It is not easy to choose between the different opinions about the true position of the Basilike Pyle, also called the Imperial Gate. The arguments on both sides are carefully balanced, and none of them can be dismissed without serious consideration. A final judgment on this issue depends largely on how other, closely related questions are answered. In particular, the decision is influenced by the view taken regarding the position of the Horaia Pyle, or Beautiful Gate.
Because the sources are not always clear, historians are often forced to rely on indirect evidence. As a result, different conclusions can be reached from the same group of historical facts Guided Istanbul Tours.
The Role of Ducas and the Chain Across the Harbour
One important factor in the debate is the account given by Ducas, especially concerning the point where the southern end of the chain across the Golden Horn was fixed. Those who believe that Ducas was accurate on this matter usually identify the Beautiful Gate with Yali Kiosk Kapoussi, also known as the Gate of Eugenius.
If this identification is accepted, then the position of the Imperial Gate follows almost naturally. In that case, the Imperial Gate must be identified with Top Kapoussi, the Gate of Saint Barbara, which lies just to the south of the Seraglio Point. This conclusion creates a consistent picture of the harbour defenses as described by the Byzantine historians.
An Alternative View Based on Greek Tradition
On the other hand, some scholars give weight to the opinion held by Greek writers of the sixteenth century, who believed that the Beautiful Gate stood at Bagtche Kapoussi. Those who accept this tradition are not required to reject Top Kapoussi as the Imperial Gate. They may still place the Basilike Pyle there.
However, many of them prefer instead to identify the Imperial Gate with Yali Kiosk Kapoussi. This choice appears, to them, to fit better with the historical descriptions of the gate’s position and importance Leunclavius and the Identification of the Imperial Gate.
Reasons for Placing the Imperial Gate at Yali Kiosk Kapoussi
If the Imperial Gate stood at Yali Kiosk Kapoussi, several historical details become easier to understand. First, its close connection with the Harbour Walls is more clearly explained. The gate would have stood at a key point near the mouth of the Golden Horn, where naval defense was most critical.
Second, this location helps explain why Phrantzes mentions the Imperial Gate immediately after the Horaia Pyle in his account, and before he speaks of the chain and the ships stationed at the entrance of the harbour. The sequence of his narrative seems to follow the physical layout of the defenses from one point to the next.
The Question That Still Remains
After identifying which of the gates near the Seraglio Point has the strongest claim to be the Basilike Pyle, one important question still remains unanswered. Was this gate the only entrance along the Harbour Walls that bore the title Imperial Gate? Or do the historical sources suggest that more than one gate carried this prestigious name at different times?
This final question must be examined carefully, for its answer may help reconcile the conflicting claims and bring greater clarity to the long-standing debate.