Editing Mehmed II (section)

== Personal life ==
[[File:OttomanEmpire1481.png|thumb|right|The territorial extent of the Ottoman Empire upon the death of Mehmed II]]

Mehmed had a strong interest in ancient Greek and medieval Byzantine civilization. His heroes were [[Achilles]] and [[Alexander the Great]] and he could discuss Christian religion with some authority.{{Sfn|Nicolle|2000|p=19}} He was reputed to be fluent in several languages, including [[Ottoman Turkish language|Turkish]], [[Serbian language|Serbian]], [[Arabic]], [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Latin language|Latin]].<ref name="Norwich 1995 413–416">{{Cite book|last=Norwich|first=John Julius|author-link=John Julius Norwich|year=1995|title=Byzantium: The Decline and Fall| pages=81–82|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|location=New York|isbn=0-679-41650-1}}</ref><ref name="Runciman 1965 56">{{Cite book|last=Runciman|first=Steven|author-link=Steven Runciman|year=1965|title=The Fall of Constantinople: 1453|page=56|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=London|isbn =0-521-39832-0}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.milliyet.com.tr/fatih-hakan-ve-roma-kayzeri/ilber-ortayli/pazar/yazardetay/03.06.2012/1548527/default.htm|title=Fatih, Hakan ve Roma Kayzeri {{!}} İlber Ortaylı {{!}} Milliyet.com.tr|last=sitesi|first=milliyet.com.tr Türkiye'nin lider haber|work=Milliyet Haber – Türkiye'nin Haber Sitesi|access-date=9 April 2017|archive-date=23 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423190746/http://www.milliyet.com.tr/fatih-hakan-ve-roma-kayzeri/ilber-ortayli/pazar/yazardetay/03.06.2012/1548527/default.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

At times, he assembled the [[Ulama]], or learned Muslim teachers, and caused them to discuss theological problems in his presence. During his reign, mathematics, astronomy, and theology reached their highest level among the Ottomans. His social circle included a number of humanists and sages such as [[Ciriaco de' Pizzicolli]] of Ancona, [[Benedetto Dei]] of Florence and [[Michael Critobulus]] of Imbros,<ref name="historytoday.com"/> who mentions Mehmed as a [[Philhellene]] thanks to his interest in Grecian antiquities and relics. It was on his orders that the [[Parthenon]] and other Athenian monuments were spared destruction. Besides, Mehmed II himself was a poet writing under the name "Avni" (the helper, the helpful one) and he left a classical [[diwan (poetry)|diwan]] poetry collection.

Some sources claim that Mehmed had a passion for his hostage and [[favourite]], [[Radu the Fair]].<ref>{{harvnb|Babinger|1992|p=207}}</ref> Young men condemned to death were spared and added to Mehmed's [[seraglio]] if he found them attractive, and [[the Porte]] went to great lengths to procure young noblemen for him.<ref name="PhilippidesHanak2011">{{cite book|author1=[[Marios Philippides]]|author2=Walter K. Hanak|title=The Siege and the Fall of Constantinople in 1453: Historiography, Topography, and Military Studies|year=2011|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=978-1-4094-1064-5|pages=255–256}}</ref>