n of the victorious army was engaged in plundering the
southern side of the city, from the gate of St. Romanus to the Church
of St. Sophia, another, turning to the port, made itself master of the
warehouses that were filled with merchandise, and surrounded the Greek
troops under the grand duke Notaras. The Greeks were easily subdued,
and Notaras surrendered himself a prisoner. About midday the Turks were
in possession of the whole city, and Mahomet II entered his new capital
at the gate of St. Romanus, riding triumphantly past the body of the
emperor Constantine, which lay concealed among the slain in the breach
he had defended. The Sultan rode straight to the Church of St. Sophia,
where he gave the necessary orders for the preservation of all the
public buildings. Even during the license of the sack, the severe
education and grave character of the Ottomans exerted a powerful
influence on their conduct, and on this occasion there was no example
of the wanton destruction and wilful conflagrations that had signalized
the Latin conquest. To convince the Greeks that their orthodox empire
was extinct, Mahomet ordered a mollah to ascend the bema and address
a sermon to the Mussulmans, announcing that St. Sophia was now a mosque
set apart for the prayers of the true believers. To put an end to all
doubts concerning the death of the Emperor, he ordered Constantine's
head to be brought and exposed to the people of the capital, from
whence it was afterward sent as a trophy to be seen by the Greeks of
the principal cities in the Ottoman empire.

[Footnote 1: The great Hungarian leader, who long fought against the
Turks, and signally defeated them at Belgrad in 1456.--ED.]

WARS OF THE ROSES

DEATH OF RICHARD III AT BOSWORTH

A.D. 1455-1485

DAVID HUME

Historians themselves declare that no part of English history since the
Norman Conquest is so obscure and uncertain as that of the Wars of the
Roses. "All we can distinguish with certainty through the deep cloud
which covers that period is a scene of horror and bloodshed, savage
manners, arbitrary executions and treacheries, dishonorable conduct in
all parties." These brutal aspects of that horrid drama of history,
running through more than the course of a full generation, are depicted
for the mimic stage by Shakespeare, in _Henry VI and Richard III_, with
a vividness that brings before us the ghastly realities of the historic
theatre itself, and with such realization o