Which Ottoman sultan conquered Constantinople in 1453?

Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453, bringing the Byzantine Empire to an end and making the Ottoman sultan famous as “the Conqueror.” He captured the city on 29 May after a 53-day siege.

Mehmed was only 21 years old when the campaign succeeded. His forces used large artillery pieces, naval power, and coordinated attacks against Constantinople’s formidable land walls. The Byzantine emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos led the defense and died during the final assault.

After the conquest, Mehmed made Constantinople the Ottoman imperial capital and began restoring its population, institutions, and economy. He sponsored major building projects, including Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar, helping transform the city into the center of a rapidly expanding empire.

A common mix-up is confusing Mehmed II with Suleiman I, who ruled much later and is known as “the Magnificent.” Bayezid II was Mehmed’s son and successor, while Osman I founded the Ottoman dynasty.