Final answer:
Constantinople was captured in 1453 by Mehmed II, who made it the Ottoman capital and renamed it Istanbul. This conquest shifted global trade routes, with Mehmed II both enforcing a policy of cultural tolerance and significantly expanding Ottoman territory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The city of Constantinople was captured in 1453 by Mehmed II, who subsequently made it the capital of the Ottoman Empire and renamed it Istanbul. Mehmed, often referred to as 'Mehmed the Conqueror' for his conquests, solidified his rule by establishing the city as a major trading hub that controlled the trade routes to the Middle East and the Silk Road. This pivotal conquest necessitated Europeans to seek new trade routes to the East, thereby profoundly influencing global trade and politics.
Known for being a transformative leader, Mehmed II was determined to prove himself on the throne after being treated poorly by his father. The strategic importance of Constantinople, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, made it an alluring target for Ottoman expansion, aiming to bring wealth and new people into the empire.
Following the fall of Constantinople, Mehmed II implemented policies that would shape the cosmopolitan character of Istanbul, allowing freedoms to Christians and Jews under the millet system, while also turning significant Christian landmarks such as the Hagia Sophia into mosques. His reign marked a period of both cultural tolerance and military triumph, culminating in an expanded Ottoman Empire that included vital regions around the Black Sea and the Middle East.