The Eastern Roman Emperor Constantine built a new capital for his empire on the Peninsula between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea in 330 AD, and he named the city after himself. Although the Eastern Roman Empire gradually broke up, the city of Constantinople itself thrived because of its strategic location. However, by the 15th Century, the Turks had built up the mighty Ottoman Empire, which surrounded Constantinople. The ruler of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Mehmet II laid siege to Constantinople in 1453, and did not allow any supplies to reach the city. The siege lasted for six weeks, and finally on 29th May 1453, Constantinople fell. The city was sacked and plundered of its priceless treasure. The Roman Empire finally came to an end. This also marked the end of the Middle Ages in Europe.
