The Fall of Constantinople (1453)
To mark the end of the Byzantine Empire and the rise of the Ottoman Empire under Mehmed the Conqueror, the city of Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453. The powerful walls of Constantinople fell after a 53-day siege, triggering a ferocious and chaotic struggle within the city itself. The victory was significant because it marked the beginning of the end for a once-great empire and made it easier for Ottoman power to sweep across Europe.