September 10, 1509 Tsunami: Marmara Sea, Turkey

1509, Sept 10. The earliest information about the earthquake of 10 September 1509 in the Sea of Marmara comes from a letter written five days after the event, dated 15 Sept 1509, by Nicolo Zustignan a Venetian in Istanbul. There can be no doubt that the correct date of the earthquake is 10 Sept 1509, at about 10 at night in the New Style (N.S.), and that, from what has already been said the date 14 Sept assigned to the event by most writers is erroneous. As a result of the earthquake, in some places in Istanbul and Pera the ground opened up and fissured, presumably along the coast of the Golden Horn. Also as a result of the earthquake the sea retreated from the shore and then returned, flooding the coast over a very large area at places that are not named. When the sea came back to its previous place, the ground near the coast opened up and was left fissured. This phenomenon was observed on both sides of the Golden Horn on the coasts of Istanbul and Pera. Modern writers claim that as a result of the earthquake the sea overtopped the sea walls of the city. This information comes from later authors, who say that the sea in the Golden Horn was so strongly shaken that it was thrown over the walls of Istanbul and Galata killing 12000 people. There is no indication in primary sources that the flooding of the coast of the Golden Horn by the sea at the time of the earthquake caused any damage or that the Sea of Maramara flooded the south coast of the city. (ref #9116)

1509, Sept 10. Marmara Sea, 41.1 N, 28.8 E, large inundation in Constantinople. (ref #2427)

1509, Sept 14. 40o48'N, 28o06'E, magnitude 7.7. Catastrophic earthquake devastating Costantinople, Gallipoli and many other cities, particularly on the coasts of the Marmara Sea. In Costantinople thousands of houses collapsed together with a large part of the city walls. Down-town residential quarters collapsed (Antonopoulos, r417). At Costantinople, during the shock the sea rushed inland, over the walls and flooded the streets in the city as well as the settlements outside the walls. The district of Galatas was heavily damaged by the sea-wave that caused many casualties (Anonimous, r475; Knolles, r476; Lycosthenes, r487). Near Galata and near Hereke Bay (north of gulf of Izmit) the coasts were flooded (Kuran, r388). In Yenikapi the waves overtop the sea walls whose crown height is about 6 m (Kuran, r388). (ref #4139)

1509, Sept 14. 40.8 N, 28.1 E, earthquake magnitude 7.7, intensity X. Sea of Marmara with the Straits of Bosporus and Dardanelles. A destructive earthquake, which was stronger on the European shore than on the opposite coast, took place. Istanbul, Edirne, Gallipoli (Gelibolu, now), Corum and other cities were damaged. Buildings, towers and the coast walls in Istanbul were razed to the ground, the sultan's castle shook with such force that 5 towers, that had been erected at great expense and where jewellery was kept, collapsed. 1,700 houses collapsed in the city, 13,000 inhabitants were killed. The old aqueduct was destroyed. The coastal region of Galata was especially severely damaged. Underground shocks continued for 40 days and nights. severely damaged. Underground shocks continued for 40 days and nights. The sea in the Buy of the Golden Horn rose and rushed onto the coast. Waves rolled over the city walls. Many streets and suburbs of Istanbul were flooded. (ref #2130).

1509, Sept 14. Constantinople, and all the rest of the Turkish dominions, both in Europe and Asia Minor. The shocks were the most violent ever known here, and lasted, according to some, 18 days, and to others 25. The sea came over the walls at Constantinople and Galata. 1700 houses and large portions of the walls were thrown down, and some thousand people lost their lives. Tschorum, Galipoli, Demitoka, and other towns were ruined. (ref #1879)

1509, Sept 10. The wave height was most probably more than 6 m (ref #2956, #4703)