The Fall of the Byzantine Empire

1453 CE - The Byzantine Empire comes to an end as it falls to the Ottoman Empire. The famous Theodosian Walls had protected Constantinople for nearly 1000 years from invaders. However, in 1453, a massive Ottoman army, which used gunpowder and cannons, was finally able to penetrate the walls after a nearly two months long siege. This marked the end of the Roman Empire (both and East and West).