Why was the fall of Constantinople considered a major turning point in world history?

Answer 1

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the fall of constantinople was that it was one of the primary movers for the European renaissance.

The western Roman empire fell in 476 CE, a process which took over a century. An age of rationalism was replaced with an age of barbarism and mysticism. While Europe descended into religious ignorance, the traditions of Rome continued... in the middle east. This was the Islamic golden age. most scholars and thinkers fled east, away from war ravaged Italy and Greece, and to the relatively peaceful areas of Egypt and Persia. Islam at this time was a rational religion, that fostered knowledge and tolerated Jews and Christians. The term Algebra is actually a middle eastern term (al-gebra)

The collapse of this society by the barbaric madmen who turned Islam into a murderously intolerant religion pushed the great centers of learning back to Byzantium. Byzantium's collapse pushed them further west, into Italy, which proved to become the Intellectual seed for the Renaissance.

The aristotlean tradition of using logic and reason to devine the natural world was re-introduced by Thomas Aquinas (who is the philosophical father of most modern Christians) but its rich tradition from the Antique and Arabian eras was only re-introduced after the fall of Constantinople.

Answer 2

Because Constantinople was the outer limit of the East and West divide. Once the great City and center of trade changed hands, then the philosophies and products of the East came West and eventually visa verse. Istanbul was born on the top of Constantinople as it still is today.

Answer 3

Because it was a conquering of Europe by Muslims. And the Byzantine Empire was the direct descendent of the Romans, and it was finally a collapse of the Roman system.

It also opened up Western Europe to direct trade with the people to the east, instead of having to go through the Byzantines.

Answer 4

It cut off the trade routes to China/ India. Big economic drive to find alternative routes- hence Vasco da Gama and Columbus.
The muslim invasion of Europe was more a local thing.

Answer 5

1.Eastern Europe fell into the hands of Islam Empire

2.Gave Western Europe motive to sail around the ocean to commerce with Asia