Fall of Constantinople: What Happened
On 29 May 1453, Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire for over a thousand years, fell to the army of the Ottoman sultan Mehmed II. The siege had begun in early April. Mehmed, aged just 21, brought an army of perhaps 80,000 men and enormous cannons, built by a Hungarian engineer named Orban, that battered the ancient Theodosian Walls. The defenders, led by the emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos, numbered only around 7,000, including Genoese and Venetian volunteers. When a chain across the Golden Horn blocked his fleet, Mehmed had his ships dragged overland on greased logs into the harbor behind it. For weeks, the walls held against repeated assaults. In the final attack before dawn on 29 May, Ottoman troops broke through. Constantine XI died fighting, and his body was never identified. The city was plundered, and Mehmed rode to Hagia Sophia, which became a mosque. The fall ended the Roman Empire that began with Augustus. Constantinople became the Ottoman capital, and Greeks still remember that Tuesday as a day of mourning.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Constantinople fall?
Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks on Tuesday, 29 May 1453, after a siege that began in early April.
Who conquered Constantinople?
Constantinople was conquered by the 21-year-old Ottoman sultan Mehmed II, later known as Mehmed the Conqueror.
Who was the last Byzantine emperor?
The last Byzantine emperor was Constantine XI Palaiologos. He died fighting during the final assault, and his body was never identified.
How did Mehmed II capture Constantinople?
Mehmed used huge cannons to batter the walls and had his ships dragged overland into the Golden Horn. His troops broke through in a final assault before dawn.
Why is the fall of Constantinople important?
It ended the Byzantine Empire and the Roman Empire that began with Augustus. Greeks still remember that Tuesday as a day of mourning and consider Tuesday unlucky.
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