A034 - Mehmed II

 Mehmed II

Mehmed II (Mehmed II Fatih) (Mehmet II) (Muhammad II) (Meḥmed-i s̠ānī) (el-Fātiḥ -- "the Conqueror") (Fatih Sultan Mehmet) (Mahomet II) (March 30, 1432, Edirne – May 3, 1481, Hünkârçayırı, near Gebze).  Ottoman sultan (1444-1446 and 1451-1481).  His byname (Fatih) means, in Turkish, “the Conqueror.”

Mehmed II was born on March 30, 1432, in Edirne as son of sultan Murad II and a slave girl.  In 1444, according to the tradition of the sultan’s sons, he was sent to Manisa (near Izmir) for training.  His father abdicated, and gave the throne to Mehmed when he was only 12 years old.  The task proved to be very difficult for the boy, as there were many tensions inside the empire as well as serious threats along the border.

In May 1446, against Mehmed’s will, Murad returned to power, in order to bring stability to the empire.

On February 18, 1451, following his father’s death earlier in the month, Mehmed ascended the throne for the second time.  His authority in the empire was, at this point, far from established.  The first group he had to take control over were the Janissaries – a group that had been strong enough to play a crucial part in getting him removed from power five years earlier. 

In 1452, Mehmed began the preparations for the conquering of Constantinople.  He managed to sign favorable peace treaties with Venice and Hungary, in order to make them neutral.   He started several important projects to prepare for war, like building the fortress of Bagazkesen in order to control the Strait of Bosphorus, and constructing thirty-one galleys and building canons and cast guns of a caliber yet unknown in Europe.

On April 6, 1453, the siege of Constantinople began, despite the heavy opposition of the grand vizier Candarli.  On May 29, 1453, Constantinople gave in, and was sacked by the Ottoman troops.  On May 30, 1453, Mehmed stopped the looting of Constantinople; converted the Hagia Sophia into a mosque, and began planning for the new city, which would be known as Istanbul.  This day he also had his grand vizier Candarli arrested and later executed.

Later in 1453, a big effort was begun to repopulate Constantinople by encouraging Greek and Genoese traders to return, deporting Muslims and Christians to Istanbul, and promoting religious institutions for Jews, Armenians, and other Christian groups.

On August 11, 1473, Mehmed achieved what was arguably his most strategic victory when he defeated the Turmen leader Uzun Hasan at Bashkent.   With this victory, Mehmed achieved full control over Anatolia.

Mehmed died on May 3, 1481, in Hunkarcayiri near Maltepe near Istanbul.

Mehmed was sultan twice.   The first time was a very problematic period, as his court was weakened by the conflict between his grand vizier Candarli hall and the 2 viziers Zaganos and Sihabeddin.  Along the borders, Christian Crusaders were attacking from the north (near Varna, in today’s Romania).   It was his father, the abdicated sultan Murad I who first defeated the Crusaders, and later returned to office in order to bring stability back to the empire.

While Mehmed’s first period as sultan was a flop, his return was a great one.  He is deemed to be one of the greatest of the Ottoman sultans.  In addition to conquering Constantinople, Mehmed put great emphasis on culture, science and law.  He brought some of the greatest European minds to his court, built libraries, colleges, and invited peoples of different races and religions to move to Istanbul (as Constantinople was named) – thereby creating the foundations for the greatness for this city in centuries to follow.   His success and fame was for a time so strong that he assumed the title Kayser-i Rum (Roman Caesar).


Mehmed II Fatih see Mehmed II
Mehmed the Conqueror see Mehmed II
Mehmet II see Mehmed II
Muhammad II see Mehmed II
Mehmed-i sani see Mehmed II
Fatih Sultan Mehmet see Mehmed II