Byzantine Constantinople, the walls of the city and adjoining historical sites — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Byzantine Constantinople, the walls of the city and adjoining historical sites
John Stuart Mill · en
Later, Nicephorus Phocas added a villa, which he made his usual place of
residence.[1035] It was probably the building with the row of three
windows, supported by a lion at either end. A still more important
change was introduced by the same emperor. His austere character, and
the heavy taxes he imposed for the maintenance of the army, made him
exceedingly unpopular, notwithstanding his eminent services as the
conqueror of the Saracens. So strong did the hostile feeling against him
become, that, returning once from a visit to the Holy Spring of the
Pegè, he was mobbed at the Forum of Constantine, and narrowly escaped
being stoned to death before he could reach the palace.[1036] Rumours of
a plot to dethrone and kill him were also in circulation. He therefore
decided to convert the Great Palace into a fortress, and to provision it
with everything requisite to withstand a siege.[1037]
Accordingly, he surrounded the grounds of the Imperial residence with a
strong and lofty wall, which described a great arc from the
neighbourhood of Ahour Kapoussi on the east to Tchatlady Kapou on the
west, and thus cut off the palace from the rest of the city.[1038]
Luitprand,[1039] who saw the wall soon after its erection, says of it:
“The palace at Constantinople surpasses in beauty and strength any
fortifications that I have ever seen.” Within this wall the Palace of
Bucoleon was, of course, included.
Labarte[1040] and Schlumberger[1041] maintain, indeed, that Nicephorus
surrounded the Palace of Bucoleon with special works of defence, and
constituted it a citadel within the fortifications of the Great Palace.
But Leo Diaconus, Cedrenus and Zonaras, our authorities on the subject,
make no such statement.[1042]
[Illustration: Ruins of the Palace of Hormisdas.]
As might be expected, historical events of considerable importance
transpired at the Port and the Palace of the Bucoleon.
Here, in 919, Romanus Lecapenus, admiral of the fleet, made the naval
demonstration which compelled Constantine VII. Porphyrogenitus to accept
him as a colleague, and to surrender the administration of affairs into
his hands.[1043]