When the auspicious conquest was achieved, the Ottoman sultan, Mehmed the Conqueror, was only 21. The war began on April 6, 1453, with the Ottoman Empire besieging the Byzantine walls surrounding Istanbul. The Pope sent five fully equipped ships to aid Byzantium, and the ships managed to bypass the Ottoman Navy and enter the Golden Horn.
Due to the chain stretched between the Golden Horn and Galata, preventing the Ottoman Navy from entering the Golden Horn, the war was turning against the Ottomans. Mehmed the Conqueror, a military and strategic genius, ordered 72 galleys to be transported overland and launched into the Golden Horn, changing the war's course.
In a prophecy about Istanbul's conquest by a Muslim ruler, the Prophet Muhammad said: "Konstantiniye will surely be conquered; what a good commander is the conqueror, what a good soldier is the conqueror.”
The 53-day siege ended with the Ottoman Navy entering the Golden Horn. On May 29, 1453, Constantinople was conquered. Following the conquest, Sultan Mehmed was given the title "Fatih," meaning "the conqueror of countries." The thousand-year-old Byzantine state came to an end. The conquest of Constantinople is considered the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the New Age.
Today, on the 571st anniversary of the conquest, a series of events will be held. In Fatih, a "Conquest March" and a "Fetihname Concert" will be organized. In Sultanbeyli, there will be a mehteran (Ottoman military band) performance along with light and laser shows. At the Maltepe Event Area, there will be concerts by Sena Şener and Haluk Levent.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan celebrated the 571st anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul by saying: "Following the conquest, which became a means for our noble nation to take root on a continent thanks to the military genius and unwavering determination of our heroic army, Istanbul, under the tolerant and just rule of the great statesman Fatih Sultan Mehmet, became a center where different beliefs and cultures coexist."
In a congratulatory message issued on the occasion of the 571st anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul, President Erdoğan emphasized that Istanbul's conquest is one of the most magnificent victories in the world and Turkish history.
He stated: "To understand the spirit of the conquest, it is important to understand how this blessed victory was achieved. Following the conquest, which became a means for our noble nation to take root on a continent thanks to the military genius and unwavering determination of our heroic army, Istanbul, under the tolerant and just rule of the great statesman Fatih Sultan Mehmet, became a center where different beliefs and cultures coexist."
Highlighting Istanbul's position among the world's most prestigious cities as Türkiye's hub of business, finance, trade, art, culture and faith, President Erdoğan added: "The faith, determination and perseverance demonstrated by Fatih Sultan Mehmet and his heroic soldiers during the conquest of Istanbul inspire us today on the path to achieving the 'Century of Türkiye' goal. On the occasion of the 571st anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul, I commemorate with mercy, respect and gratitude Fatih Sultan Mehmet and our esteemed martyrs who left us this unique beauty of a world city, and I greet all our citizens with my heartfelt feelings."
First lady Emine Erdoğan shared her reflections on the 571st anniversary of the victory in a recent social media post: "On the 571st anniversary of the blessed victory, I remember Fatih Sultan Mehmet Khan and his heroic army with mercy and gratitude."
She further remarked, "Istanbul is an ancient legacy entrusted to us, our sole treasure that we must preserve forever.
On the night of April 21-22, 1453, soldiers and animals transported 67 ships overland from the Kabataş Stream to the Golden Horn, preparing for the siege of Istanbul. The city's walls were built and rebuilt several times, with the final set constructed during the reign of Constantinus.
Preparations for the conquest were made in Edirne, where Mehmed II departed with an army of 80,000 soldiers. Venetian commander Bartolomeo Soligo attempted to block the entrance of the Golden Horn with a chain, but Mehmed II's forces persisted.
Despite initial failed attempts, Ottoman ships eventually entered the Golden Horn. After a series of unsuccessful tunneling efforts, Mehmed II launched a final assault on May 29, with Janissaries leading the charge.
By the afternoon of the same day, Mehmed II had entered Istanbul and famously declared, "My throne is Istanbul from now on." The conquest, lasting 54 days, marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and ushered in a new era for Istanbul as the capital of the Ottoman Empire.
