The Fall of Constantinople in 1453 was a pivotal event in world history, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire and a significant shift in power from Christian Europe to the Islamic Ottoman Empire. The city's conquest by Sultan Mehmed II effectively ended over a thousand years of Byzantine rule and signified the triumph of the Ottomans, who would expand their empire across Europe, Asia, and Africa. This event also bolstered the spread of Islam and prompted the flow of refugees and scholars from Constantinople to Western Europe, leading to the Renaissance and significant cultural exchanges in the region.