May 29: Today is the anniversary of the fall of Constantinople to the Turkish-Ottoman Empire ending the Eastern Roman Empire, in 1453. It is also the end of the Middle Age, and the start of Early Modern Age.

We recall that the final collapse of the Eastern Roman Empire based in Rome was in 476, Romulus Augustus being the last Roman emperor.

Siege of Constantinople from Bibliothèque nationale mansucript Français 9087 (folio 207 v). The Turkish army of Mehmet II attacks Constantinople in 1453. Some soldiers are pointing canons to the city and others are pulling boats to the Golden Horn. The city looks like quite gothic.

Constantine (called Constantine the Great) built the Western Empire (also known as the Byzantine Empire) and founded the capital resembling his name as Constantinople, since 330.

Conquest of Constantinople: Modern painting of Mehmed II and the Turkish-Ottoman Army approaching, by Fausto Zonaro 

With this defeat, disappears the Roman Empire which lasted about 1,500 years. The Turkish Sultan commanded by the young 21-year-old Mehmed II continued to advance into Europe.

Siege of Constantinople as depicted between 1453 and 1475.

Many Greek scholars migrated to Italy. It seems that the Greeks helped the flowering of the Renaissance of the modern age in Florence, Italy.

The Ottoman Turks renamed Constantinople by Istanbul, and established their new capital there. The Hagia Sophia (previously the Saint Sophia Cathedral) made it the largest and most beautiful Mosque in the world.