He was born in Edirne in Thrace. Son of Murad II, Ottoman sultan, he was sent at the age of twelve to Manisa with his guardians. It was in 1444 that his father abdicated in his favour, leaving him to face many crises. The King of Hungary then took advantage of his youth to launch a crusade against him. Murad II is obliged, in 1446, to take up arms to restore stability. On the death of his father in February 1451 Mehmet truly acceded to the throne. He wants to conquer Constantinople, and for this he engages in the diplomatic way by signing peace agreements in favor of Venice and Hungary. In 1452, he built the fortress of Rumelia to control the Bosphorus. He appears as a formidable warlord and a vigorous man. It was the capture of Constantinople in 1453 that earned him the nickname Fatih, "the Conqueror". From then on, he continued to expand the Ottoman Empire, reorganizing its administration and promoting artistic and cultural influence. On his way to the East for a new military campaign, he dies on the road, possibly poisoned. He remains known as the sultan of the conquest of Constantinople.
1432 - 1481
Status
Sultan