When did the Byzantine Empire collapse?

The story behind the answer

1453 is correct because it marks the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II on May 29, 1453, ending the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire. Ottoman use of massive gunpowder cannons breached the famed Theodosian Walls, ending a millennium-old empire centered on Constantinople and reshaping Eastern Mediterranean power.

Why it matters: The city’s fall redirected trade routes, encouraged European maritime exploration, and helped spark the Renaissance as Greek scholars fled west with classical texts. Memory tip: 1453 is a double milestone—the Fall of Constantinople and the end of the Hundred Years’ War. By contrast, 1299 is the traditional start of the Ottoman Empire; 1353 marks their foothold in Europe (Gallipoli); 1498 is Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India.