The Entire History of Constantinople in 12 Minutes

For over a thousand years, no army could break through its walls — until one did, and an empire that traced its lineage to Augustus Caesar was gone by sunrise. This is the entire history of Constantinople in just 12 minutes — from a Greek colony founded in 657 BC, through a thousand years as capital of the Byzantine Empire, to it's fall and it's rebirth as Istanbul. In this video: how Constantine the Great built a new Rome on the Bosphorus, the Nika riots that nearly toppled Emperor Justinian, the construction of Hagia Sophia, centuries of failed sieges by Arabs and Persians, the catastrophic Fourth Crusade sack of 1204, and the final siege by Mehmed II that ended a 1,600-year-old empire. Plus: how the city became Istanbul, and why Hagia Sophia is a mosque again today. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Introduction 0:30 – The Greeks: Byzas founds Byzantium (657 BC) 1:23 – Constantine builds Nova Roma (324 AD) 2:30 – The Eastern Roman Empire & the Nika Riots 3:30 – Hagia Sophia is built 3:58 – Siege After Siege: Arabs, Persians & Greek Fire 5:05 – The Great Schism of 1054 5:20 – The Crusaders & the Sack of 1204 7:34 – The Final Century: Mehmed II's Siege 8:27 – The Fall of Constantinople, 1453 9:14 – Ottoman Constantinople & the Golden Age 10:07 – Istanbul: 20th Century to Today If you're into Byzantine Empire history, the fall of Constantinople, Ottoman conquest, or the story of Hagia Sophia, this one's for you. Let me know in the comments which empire or city you want covered next. 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more deep dives into the history of the world's great cities. #Constantinople #Byzantine #OttomanEmpire #HagiaSophia #Istanbul #HistoryChannel #FallOfConstantinople #ByzantineEmpire #WorldHistory