Sultan Mehmed II, who earned the title
Fatih (‘The Conqueror’) by winning over Konstantinopolis, powerfully influenced its development. He initiated redevelopment, built up the population, and encouraged trade. The Topkapı Palace, bazaars (
hans) and waterways initiated by Mehmed II, were developed still further by later sultans. The Ottomans crowned ‘the city built on seven hills’ with architectural complexes and adorned her streets with fountains. Many new commercial, civic, and military buildings were built in order to meet the needs of a growing society.