Mehmed II

Reign: 1444 – 1446; 1451 – 1481
Life: 1432–1481

During Mehmed II's first reign, he defeated the crusade led by John Hunyadi after Hungarian incursions into his lands violated the Treaties of Edirne and Szeged. When Mehmed II ascended the throne again in 1451, he strengthened the Ottoman Navy and made preparations to attack Constantinople. At the age of 21, he conquered Constantinople and brought an end to the Byzantine Empire. The claim was soon recognized by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, but rejected by most European monarchs. Mehmed continued his conquests and reunified Anatolia, and campaigned as far west as Bosnia in Southeast Europe. He was a patron of the arts and sciences, and by the end of his reign, Constantinople had been transformed into a thriving imperial capital.

During Mehmed II's reign, Afonso V of Portugal ruled Portugal, Louis XI of France ruled France, and Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor ruled Holy Roman Empire.

Want to learn more? Further reading

The Sultan and the Queen by Jerry Brotton

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The World During Their Reign

The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

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From the library

Go deeper on Mehmed II

Hand-picked histories and biographies for readers who want more than the timeline: the same era, told in full.

The Sultan and the Queen

Jerry Brotton

Mehmed's world of diplomacy and conquest after 1453, empire, trade, and Renaissance exchange.

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Constantinople: The Last Great Siege, 1453
Roger Crowley
Crowley's gripping account of Mehmed's siege that ended the Byzantine Empire.
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