Sultan Muhammad II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, was the Ottoman ruler who reigned from 1444 to 1446 and again from 1451 to 1481. He is best known for his successful conquest of Constantinople in 1453, which marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and established the Ottomans as a dominant power in southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean. Under his leadership, the Ottoman Empire expanded significantly, incorporating territories in Balkans, Anatolia, and parts of North Africa. Sultan Muhammad II was also a patron of the arts and architecture, commissioning notable structures like the Topkapi Palace and the Fatih Mosque, which reflect the empire's cultural and religious significance.