From the famous siege of Constantinople in 1453 through the numerous other campaigns that securely established the Ottoman Empire, the events in the life of the emperor Mehmed II are the subject of this classic biography. One of the most important figures in Ottoman history, Mehmed was the architect of victories that inspired fear throughout Europe and contributed to an image of the Turk prevalent in Western art and literature for many years. "Fascinating. . . . From the Western viewpoint, Mehmed was seen as the man who gave the death blow to Byzantium, destroying the last vestige of the...