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"The Great Chain was an ingenious—if slightly mad—defensive measure."
―Clay Kaczmarek's observation on the Great Chain.[src]-[m]

The Great Chain was a giant chain suspended between two large towers, which guarded the mouth of the Golden Horn harbor in Constantinople.

When raised across the entryway, it prevented ships from entering or leaving the inlet, serving as a simple but efficient form of defense.

History[]

After its construction around 1000 CE, the chain was mainly used to keep enemy ships from entering the waterway, and attacking any of the undefended ports within Constantinople. It did so successfully for more than 400 years, with only rare cases of men circumventing it.[1]

In 1453, Sultan Mehmet II managed to bypass the Byzantine defenses by sliding his warships over the hills of Galata on greased tracks, and into the Golden Horn far upriver from the chain.[1]

In 1511, the chain was raised by the Janissaries, in order to investigate the death of their Captain, Tarik Barleti, and prevent the one responsible from escaping by ship. However, the Assassin responsible, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, gained help from Yusuf Tazim and the other Ottoman Assassins to break through the defenses.[2]

That day, Ezio destroyed the chain by bringing down one tower supporting it with a powerful explosive. He then proceeded to burn through the Ottoman fleet with Greek fire, before escaping on a ship bound for Cappadocia.[2] This also caused another Assassin, Murat Bin Husn, who's a Janissary as well.[3] Fearing the punishment for the destruction of the chain, Murat and his family fled from the city.[4]

Trivia[]

  • There is no evidence that the Great Chain continued to be used after the Byzantine era.

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

References[]

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