Page:From Constantinople to the home of Omar Khayyam.djvu/46

 4 ONCE AGAIN EASTWARD HOl

north of Constantinople, is a seat of Western learning for the training of young men.

In Constantinople one never loses sight of the historic past, for the city has been one of importance from ancient times. ^ Founded in the sixth century B.C., by Dorian Greeks, it became the flourishing metropolis of Byzantium, with a widely developed commerce throughout the Hellenic world. Centuries later, in 330 A.D., Constantine the Great chose Byzantium as the place for his new capital, dedicating it 'to the service of Christ' and giving it the appellation New Rome, though it has always since been known by the great emperor's name. Its power outlived the fall of Eome, and it still retained its place as the metropolis of the Byzantine, or Eastern, Empire until the Turks captured it, May 29, 1453. Since that memorable day it has been the Sublime Porte and the capital of the Turkish Empire. In that same eventful year of 1453 destiny made it the future mother of the Renaissance, for the revival of learning in Europe be- gins with the flight of the Greek scholars from Constantinople, carrying with them the treasures of Hellenic literature to scatter broadcast for the enlightenment of the Western world. Of most recent memory was the almost bloodless revolution of 1908, which gave the country a constitution and firm govern- ment, the old order giving place to the new, and the ' Young Turk' coming into being as a factor in the world's progress.

The public buildings of Constantinople are numerous and notable. Foremost among them is the famous Mosque of Saint Sophia. Built originally by Constantine as a Christian church, but later twice destroyed, it was constructed anew by Justinian in the sixth century, and remained dedicated to the service of Christ until the fifteenth century, when the city fell before the

��1 1 must emphasize the fact that I accessible on the subject I would re- have included this brief sketch of fer especially to the valuable work by Constantinople merely because our Grosvenor, Constantinople^ 2 vols., visit to the city was an incident of Boston, 1900. the journey. Among the many books

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