The fall of Constantinople
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Decisions, questions and your own progress, in the app
The fall of Constantinople, painting by Panagiotis Zografos · Panagiotis Zographos · Public domain · Source page
The story
Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire besieged Constantinople for 53 days. His huge cannons battered walls that had protected the city for a thousand years.
What happened next
On 29 May 1453 the city fell, ending the Roman Empire in the east. Mehmed made it his capital, and it later became known everywhere as Istanbul.
Remember
- Mehmed II was 21 years old
- His ships were dragged overland to get past a chain across the harbour
- Greek scholars fled west, bringing ancient texts to Italy
Review question
Who conquered Constantinople in 1453?
Answer: Mehmed II. Suleiman ruled about 70 years later. Saladin lived in the 12th century.
Image credits
- The fall of Constantinople, painting by Panagiotis Zografos · Panagiotis Zographos · Public domain · Source page
