Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror: His Life, Education and Languages ​​He Knew

Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror is considered one of the most educated rulers of his time, and the education he received contributed significantly to his successes.

Fatih Sultan Mehmed is considered one of the most important rulers of the Ottoman Empire. Born in Istanbul in 1432, Fatih Sultan Mehmet II was born in 1444. He became sultan for the first time after Murat abdicated. However, after a short time, he returned the throne to his father and ascended the throne as sultan again in 1451.

Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror not only expanded the borders of the Ottoman Empire, but also ensured that the empire experienced a great development in the field of culture and art. His most important achievement was the conquest of Istanbul in 1453. With this victory, the Byzantine Empire came to an end and the Ottoman Empire became an important power in world history, acting as a bridge between East and West.

Education of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror

The education of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror played a major role in him becoming a successful leader and strategist. His father is II. Murad gave great importance to Mehmed's education and brought him the best teachers of the period. Mehmed, who started his education at a young age, went through madrasah education and gained knowledge in many different fields.

Islamic sciences, mathematics, astronomy, geography, history, literature and philosophy had an important place in Mehmed's education. While his teacher Akşemseddin taught him religious and moral values, Molla Gürani gave him science and philosophy lessons. Thanks to this extensive knowledge he acquired at a young age, Mehmed achieved outstanding success in both military and administrative fields.

• Religious Education: He memorized the Quran, learned Islamic jurisprudence and hadiths, and mastered Arabic grammar and literature.
• Military Training: He learned to ride horses, use swords and do archery since his childhood. He acquired deep knowledge of military tactics and strategies and trained his army personally.
• Political Education: His father II. He was informed by Murat on issues related to state administration. He received training on diplomacy, the art of management and international relations.
• History and Philosophy: He was interested in subjects such as history, philosophy, geography and mathematics, read books in these fields and discussed with scholars.
• Art and Culture: Fatih Sultan Mehmet, who was interested in arts such as music, painting and literature, patronized artists and writers.

Languages ​​Known by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror

Fatih Sultan Mehmed received a versatile education and had the opportunity to learn many languages. The languages ​​that Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror knew enabled him to communicate effectively in a wide geography.

In addition to being an important leader of his time, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror's language skills helped him act as a bridge between different cultures.

1. Turkish: He spoke Turkish perfectly, his birth language.
2. Arabic: Mehmed the Conqueror could speak Arabic fluently. Knowledge of Arabic was of great importance for understanding Islamic sciences and religious texts.
3. Persian: Mehmed also knew Persian well. Persian was one of the languages ​​in which the literary and scientific works of the period were written, and Mehmed expanded his knowledge by reading these works.
4. Latin: He learned Latin to improve his relations with the Western world. In this way, he was able to benefit from the scientific and cultural knowledge of the West.
5. Rumca (Greek): After the conquest of Istanbul, he learned Greek in order to be interested in Byzantine culture and history. Knowledge of this language facilitated their interactions with Byzantium.
6. Italian: Mehmed also learned Italian and used this language especially in his dealings with Italian merchants and diplomats.

It is also said that Mehmed the Conqueror could speak languages ​​such as Hebrew, Serbian, Armenian and Bosnian.

Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror became one of the most important leaders of his period not only with his military abilities, but also with the extensive education he received and the languages ​​he knew. These characteristics helped him be successful in communicating with different cultures, developing diplomatic relations, creating military strategies and management.