Fall of Constantinople in 1453

May 29, in 1453 marked the end of the siege which began on April 6th and the final fall of Constantinople to the young Ottoman sultan Mahomet II. This event is seen by many historians as the end of the "Middle Ages" and the the resulting flight of many of the empire's intellectuals to Italy as the beginning of the Renaissance period. It was a great blow to Christendom and opened the way for further Muslim agression and invasions into Europe. Despite this great success of Mahomet II he was later prevented by the valiant knights of St. John on Rhodes from conquering their island.