Some Orthodox Christians preferred Ottoman rule to papal supremacy

Evidence

On the eve of the conquest, the commander-inchief of the Byzantine navy said, “Better the turban of the Turk than the tiara of the Latin [Pope]”. 1 The Orthodox realized any call for Latin help would necessarily require doctrinal compromise as well. Rather than submit to the supremacy of the Pope, the Orthodox realized the city falling to Ottoman control was perhaps not the worst outcome. — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 23

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the wider history of Eastern-Western church schism and comparable ‘better the infidel than the heretic’ dynamics in other religious conflicts. — connects to: The schism within Christianity was perceived as a greater threat than that of a foreign invasion; the Orthodox were relatively receptive towards having the Ottomans as material rulers in contrast to the Latins.; Orthodox authorities perceived an invasion by the Latins as worse, for they would not afford them autonomy which might be hoped under Muslims. The land might remain under Christian rule, but the Orthodox churches would have to yield to papal supremacy. While the Muslim conquest might lead to a change of the head of state, the churches would not be forced to make any doctrinal changes or alter their church hierarchy.; In an effort to oppose the Ottomans, Enea Silvio Bartolomeo Piccolomini (the future Pope Pius II) tried to exhort all Christians to mount an offensive against the Ottomans. Like the crusades, some hoped Christian polities would look past their differences and come to the aid of the Orthodox Byzantine Christians in this dire hour. Another figure was King George of Kunštát and Poděbrady of Bohemia who—seeing the Ottomans surround Constantinople—also tried to promote the idea of a Pan-Christian resistance to the onslaught of the Muslim forces. (+21 more)

Broader Connections

• Christian communities sometimes preferred Muslim rule to Latin Christian dominion. #expands (0.85) — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 54
• Orthodox Christians preferred Ottoman rule because it shielded them from Latin interference. #expands (0.80) — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 42
• Byzantine Orthodox preferred Muslim conquest over theological compromise with Latin Christians #expands (0.80) — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 25
• Ottoman control preserved Orthodox autonomy while Latin control demanded papal supremacy #expands (0.75) — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 26
• Some Byzantine laity preferred Latin Christian rule over Ottoman Muslim rule. #contradicts (0.70) — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 33
• Orthodox clergy preferred Ottoman rule over Latin rule during the fall of Constantinople. #exemplifies (0.60) — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 60
• Orthodox Christians valued doctrinal purity over military alliance with Rome. #expands (0.60) — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 49
• Orthodox clergy rejected papal union despite facing Ottoman invasion #expands (0.55) — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 38
• Christians preferred Ottoman tolerance over Catholic persecution #expands (0.50) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 75
• Ottoman conquest of Constantinople preserved most Christian churches and Orthodox autonomy. #corroborates (0.50) — Ali Qureshi, The Fall of Constantinople, 39