On March 16, Vitus arrived on the southern outskirts of Smederevo.
The city's walls were tall and sturdy, built to a traditional medieval design. After the war began, the defenders hastily built a low wall of a newer design, capable of withstanding the recoil of heavy cannon.
"The Danube lies to the north, and a tributary of the Great Morava River to the east. The city can receive reinforcements from the northern bank at any time. Taking it will be difficult."
Vitus studied the terrain and predicted that the siege would last more than a month.
The subsequent siege of Belgrade would be even more troublesome. Hunyadi's main force was concentrated in that city, promising a battle both grueling and bloody.
At the afternoon War Council, he appointed Damien to command the siege.
Constantine was responsible for taking the region east of the Great Morava River and west of the Iron Gate Gorge, with Golubac Fortress as his main target.
"I remember helping Sigismund defend Golubac more than twenty years ago. Now I'm the one who has to attack this fortress. Fate truly is unpredictable."
Back then, Constantine had still been young, brave, and forthright, his heart filled with a yearning for chivalry. He had held the Black Knight up as his model.
Looking back now, those events seemed like a hazy dream. He had forgotten many of the details, remembering only a certain feeling he could not put into words.
He arrived at the crossing on the western bank of the Great Morava River. Many boats from upstream had stopped here to unload heavy cannon and supplies of all kinds. The river's conditions were complex, so the riverboats had shallow drafts and flat-bottomed hulls.
Such vessels were well suited to transport, but not to entering the Danube and contesting