Mehmed II
Born in Edirne, he took Constantinople in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire, and made it the new Ottoman capital.
| Lived | 1432 – 1481 |
| Known as | Ottoman sultan |
| Birthplace or main place | Edirne |
| Places on the map | Edirne, Istanbul |
EdirneSee the world of Mehmed II in the interactive map
Who ruled these places in his lifetime
| Place | At birth (map of 1400) | At death (map of 1400) |
|---|---|---|
| Edirne | Ottoman Empire | same |
| Istanbul | Ottoman Empire | same |
From the border maps nearest to each date; borders are approximate.
Events in his lifetime
| Year | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1453 | Mehmed II takes Constantinople; the Byzantine Empire falls | Istanbul |
Battles and sites of the time
- Battle of Varna · 1444
Further reading
Contemporaries
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| c. 1418 – 1471 | Pachacuti | Sapa Inca |
| c. 1443 – 1538 | Askia Muhammad | Emperor of Songhai |
| c. 1400 – 1468 | Johannes Gutenberg | Inventor of printing |
| 1449 – 1492 | Lorenzo de’ Medici | Ruler of Florence |
| 1451 – 1506 | Christopher Columbus | Navigator |
| 1452 – 1519 | Leonardo da Vinci | Painter and inventor |
| 1394 – 1460 | Henry the Navigator | Portuguese prince |
| 1397 – 1450 | Sejong the Great | King of Joseon |
| 1394 – 1449 | Ulugh Beg | Astronomer and ruler |
| c. 1466 – 1520 | Moctezuma II | Aztec emperor |
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.