1453    Mehmed II begins his siege of Constantinople (Istanbul), which falls on May 29.

1509    An earthquake known as "The Lesser Judgment Day" hits Istanbul.

1695    Mustafa II becomes the Ottoman sultan in Istanbul on the death of Ahmed II. Mustafa rules until his abdication in 1703.

1863    Robert College of Istanbul-Turkey, the first American educational institution outside the United States, is founded by Christopher Robert, an American philanthropist.

1915    The arrest of 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Istanbul marks the beginning of the Armenian Genocide.

1923    The great powers of World War I withdraw from Istanbul

1923    Ankara replaces Istanbul as the capital of Turkey.

1925    The Government of Turkey throws Patriarch Constantine VI out of Istanbul.

1930    Constantinople and Angora change their names to Istanbul and Ankara.

1955    Istanbul Pogrom: Istanbul's Greek and Armenian minority are the target of a government-sponsored pogrom.

1977    36 people are killed in Taksim Square, Istanbul, during the Labour Day celebrations.

1986    In Istanbul, two terrorists from Abu Nidal's organization kill 22 and wound six inside the Neve Shalom synagogue during Shabbat services.

2000    The Leninist Guerrilla Units wing of the Communist Labour Party of Turkey/Leninist attack a Nationalist Movement Party office in Istanbul, killing one person and injuring three.