The Siege of Constantinople (1453)

The Siege of Constantinople (Hellenic: Θαύμα της Κωνσταντινούπολης (Miracle of Constantinople)), also called the Battle of Constantinople, was the last major attempt by the Ottoman Turks to capture the Byzantine-Roman capital of Constantinople. The attacking Ottoman army, which significantly outnumbered Constantinople's defenders, was commanded by the 21-year-old Sultan Mehmed II, while the Byzantine army was led by Emperor John VIII Palaiologos.

Prior to the siege, Mehmed made plans to move his capital from Edirne (modern-day Adrianople) to Constantinople. Despite warnings from his advisors, he moved forward with the attack and began sieging the city on 6 April 1453. After 53 days of multiple setbacks and continuous bombardment, Mehmed and his forces were able to break through the defense and take over a small portion of the city, but were eventually flanked and routed by the mercenary captain Lucius and his army, resulting in a catastrophic defeat and the death of Mehmed II.

Shortly after the battle, the Ottomans fractured into several rival clans, and the Turks were driven from Hellas en masse, allowing Byzantine armies to reconquer past territories and stage a massive invasion of Anatolia. The siege and subsequent battle are often seen as the most critical moments in modern Roman history, ending what is traditionally seen as the Dark Ages and beginning what historians call the Age of the Phoenix — a period of rapid Roman reconquests throughout the Mediterranean.