29 mai 1453 - Fall of Constantinople

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The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the Byzantine Empire's capital by the Ottoman Empire. The fall of the city took place on 29 May 1453, the culmination of a 53-day siege which had begun on 6 April 1453.

The attacking Ottoman army, which significantly outnumbered Constantinople's defenders, was commanded by the 21-year-old Sultan Mehmed II (later called Mehmed the Conqueror), while the Byzantine army was led by Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos. After conquering the city, Sultan Mehmed made Constantinople the new Ottoman capital, replacing Adrianople.

The Fall of Constantinople marked the end of the Byzantine Empire, and effectively the end of the Roman Empire, a state which dated back to 27 BC, lasting nearly 1,500 years. The capture of Constantinople, a city which marked the divide between Europe and Asia-Minor, also allowed the Ottomans to more effectively invade mainland Europe, eventually leading to Ottoman control of much of the Balkan peninsula.

The conquest of Constantinople and the fall of the Byzantine Empire was a key event of the Late Middle Ages which is sometimes considered the end of the Medieval period. It was also a watershed moment in military history. Since ancient times, cities and castles had depended upon ramparts and walls to repel invaders. However, Constantinople's substantial fortifications were overcome with the use of gunpowder, specifically in the form of large cannons and bombards.

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