Timeline of Events
1453
Conquest of Constantinople
After nearly two months of siege, Sultan Mehmed II launched the final assault on Constantinople in the early hours of 29 May 1453. The Ottoman forces broke through the city’s formidable land defences and entered Constantinople. The last Byzantine Emperor, Constantine XI, died fighting during the final defence of the city.
The conquest brought the Byzantine Empire to an end and Constantinople came under Ottoman rule. Sultan Mehmed II entered the conquered city later that day and became known as Fatih — “the Conqueror.” Constantinople was established as the new capital of the Ottoman Empire.
Hence fulfilling the Hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w):
— Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 18957 (Sahih)“You will certainly conquer Constantinople. What an excellent commander will its commander be, and what an excellent army will that army be.”
Mustafa Kemal abolishes Sultanate
Mustafa Kemal while addressing the Grand National Assembly in Ankara said, “It was by force that the sons of Osman seized the sovereignty and sultanate of the Turkish nation; they have maintained this usurpation for six centuries. Now the Turkish nation has rebelled and has put a stop to these usurpers and has effectively taken sovereignty and sultanate into its own hands.”
That day Sultan Mehmed VI Vahideddin was informed that he would remain the Caliph, but no longer the Sultan. He accepted the change.
1922
1924
Caliphate is Abolished
Mustafa Kemal while addressing the Grand National Assembly in Ankara said, “It was by force that the sons of Osman seized the sovereignty and sultanate of the Turkish nation; they have maintained this usurpation for six centuries. Now the Turkish nation has rebelled and has put a stop to these usurpers and has effectively taken sovereignty and sultanate into its own hands.”
That day Sultan Mehmed VI Vahideddin was informed that he would remain the Caliph, but no longer the Sultan. He accepted the change.
Religious Courts are Abolished in Turkey
The Grand National Assembly passed a new law abolishing the religious — Şer'iye or Sharia — courts and replacing them with a unified system of civil courts.
The law brought an end to the parallel system of religious and regular courts inherited from the Ottoman Empire. The jurisdiction of the Sharia courts was transferred to the ordinary civil courts, further separating the legal system of the new Turkish Republic from Islamic law.
1924