The conquest of Constantinople heralded the beginning of a new era

 

1453: The Siege of Constantinople

During the rise of Islam, the world was dominated by two powerful states: the Persian Empire, which ruled Iran and Iraq, and the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, which ruled Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and the Balkans. Muslims had already abolished the Persian Empire during the reign of Umar bin Khattab, the second caliph of Islam. The empire's lands were also conquered. Syria and Egypt were the first Byzantine territories to be conquered by Muslims.

Arabs referred to Constantinople, the financial center of the Eastern Roman Empire, as "Costantiniyye," and it became a Muslim ideal. This ideal is epitomized by the Prophet Muhammad's well-known hadiths (prophetic tradition): Verily you shall conquer Constantinople. What a fantastic leader he will be, and what a fantastic army that army will be!" "The first army that goes on an excursion to Constantinople will be forgiven," he adds.

Since the reign of Caliph Muawiyah, Muslims have made significant efforts to conquer Constantinople. The first Muslim army to overcome the city was led by Yazid I, the very next caliph after Muawiyah, in 670. Some of the Prophet Muhammad's companions who were still alive at the same time joined the army. Khalid ibn Zayd was one of them, and he is now known as "Eyüp Sultan" among Turks, and he has a tomb in a best known Istanbul district named after him. Khalid ibn Zayd, who was over 80 years old at the time, took part in the blockade to obtain the good news advocated by the prophet. The siege was unsuccessful.

Istanbul not only has a strategic location, but it also has a very beautiful countryside. "If the earth were a single nation, Istanbul would be its capital," said Napoleon, Emperor of France. The situation would still be the same today. Mehmed II, the 7th Ottoman Sultan, was given the conquest of Constantinople. The 21-year-old genius emperor planned siege plans at all hours of the day and night. He invented the largest rapid cooling cannon at the time and was tasked with constructing a fortress on the European side of the Bosporus in a short time period. He scouted the city for information. The Orthodox in Constantinople were absolutely terrified of the Catholic tension on them at the time. Some saw the Ottomans as a savior because the empire conferred religious freedom to Christians in every country it conquered. "I would rather see a Turkish turban in the middle of the city [Constantinople] than just the Latin mitre," Prime Minister Grand Duke Loukas Notaras once said.

When Sultan Mehmed II's fleet was also unable to enter the city due to a defending chain spanning the mouth of the Golden Horn, he instructed numerous ships to roll overland into to the sea and strike the city's heart. For days, cannons pounded the city walls. Byzantine soldiers surrendered after a 53-day siege. Constantinople's conquest paved the way for Muslims. The Ottomans were now safe because, in every military attempt, they were able to rely on the Byzantine coalition with Europeans. Muslim armies advanced all the way to Vienna. Islam was introduced to Europe, and many Balkan populations converted to Islam.

When Muslims capture a city, it is a religious obligation for them to pray together on the same Friday of the month. The city's largest church, Hagia Sophia, was decided to convert into a mosque in accordance with the law of battle, but other churches managed to remain. The Ottomans did not capture locals and offer them citizenship. Furthermore, they did not seize the assets of the locals. Sultan Mehmed II wanted the city to strengthen while also becoming more vibrant. The city was developed by the Ottomans after it was severely damaged during the 13th century Latin incursion and was unable to recover. There were skilled people from the Balkans and Anatolia who settled there. The Turks adorned the city with their seal.