Tamerlane vs the Knights of St. John: The Siege of Smyrna

In 1402, fresh from crushing the Ottoman sultan Bayezid at Ankara, Tamerlane turned his sights on a resilient Christian stronghold on the Aegean coast: Smyrna, held by the Knights of St. John. This episode dives into that siege—how Tamerlane used trebuchets, mining, and sheer manpower to capture a fortress that had defied the Ottomans for years. We explore the brutal aftermath, with decapitated knights and heads sent as trophies to Cairo and Baghdad, and what the conquest meant for Tamerlane's reputation as a Muslim ghazi. Along the way, we discuss the knights' desperate defense, the role of Genoese and Byzantine observers, and how this victory fit into Tamerlane's broader strategy of reconstructing a Mongol-style empire with an Islamist veneer. Plus, a note on how listener support keeps these deep dives coming. #Tamerlane #KnightsOfStJohn #Smyrna #Siege #1402 #Ottoman #Byzantine #Ghazi #Mongol #Timurid #Crusader #Aegean #MilitaryHistory #Medieval #CentralAsia #MiddleEast #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo