Nicolò Barbaro

[5] Historian Steven Runciman described Barbaro as "the most useful of the Western sources"[6] on the fall of the city, largely due to his detailed narrative that recounts the events of the siege on a daily basis.

However, Barbaro’s Venetian background influenced his views, particularly his strong anti-Genoese sentiments, especially toward the Genoese of Pera (modern-day Galata), whom he accused of collaborating with the Ottomans during the siege.

[9] Greek historians Doukas and Laonikos Chalkokondyles similarly stated that Zustignan was injured, with only Barbaro claiming that the Genoese commander fled in this manner.

[10][11] Despite these criticisms, Barbaro's account remains valuable for its detailed, day-by-day chronology of the siege events and for providing the names of over 100 Venetians who were in Constantinople at the time.

Barbaro is believed to have completed the initial writing of his narrative by 1472 but continued working on the manuscript for decades, updating it with information on Venetian noblemen present during the siege who had since died.