How the Churches got the ‘End of the World’ wrong in 1492.

[The Librarian]

In 1453 Constantinople (also known as Byzantium), the last remnant of the once mighty Roman Empire was a Christian Island in an Islamic sea. The city had been seriously weakened during the holy Fourth Crusade (1202-04), when fellow Christians of the Catholic brand had besieged the city, captured it, and savagely sacked it.

( Who needs enemies when you have Christian friends?)

A miniature of the siege, Artist unknown. (from Wikimedia)

During the next 200 years, Constantinople hung on. Pleas for assistance to the Royal courts of Europe went unheeded and finally in 1453, Islamic armies were triumphant. When the news reached Rome, Christians cried in the streets. And, in Russia, where Orthodox Christianity also prevailed it was seen as marking the imminent end of the world.

Modern representation of the 21 year old Muslim General Mehmed II and the Ottoman Army approaching Constantinople with a giant CANNON, by Fausto Zonaro

There were long-standing Orthodox prophecies that predicted the return of Jesus and the last judgement at the start of the eighth millennium. Based on the Byzantine calendar that was also used in Russia, it all seemed be crystal clear.

Based on their Biblical understanding, that creation occurred 5508 years before Christ, it was calculated that the return of Jesus and the Last Judgement would occur on September 1, 1492.