Mehmed II "the Conqueror"

1432–1481 · Ottoman (Edirne/Constantinople/Istanbul) · Late Medieval / Early Modern Ottoman Empire

Known for: Conquered Constantinople in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire and beginning the Ottoman golden age

Mehmed II conquered Constantinople on May 29, 1453—ending 1,100 years of the Byzantine Empire and the last remnant of ancient Rome. He was 21 years old. He used massive cannons (some of the largest ever built) to breach the legendary Theodosian Walls, and his troops entered the city after a 53-day siege.

He renamed the city Istanbul, transformed the Hagia Sophia into a mosque, and rebuilt Constantinople as the new Ottoman capital. He was a polyglot who spoke six languages, a patron of arts and sciences, and an admirer of both Islamic and Greek-Roman culture.

He went on to conquer Greece, Serbia, Bosnia, and parts of Italy (briefly). He died at 49, possibly poisoned, while marching to another campaign. His conquest of Constantinople is one of history's great turning points.

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