The Fall of Constantinople

Overview

In this historical crisis committee, delegates will take on the roles of military leaders, court officials, religious authorities, and foreign envoys during the final days of the Byzantine Empire as Constantinople faces the looming Ottoman siege of 1453. The committee will focus on two central issues: Topic I: Dynastic Feuds, which will explore the internal divisions among the Palaiologos family and their allies, as well as the religious and political tensions weakening imperial unity; and Topic II: Military Strategy and Warfare, which challenges delegates to fortify defenses, manage limited resources, and respond to Ottoman military advances with tactical precision. As the city’s survival hangs in the balance, delegates must navigate crisis updates, betrayals, diplomatic appeals, and ideological rifts to determine whether the empire can endure—or fall.