Ulubatlı Hasan


Ulubatlı Hasan, also known as Baba Hasan Ağa the Standard Bearer or Baba Hasan-ı ‘Alemî, was the sekbanbaşı who erected the first standard on the Byzantine walls during the Conquest of Constantinople.
He was born in a small village called Ulubat in the province of Bursa and was 63 years old when he was present at the Siege of Constantinople, under the command of Sultan Mehmed II.
On the early morning of the last day of the siege, May 29, after the morning prayer, the Ottoman military band started to play one of their songs before the city was stormed. Ulubatlı Hasan was among the first to climb the walls of Constantinople, followed closely by thirty of his friends. He carried only an Ottoman kilij, a small shield and the Ottoman flag. He climbed the wall, under showers of arrows, stones, spears and bullets, reaching the top and placing the flag, which he defended until his 12 remaining friends arrived. After that he collapsed with 27 arrows still in his body. Seeing the Ottoman flag inspired the other Ottoman troops and kept their spirits up – and conversely, disheartened the Greek defenders – until the Ottomans finally conquered Constantinople.

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