise points; they could land at and destroy fair sized coastal towns with impunity and threaten even the major cities of Italy.

Posted by swksvolFF 2015-12-06 13:11|| 2015-12-06 13:11|| Front Page Top

#2 Sounds like what they are doing in California.

Posted by badanov 2015-12-06 14:45|| http://www.chriscovert.net 2015-12-06 14:45|| Front Page Top

#3 I am currently reading Mr. Crowley's book "1453". It chronicles the fall of Constantinople. Nothing has changed. Political infighting by the allies. Corruption. Putting self-interest above unity to fight Mehmet. Taqqiya, Hudna and European denial. Superb writing. Next on my list is Empires of the Sea.

Posted by Sgt. D.T. 2015-12-06 15:26|| 2015-12-06 15:26|| Front Page Top

#4 ...not to mention the unsuspecting native 'Americans' who would bear an unexpected consequence of the fall of Constantinople. Great demographic tradition of the Eurasian continent, someone pushes west from the east causing a cascading effect. Unfortunately for the soon to be New Worlders, by 1453, the population in Europe had achieved a technological level to keep on cascading westward.

Posted by Procopius2k 2015-12-06 15:43|| 2015-12-06 15:43|| Front Page Top

#5 Roger Crowley has a new book out:
Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire

I am expecting that topic to be covered. Unfortunately, the release date was delayed and I am not sure if I am going to read it in time for next week.

I think a good argument could be made that if the Barbary State, an official vassal of The Ottoman Empire, did not so heavily enslave Spain and Italy, and if Spain had not had to take on so much debt fighting Barbary/Ottoman navies, the need for African slaves and the need to plunder the New World would have been much diminished.

An interesting scotch ponder would be: What if Constantine had won?

Would the Papal/Orthodox alliance have held? I'm not so sure it would have.

How many of Mehmet's chips were placed on this battle? Would a loss at so young an age create question to his legitimacy as leader?

If the Papal/Orthodox alliance failed, would Constantinople have had the resources to rebuild with defense vs. cannon?

Considering the vast resources saved from fighting The Ottomans, would there have been a Protestant/Lutheran movement, and would it have been defeated?

Posted by swksvolFF 2015-12-06 21:35|| 2015-12-06 21:35|| Front Page Top

22:46 JosephMendiola
22:32 Skidmark
22:10 Crusader
21:35 swksvolFF
21:24 Airandee
20:33 Sven the pelter
20:24 JosephMendiola
20:17 chris
20:15 JosephMendiola
20:08 JosephMendiola
19:56 JosephMendiola
19:56 SteveS
19:54 JosephMendiola
19:28 Frank G
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19:24 Lowspark
19:21 Zenobia Floger6220
19:14 Iblis
18:59 Barbara
18:53 Bobby
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18:34 Procopius2k
18:32 Procopius2k