Mehmed the Conqueror Dies: Ottoman Empire Builder Gone
He was 21 when he conquered Constantinople, ending the Byzantine Empire and a thousand years of Roman succession. Mehmed the Conqueror had tried before at 18 and failed. He came back three years later with a fleet of 126 ships and an army of 80,000. The city fell on May 29, 1453. He then spent the rest of his reign building an empire from the Aegean to the Black Sea. He died in 1481 at 49, probably poisoned. His personal library held works in six languages.
May 3, 1481
545 years ago
What Else Happened on May 3
Ethnic violence erupted between the Meitei and Kuki Zo communities in Manipur, triggered by disputes over land rights and affirmative action status. This confli…
Bird Jaguar IV ascended the throne of Yaxchilan, ending a ten-year interregnum that had paralyzed the city-state’s leadership. By aggressively commissioning mon…
The ground shook three times in 24 hours, but it was the third quake that dropped Rhodes into the sea. Thirty thousand people died when the city's limestone bui…
The monarch took a new name, João, and ordered his entire court to follow him into baptism. Nkuwu Nzinga of Kongo wasn't conquered—he invited the Portuguese pri…
Columbus had already mapped 700 miles of Cuban coastline when his crew spotted mountains rising from turquoise water. May 5, 1494. He named it Santiago, convinc…
The French called it "Matanzas" too—the same name the Spanish had used for their massacre site, which meant "slaughters." Dominique de Gourgues led 150 Frenchme…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.