Journeys of Faith: The Ottoman conquest of Constantinople
On May 29th 1453 (857 AH) the 21-year-old Sultan Mehmed II - Fatih Sultan Mehmed or Mehmed the Conqueror as he was to become known for posterity - entered Constantinople at the head of his victorious Ottoman army. He went straight to Hagia Sophia, declared it a mosque and prayed. From then on, it was to become part of his charitable foundation, from which 14,000 gold ducats were provided each year for its upkeep.
For today’s visitor to Istanbul, praying at the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque is still one of the most unforgettable experiences of any stay in Istanbul.
The journey from the founding of the Ottoman Empire in Söğüt
It had been a long journey leading up to the conquest of Constantinople, both for Sultan Mehmed II personally and for the Ottoman Empire, from its humble beginnings in Söğüt, in the province of Bilecik in northwestern Anatolia. It was here that it was founded in 1299, by Osman, the leader from which the Empire takes its name, in Turkish ‘Osmanlı’ translated as ‘with Osman’.
Osman, the first Sultan, was the son of Ertuğrul Gazi, made famous by the Turkish TV series "Diriliş Ertuğrul" (Resurrection: Ertuğrul), which has brought the story of the founding of the Ottoman Empire back to life for viewers across the world.
Osman’s son, Orhan, gradually increased his control over former Byzantine territories, until in 1335, he succeeded in capturing the nearby city of Bursa and establishing it as the Ottoman Empire’s first capital. In 1362, as the Empire grew in strength, Orhan’s son Murad I was able to take the city of Edirne, formerly known as Adrianople, establishing it as his new capital. It was here that the future Sultan Mehmed II was born and received his education.
Any visitor to Türkiye with an interest in Ottoman history, should make time for a stay in Bursa or a visit to Edirne.
Read more about the first sultans and the sights to visit in Bilecik, Bursa and Edirne in our dedicated blog article: The legacy of Ertuğrul: Ottoman Capital Cities.
Mehmed II’s journey to Constantinople
Having experienced turmoil in his early years, including a turbulent period as a child Sultan, Mehmed II had planned meticulously for the moment, when he was to conquer Constantinople - or Kostantiniyye, as it was known in the Arab world. Despite his young age, his strategic planning combined diplomacy with military strength. His careful plans had included signing peace treaties with Venice and Hungary and spending the previous year building the fortress which is now known as Rumeli Hisari on the European shores of the Bosphorus, and building up his fleet of ships.
Constantinople was famous for the strength of its impenetrable city walls, which had never previously been breached. Mehmed II employed the renowned gunsmith, Orban, believed to have been Hungarian, charging him with casting a huge cannon - bigger than anything previously seen in Europe. Made in Adrianople in three months, it took some 60 oxen and hundreds of men to drag it from there to the city walls of Constantinople, around 140 miles away (225 kms). The Emperor Constantine XI, not having Mehmed II’s far-sighted vision nor his funds, had previously turned down Orban, due to the cost of the materials and the high salary he demanded.
The Byzantines famously protected the entrance to the Golden Horn with a huge chain which blocked the waterway. Sultan Mehmed, however, had the ingenious plan of hauling his war ships on specially constructed ramps overland around the Genoese merchant colony of Galata.
His strategic planning paid off and after 55 days of siege, the city walls were finally breached, bringing to an end the Byzantine rule and establishing Constantinople as the capital of the Ottoman Empire, under Muslim rule.
Istanbul’s city walls have been restored in many places and remain impressive today.
A stay in Istanbul reminds visitors of its stunning location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, ensuring its continuing significance for world history today.
The Islamic context
Battles between Muslims and Byzantines had already started in the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). There are a number of ahadith surrounding the conquest of the capital, known in the Arab world as Kostantiniyye.
“They [the Muslims] will then fight and a third of the army would run away, whom Allah will never forgive. A third which would be constituted of excellent martyrs in Allah’s eye, would be killed, and the third who would never be put to trial would win and they would be conquerors of Constantinople.” [Muslim]
The conquest of Constantinople in 1453 made the city the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and in 1517 the Ottoman Caliphate was officially transferred there after Selim I's conquest of Egypt.
Today there are many Islamic sites to visit in Istanbul, including the Mosque of Eyüp Sultan, site of the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA), a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his standard bearer.
Constantinople - the multicultural metropolis
Usually referred to as the ‘Fall of Constantinople’ by western historians, in fact the Ottoman conquest signalled a meteoric rise in the standing of Constantinople. Under the far-sighted rule of Mehmed II, Constantinople – or Istanbul as it was commonly known by its inhabitants - became the largest city in Europe. He encouraged the Greeks and Genoese back to the city, guaranteeing their safety and not only allowing freedom of worship but restoring the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and establishing a Jewish Grand Rabbi and Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate.
He prioritised trade but also set the basis for the future Ottoman Empire, introducing a code for criminal law and a constitution for the running of the government. The new capital thrived and became a centre of education and excellence in Islamic sciences including mathematics, astronomy and theology. The Sultan himself was also known to have a keen interest in the arts, commissioning the now famous portrait by the Venetian artist Gentile Bellini.
Today’s visitor to Istanbul will be enthralled by its rich Ottoman history, preserved through the ages in its magnificent mosques, monuments and museums.
The gateway to Europe
Mehmed II described himself as “the lord of the two lands and the two seas” referring to the subsequent spread of his Empire over Anatolia and the Balkans; the Aegean and Black seas. By the time of his death, the Ottoman Empire controlled territory of over 2.2 million square kilometres, including what is now Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Albania. He took the Black Sea region, known then as Trebizond, as well as expanding over lands in Anatolia and the Crimean. He even triumphed as far away as Otranto in Southern Italy.
The Ottomans were renowned for their architecture and tradition of public buildings, which can still be visited today, not only in Türkiye but throughout Europe. To explore their legacy, consider a visit to the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo or to the stunning city of Mostar.