The Protovestiarios and Grand Logothete George Sphrantzes and the Venetian doctor Niccolò Barbaro were eyewitnesses to the war preparations, the siege, the attacks, the defense, and the capture of Constantinople by the Turks.

Their texts are vivid accounts of the most dramatic moment in Greek history, which influenced the fate of our nation and marked the beginning of modern Hellenism.

George Sphrantzes' text was rendered into simple Modern Greek by George Kousounelos, and Niccolò Barbaro's text was translated from Venetian by Vanessa A. Lappa.