Mehmed the Conqueror: The Sultan Who Took Constantinople — Fexingo History — Podcast

Mehmed II's Naval Arsenal: The Tersane-i Amire 21.08.2026 7m

In the years after Constantinople fell, Sultan Mehmed II set out to build the Ottoman navy into a force that could challenge Venice and control the eastern Mediterranean. At the heart of this effort was the Tersane-i Amire, the imperial shipyard at Kasımpaşa on the Golden Horn, which grew from a small Byzantine dock into the largest naval construction site in the Mediterranean. This episode follows the rise of the arsenal under grand admiral Baltaoğlu Süleyman Bey, the adoption of new galley designs, the use of slave labor from the devşirme system, and the strategic thinking behind Ottoman naval expansion. It also looks at the key battles that tested this new fleet, from the siege of Negroponte in 1470 to the unsuccessful attack on Rhodes in 1480, and considers why Mehmed, despite his successes, never quite achieved the maritime supremacy he sought. With details on ship types, logistics, and the politics of naval command, this episode reveals a side of the Conqueror often overshadowed by his land campaigns. #MehmedII #OttomanNavy #Tersane-iAmire #Kasımpaşa #GoldenHorn #BaltaoğluSüleymanBey #Negroponte #Rhodes1480 #Galley #Devşirme #VenetianOttomanWar #MediterraneanHistory #NavalHistory #Constantinople #ByzantineEmpire #OttomanEmpire #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II's Secret Weapon: The Ottoman Cannon Foundries 20.08.2026 8m

In 1453, Mehmed II's army breached the walls of Constantinople with some of the largest cannons the world had ever seen. But where did those guns come from, and how did the Ottomans cast them? This episode follows the story of the foundries that made the conquest possible—from the master founder Urban, who first offered his services to the Byzantines, to the massive bronze bombard that fired a 1,200-pound stone ball. We trace the evolution of Ottoman siege artillery, the gunpowder supply chain, the role of Serbian and Hungarian ore, and the foundry at Edirne that produced the great guns. We also look at how Mehmed II's obsession with artillery reshaped his army, his navy, and his empire—and how the cannon foundries of Istanbul became the heart of a new military-industrial complex. Along the way, we meet the engineers, the casters, and the sultan himself, who personally oversaw the casting of his greatest gun. This is the story of the weapons that changed history. #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #Constantinople1453 #CannonFoundry #UrbanTheFounder #SiegeArtillery #MilitaryHistory #ByzantineEmpire #Edirne #TopKapi #Gunpowder #BronzeCannons #MehmedTheConqueror #OttomanMilitary #MedievalWarfare #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

The Sultan's Diet: Mehmed II and the Poisoned Melon 19.08.2026 10m

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna peel back the layers of a little-known but telling incident from the reign of Mehmed II: the sultan's fascination with a giant melon sent as a tribute gift — and the fear that it might be poisoned. The year is 1476, and the gift comes from the Karamanid ruler, İshak Bey, a vassal with a history of rebellion. Mehmed's court physicians, led by the Jewish doctor Hekim Yakub, face a delicate dilemma: to test the fruit or trust the giver. Through this single episode, we explore the world of Ottoman palace protocol, the sultan's personal habits, his legendary suspicion, and the intricate dance of diplomacy, medicine, and power that defined his reign. Drawing on the accounts of the contemporary chronicler Tursun Beg and the Venetian ambassador Giovanni Dario, we piece together what the melon reveals about Mehmed's paranoia, his patronage of Jewish and Muslim scholars, and the razor's edge on which his empire balanced. It's a microhistory that opens a window onto the everyday life of the Topkapı Palace and the mind of a conqueror who never quite trusted anyone — not even a gift of sweet fruit. #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #TopkapiPalace #PoisonedMelon #HekimYakub #Karamanids #TursunBeg #GiovanniDario #CourtIntrigue #Diplomacy #JewishScholar #Poisons #Sultan #Constantinople #15thCentury #ByzantineLegacy #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II's Grand Bazaar: The Conqueror's Economic Engine 18.08.2026 7m

In 1461, Mehmed the Conqueror ordered the construction of a covered market at the heart of his new capital. That market, the Grand Bazaar, would grow into one of the world's oldest and largest shopping centers. But it was more than commerce—it was statecraft. This episode explores how Mehmed II used the bazaar to rebuild Constantinople's economy, attract merchants, and bind his diverse empire together. We follow the story from the city's ruin after 1453, through the construction of the bedesten, the covered warehouses that anchored the market, to the taxes, guilds, and trade routes that made it thrive. We meet the merchants who flocked from Venice, Genoa, Persia, and Egypt, and the sultan's officials who regulated every scale and price. Along the way, we see the bazaar as a microcosm of Ottoman power: a place where the Conqueror's vision of a new Rome came alive in silk, spices, and gold. We also touch on the irony that this engine of prosperity funded the very campaigns that made the empire feared across three continents. A story of urban revival, economic policy, and the everyday lives of tradespeople—told through the stones of Istanbul's most famous marketplace. #GrandBazaar #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #Constantinople #Istanbul #EconomicHistory #Trade #UrbanPlanning #Kapalıçarşı #Bedesten #1453 #Conquest #Byzantine #Venetian #Genoese #SilkRoad #MiddleEastHistory #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II's Cem Sultan: The Sultan's Exiled Son 17.08.2026 9m

In Episode 207 of Mehmed the Conqueror, we follow the tragic story of Cem Sultan, the son who challenged his brother Bayezid II for the Ottoman throne after Mehmed's death in 1481. Caught between the glitter of Renaissance courts and the cold politics of Christendom, Cem spent thirteen years as a hostage, first with the Knights Hospitaller in Rhodes, then in France and Italy, his life a chess piece in the struggle between East and West. We explore how the succession crisis was a direct test of Mehmed's legacy, how Cem's poetry as Halimî echoed his father's Avni, and how the 'Sultan's brother' became a pawn of popes and kings, his death in Naples a quiet end to a relentless pursuit. From the battlefield of Otlukbeli to the halls of the Vatican, this is the untold story of a prince who never ruled but whose shadow fell over two empires. #CemSultan #BayezidII #OttomanSuccession #KnightsHospitaller #Rhodes #PopeInnocentVIII #CharlesVIII #Neapolis #Halimi #Otlukbeli #UzunHasan #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #15thCentury #Hostage #History #FexingoHistory #RoyalRivalry Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II and the Great Gunpowder Debate 16.08.2026 10m

In Episode 206 of our Mehmed the Conqueror series, we tackle a question that's fascinated historians for centuries: was the fall of Constantinople in 1453 really due to the mighty Ottoman bombard? Lucas and Luna dig into the evidence—from the famous bombard built by Urban, the Hungarian engineer, to the logistical nightmare of hauling it to the city walls. They explore how Mehmed II's use of gunpowder artillery was revolutionary, but also how it was far from a flawless weapon: the great gun cracked, the siege dragged on, and it was ultimately the Byzantine defenders' exhaustion and Mehmed's sheer numbers that sealed the city's fate. Along the way, they discuss the Ottoman grand vizier Çandarlı Halil's skepticism, the role of the Janissaries, and the tactical innovations that made the conquest possible. It's a nuanced look at the interplay between technology, logistics, and leadership that changed the course of history. #MehmedII #Constantinople #1453 #OttomanEmpire #Byzantine #Gunpowder #Artillery #Urban #Janissaries #SiegeWarfare #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast #Medieval #Renaissance #MilitaryHistory #OttomanArtillery #Kayser-iRum Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

The Sultan's Faith: Mehmed II and the Church of the Apostles 15.08.2026 8m

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a lesser-known chapter of Mehmed the Conqueror's reign: his relationship with the Greek Orthodox Church after the fall of Constantinople. They discuss how Mehmed appointed Gennadios Scholarios as patriarch, granted the Church privileges, and even engaged in theological debates. The episode centers on the Church of the Holy Apostles, which Mehmed initially granted to the Patriarchate but later converted into a mosque, a decision that reveals the delicate balance between his imperial ambitions and religious policy. Lucas explains the significance of the millet system, the role of the patriarch as ethnarch, and how Mehmed's approach to Christians influenced Ottoman governance for centuries. The conversation also touches on the legend of the 'Mosque of the Conqueror' and the fate of the church's relics. Listeners will come away with a nuanced understanding of how conquest and coexistence shaped the early Ottoman Empire. #MehmedII #Constantinople #ChurchOfTheHolyApostles #GennadiosScholarios #Patriarchate #MilletSystem #OttomanEmpire #Byzantine #GreekOrthodox #FatihMosque #Kayser-iRum #15thCentury #ReligiousPolicy #Conquest #OttomanHistory #ByzantineHistory #HistoryPodcast #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II's Palace School: The Making of an Ottoman Elite 14.08.2026 9m

In the decades after the conquest of Constantinople, Sultan Mehmed II built an institution that would shape the Ottoman Empire for centuries: the Enderun, the palace school. This episode explores how the Conqueror took the ancient practice of devshirme — the levy of Christian boys — and turned it into a rigorous academy for statesmen, generals, and administrators. We follow the journey of a boy from the Balkans, his conversion and training, his education in languages, law, and military arts, and his eventual rise to the highest offices of the empire. We look at the curriculum, the strict hierarchy, the loyalty it instilled in its graduates, and the paradox at its heart: an empire ruled by slaves who were, in reality, the most powerful men in the world. We also consider the legacy of the Enderun in the lives of figures like Gedik Ahmed Pasha, Mahmud Pasha, and the sultan's own sons. This episode draws on the accounts of Ottoman historians and European travelers, and it offers a fresh look at the inner workings of the empire that Mehmed II forged. #Enderun #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #Devshirme #PalaceSchool #Constantinople #Topkapi #Janissaries #OttomanHistory #SultanMehmed #Kayser-iRum #OttomanEducation #Balkans #History #FexingoHistory #OttomanElite #OttomanAdministration #MedievalWorld Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II's Navy: The Admiral Who Built an Empire 13.08.2026 9m

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the naval side of Mehmed the Conqueror's reign, focusing on the transformation of the Ottoman fleet from a modest force into a dominant Mediterranean power. They discuss the crucial role of Baltaoğlu Süleyman Bey, the admiral who led the navy during the siege of Constantinople, and his controversial failure at the Chain of Galata. The conversation then shifts to the shipbuilding program at the new Tersane-i Amire, the role of Greek shipwrights like the famous Hamza, and how Mehmed's naval investments enabled campaigns against the Venetians and the siege of Negroponte in 1470. Lucas brings in the story of the captured Genoese captain, Giovanni Giustiniani, who later served the Sultan, and the broader impact of Ottoman sea power on trade and diplomacy in the Eastern Mediterranean. The episode also touches on the construction of the Rumeli Hisarı, which secured the Bosphorus, and the use of galleys and new gunpowder technology at sea, painting a vivid picture of a ruler who understood that controlling the sea was as vital as conquering the land. #MehmedII #OttomanNavy #BaltaogluSuleyman #Constantinople #SiegeOfConstantinople #Tersane #Galata #Negroponte #VenetianWar #RumeliHisari #MediterraneanHistory #Shipbuilding #Galleys #OttomanEmpire #15thCentury #NavalWarfare #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

The Hidden Science: Mehmed II's Observatory and Astronomy 12.08.2026 9m

In Episode 202 of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore a lesser-known facet of Mehmed the Conqueror: his passion for astronomy. From a young age, Mehmed was tutored by the greatest minds of his era, and as sultan, he patronized scholars and built an observatory in the heart of Constantinople. This episode uncovers the story of Ali Qushji, the Timurid astronomer who brought the Samarkand school to the Ottoman court, and how Mehmed's interest in the stars influenced his military planning, from the conquest of Constantinople to his campaigns in the East. We also delve into the lost works of the observatory, the clash between faith and science, and the legacy that inspired later Ottoman astronomers like Taqi al-Din. Join us for a journey through the celestial ambitions of a sultan who truly sought to conquer the heavens. #MehmedII #OttomanAstronomy #AliQushji #SamarkandSchool #Observatory #Constantinople #HistoryOfScience #IslamicGoldenAge #TaqiAlDin #UluğBey #Astrolabe #OttomanEmpire #Kayser-iRum #Topkapi #HagiaSophia #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

The Conquest of Trebizond: Mehmed's Last Byzantine Prize 11.08.2026 6m

In 1461, eight years after Constantinople fell, the last independent Byzantine Greek state vanished. Trebizond, a remote empire on the Black Sea coast, had survived for over two centuries thanks to its mountain defenses, its diplomacy, and the rivalry between Ottomans and their enemies. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Mehmed II, the Conqueror, finally brought Trebizond into the fold. They follow the dramatic march across Anatolia, the role of the Grand Vizier Mahmud Pasha, the diplomatic maneuvering of Emperor David Komnenos, and the death of a dynasty that claimed descent from the Byzantine emperors. Along the way, they uncover the fate of the last Komnenoi, the Byzantine princess who entered Mehmed's harem, and the echoes of Trebizond in the poetry of the Conqueror himself, who wrote under the pen name Avni. It's a story of hubris, survival, and the relentless logic of empire. #Trebizond #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #ByzantineHistory #Komnenos #BlackSea #FallOfByzantium #OttomanConquest #MahmudPasha #DavidKomnenos #Avni #OttomanPoetry #15thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #Empire #MedievalHistory #LastByzantineState Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II and the Ottoman Renaissance Man 10.08.2026 8m

In our 200th episode on Mehmed the Conqueror, we step away from the battlefield to explore his intellectual side. Forget the cannons and the siege for a moment — as the poet Avni, Mehmed wrote verses that still resonate. But his cultural ambition went deeper: he commissioned a portrait from the Venetian artist Gentile Bellini, invited scholars from across the world to his court, and built a palace library that housed Greek, Persian, and Arabic works. We discuss how Mehmed saw himself as a new Caesar and a patron of learning, and how his conquest of Constantinople became a cultural crossroads. Through his correspondence with Italian humanists and his support for astronomers like Ali Qushji, we see a ruler who, even as he was conquering, was trying to rebuild Rome — but with himself as the emperor. This episode is a counterbalance to the warlord image, showing a man who, in the words of a contemporary, 'read histories as others read romances.' #MehmedII #OttomanRenaissance #GentileBellini #AliQushji #Avni #Constantinople #TopkapiPalace #Kayser-iRum #OttomanHistory #ByzantineHistory #PatronOfArts #Poetry #History #FexingoHistory #IntellectualHistory #Renaissance #CrossCulturalExchange #SultanPoet Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II's Post-Conquest Islamization of Constantinople 09.08.2026 6m

In the years after 1453, Sultan Mehmed II transformed the conquered city of Constantinople into the Ottoman capital, Istanbul. This episode digs into the gritty mechanics of that transformation — the forced deportations (sürgün) that repopulated the empty streets, the conversion of churches into mosques, the establishment of Muslim quarters and the great medreses, and the delicate balancing act with the newly installed Greek Orthodox Patriarch. We follow the fortunes of the Ayasofya and the Pammakaristos churches, the rise of the Eyüp Sultan Mosque as a new sacred center, and the quieter stories of Jewish communities expelled from Spain who found a haven in the sultan's city. It's a story of urban planning, demographic engineering, and religious politics — how a conqueror built a new imperial capital on a Christian city's bones, and how the city's soul was renegotiated in the process. #MehmedII #Constantinople #Istanbul #OttomanEmpire #Sürgün #Ayasofya #EyüpSultan #Pammakaristos #Gennadios #GreekOrthodox #SephardicJewish #OttomanHistory #Byzantine #1453 #UrbanPlanning #ReligiousConversion #MiddleEast #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

The Sultan's New Language: Mehmed II and the Turkish Renaissance 08.08.2026 12m

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore a surprising chapter in the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror: his efforts to forge a new Ottoman literary language. After taking Constantinople in 1453, Mehmed II—himself a poet writing under the pen name Avni—set out to create a Turkish that could rival Persian and Arabic as a language of high culture. We look at how he gathered poets and scholars at his court, from the Persian master Cemali to the Byzantine-trained Greek literati, and how he commissioned translations of Greek and Persian classics into Turkish. We trace the birth of a distinctly Ottoman poetic idiom, with its own rules of meter and rhyme, and how this language became the voice of a new empire. Along the way, we consider what this tells us about Mehmed's vision of his own rule—not just as a conqueror, but as a patron of a civilization that blended Turkic, Persian, and Byzantine threads. The episode also touches on the limits of his project: how the Ottoman elite would continue writing in Persian and Arabic for centuries, and how Turkish only truly came into its own in the modern era. This is a story about power, identity, and the quiet work of building a culture. #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #TurkishLanguage #Avni #OttomanPoetry #DivanLiterature #Cemali #PersianInfluence #ArabicInfluence #ByzantineLegacy #TopkapiPalace #15thCentury #LanguageRevival #CulturalPatronage #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast #Renaissance Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

The Conqueror's Shadow: Mehmed II's Secret Police 07.08.2026 8m

Every empire needs eyes and ears. For Mehmed the Conqueror, that meant a shadowy network of informants, spies, and enforcers who reported directly to the sultan. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how the Fatih built his intelligence apparatus—from the çavuş, who carried the sultan's orders and watched his governors, to the oda, the sultan's inner chamber where loyalty was tested and secrets died. We trace the network's roots in earlier Islamic and Byzantine practice, see how it meshed with the devşirme system that produced so many of Mehmed's most trusted men, and consider how the same machinery that protected the sultan could also crush his friends. The shadow grows when the sultan himself becomes its chief agent, but it also follows him into the grave: his son Bayezid II inherits a spy network that will reshape the empire—and, some say, help create the modern intelligence state. Through letters, chronicles, and accounts from Western travelers, we piece together a world where every whisper might reach the throne. #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #IntelligenceHistory #Spies #FatihSultanMehmed #Topkapi #Devsirme #Cavus #Janissaries #Byzantine #SecretPolice #OttomanSpies #Kayser-iRum #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast #15thCentury #Espionage Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

The Janissary Revolt of 1446: Mehmed II's First Lesson 06.08.2026 10m

Before he conquered Constantinople, Mehmed II faced a humiliating setback: the Janissary revolt of 1446. This episode unpacks the intricate politics of the Ottoman court, where a child sultan, a powerful grand vizier, and a restless army collided. We trace the origins of the Janissary corps, the devşirme system that recruited them, and the economic crisis — triggered by a debased currency — that pushed them to mutiny. When the Janissaries marched on Edirne, they didn't just demand their pay; they demanded the sultan's head. Çandarlı Halil Pasha, the grand vizier, engineered a coup that restored Murad II to the throne, teaching young Mehmed a brutal lesson about power, loyalty, and the limits of imperial authority. We'll examine how this early trauma shaped Mehmed's later reforms — from creating a new palace guard to restructuring the military — and how he ultimately tamed the Janissaries, turning them into the backbone of his conquests. Join us for a deep dive into the messy, human realities behind Ottoman imperial success. #JanissaryRevolt1446 #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #ÇandarlıHalil #MuradII #Edirne #Devşirme #OttomanMilitary #JanissaryCorps #OttomanCourt #Sultan #GrandVizier #OttomanHistory #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast #Byzantine #Constantinople Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II's New Rome: The Rebuilding of Constantinople 05.08.2026 8m

After the conquest of 1453, Mehmed II faced a ruined city. This episode explores how the Conqueror repopulated and rebuilt Constantinople, turning a desolate Byzantine ghost town into the bustling Ottoman capital. Lucas and Luna discuss the sürgün forced resettlement policy, tax incentives, the construction of the Grand Bazaar and Topkapı Palace, and Mehmed's vision of himself as Kayser-i Rûm, the new Roman emperor. They also examine the controversial conversion of Hagia Sophia and the fate of the city's Greek Orthodox population. Along the way, they touch on the role of the devşirme elite, the Milletsystem, and the enduring cultural synthesis that made Ottoman Constantinople a true imperial capital. This episode continues the story of Mehmed II, focusing not on battles but on the city he built. #MehmedII #Constantinople #OttomanEmpire #FatihSultanMehmed #Kayser-iRum #Sürgün #GrandBazaar #TopkapiPalace #HagiaSophia #1453 #Byzantine #OttomanHistory #UrbanPlanning #MilletSystem #Devşirme #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II's Ottoman Reform: The Kanunname of 1478 04.08.2026 8m

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Mehmed II's legal reforms and the Kanunname of 1478, the first comprehensive Ottoman law code. They discuss the sultan's efforts to centralize authority, the role of the devşirme, the codification of taxes and criminal law, and the influence of Islamic jurisprudence. The episode also covers the creation of the imperial council (divan), the establishment of the janissary corps as a standing army, and the lasting impact of these reforms on the Ottoman Empire. With insights into key figures like Molla Hüsrev and the balance between custom (örf) and religious law (şeriat), this episode reveals how Mehmed II shaped the empire's legal and administrative foundations. #OttomanEmpire #MehmedII #Kanunname #OttomanLaw #MollaHüsrev #Devşirme #Janissary #Divan #Şeriat #Örf #TaxLaw #CriminalLaw #15thCentury #Sultan #IslamicLaw #LegalHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Mehmed II's Secret Topkapi Library and the Lost Codex 03.08.2026 8m

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a little-known corner of Mehmed the Conqueror's legacy: his secret library in Topkapi Palace, where the sultan amassed Greek, Latin, Persian, and Arabic manuscripts—including a mysterious codex that may have been a lost work of Ptolemy. We trace the library's creation, its chief librarian, the Italian humanist Gian Maria Angiolello, and the famous 'Trabzon Greek' story. We also look at the fate of the library after Mehmed's death and the modern discovery of some of its treasures. Along the way, we touch on Mehmed's personal reading habits, his patronage of scholars like Ali Qushji, and the question of whether he actually read the classics in the original. It's a story about power, knowledge, and the sultan who wanted to be a Renaissance prince. #MehmedII #TopkapiLibrary #OttomanHistory #Byzantine #Ptolemy #GianMariaAngiolello #AliQushji #Manuscripts #Renaissance #Istanbul #History #FexingoHistory #Sultan #Library #Codex #Translation #Scholarship #Palace Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

The Sultan's Secret Weapon: Mehmed II's Bodyguard Corps 02.08.2026 11m

In the aftermath of Constantinople's fall, Mehmed II built more than a new capital—he built a new kind of ruler. This episode digs into the shadowy institution that made his power possible: the sultan's personal bodyguard corps, the peyk and solak. These were no ordinary guards. Recruited through the devşirme, trained in silence, and bound by an oath of utter loyalty, they were the sultan's shadow in battle and the enforcers of his will in the palace. We trace their origins in the Janissary corps, their role in the conquest itself, and how they evolved into a tool of political terror under Mehmed. We also look at the darker side—how these guards were used to execute disgraced viziers like Çandarlı Halil, and how their presence shaped the paranoid atmosphere of the Topkapı palace. Along the way, we meet the men who commanded them, from Zaganos Pasha to the kapı ağası, and ask what it meant to be the sultan's most trusted shadow. It's a portrait of power at its most intimate and most brutal. #MehmedII #OttomanEmpire #Janissaries #Devshirme #TopkapiPalace #Constantinople #Peyk #Solak #Bodyguard #OttomanMilitary #ZaganosPasha #ÇandarlıHalil #15thCentury #Sultan #PalaceIntrigue #OttomanHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo