Mehmed II (the Conqueror)
Mehmed II (1432–1481), known as 'the Conqueror' (Fatih), became Sultan of the Ottoman Empire at age twenty-one and within two years had achieved the feat that had eluded Ottoman rulers for a century: the conquest of Constantinople (1453). He transformed it into Istanbul, the new Ottoman capital, and embarked on a programme of urban reconstruction, repopulating the city and building the Topkapi Palace. A polyglot who spoke six languages and patronised both Islamic and Italian Renaissance art, he commissioned portraits from Gentile Bellini. His campaigns extended Ottoman rule into Serbia, Bosnia, Albania, Crimea, and Anatolia. He styled himself 'Caesar of Rome' and considered himself the heir of both the Islamic caliphate and the Roman imperial tradition.
- Lived: 1432 CE – 1481 CE
- Nationality: ottoman
- Roles: sultan, military_leader, head_of_state
