Mehmed II's City: The Ottoman Conquest and Rebirth of Constantinople

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Mehmed II transformed Constantinople into Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. After the conquest in 1453, Mehmed repopulated the devastated city, resettling Muslims, Christians, and Jews from across his realm. He established the millet system, granting religious communities autonomy under their own leaders. The Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque, but Mehmed also invited the Armenian patriarch to Istanbul and protected the Greek Orthodox Church. Lucas and Luna discuss how the city's economy revived through tax incentives and the construction of the Grand Bazaar. They touch on the construction of the Topkapı Palace, the Fatih Mosque complex, and the role of the devşirme system in integrating conquered peoples. The episode reveals Mehmed's vision of a cosmopolitan imperial capital, blending continuity with the Byzantine past and innovation as a new Islamic power. It covers the period from 1453 to Mehmed's death in 1481, offering a fresh perspective on the city's rebirth under Ottoman rule.

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