The fall of Constantinople in 1453 had a profound political impact by marking the end of the Byzantine Empire, which had lasted for over a millennium. The conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II not only solidified Ottoman power but also shifted the balance of power in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. It facilitated the spread of Islam in southeastern Europe and prompted the migration of scholars, leading to the Renaissance in Western Europe. Additionally, the fall intensified trade competition and led European powers to seek new routes to Asia, ultimately influencing the Age of Exploration.