Antemurale christianitatis? Anti-Turkish propaganda and the true goal of Johannes Olbracht’s crusade
Antemurale christianitatis? Anti-Turkish propaganda and the true goal of Johannes Olbracht’s crusade

Summary/Abstract: Since the fall of the Constantinople in 1453, the question of the Turkish threat was especially serious in Europe. This fear became even graver among Europeans after the conquest of the Killia and Akkerman by Turkey in 1484. Sultan Bayezid II regarded Kilia as a door to Moldova and Hungary, and Akkerman as a door to Poland and Russia. This conquest gave them the possibilities to control the Polish and Hungarian trade in the Black Sea area and deprived Moldova of the huge part of their income. From that time, the fear in Europe of the Turkish invasion, as well as of the awareness of the necessity to defeat this enemy was great. The idea of the crusade against “unbelievers” became very popular among Europeans, and it was the Eastern Europe that was seen as the Antemurale christianitatis in the future war. The anti-Turkish ideology was growing very popular. Among the thinkers preaching this ideology were many well-known Renaissance humanists, Callimachus and Erasmus of Rotterdam at their head.

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