During the Renaissance, Italy had political, cultural and economic dominance over Western Europe. The expansion of the Ottoman Empire threatened the political city-states, and made some changes that had long-term effects. The Ottomans threatened the Venetians most of all, because they had already lost their Eastern Empire. Political trouble and military imperialism added to the panic of the threat of the Ottomans in Italian city-states. Finally, the five powers agreed to the Peace of Lodi. This peace agreement set the powers into two alliances: one between Florence and Milan, and the other between Venice and Naples. They declared a state of non-aggression. .
During this, the city of Constantinople was under siege by the Ottomans under the rule of King Mehmed the 2nd, a 19-year-old ruler. This ruler was driven towards goals of the Muslim Empire ruling the East. He was a fierce ruler. When the Byzantine emperor sent ambassadors to protest the aggression, Mehmed sent back their severed heads. Mehmed was determined to have Constantinople be the capital of his East Empire. .
The Peace of Lodi was not a solution to Italy's political problems, but merely prolonged inevitable war. If the Ottomans had not interfered, the wars would not have been prolonged and therefore the city-states would not have this built up rage that caused them to be at war for a long time. Also, the Ottomans were a huge threat to the Italian influence in the spice trades. The Ottomans closed the markets in Eastern Europe, and the Venetians lost many of their important ports due to a prolonged war (mentioned above). Islands in the Aegean Sea and seaports along the Dalmatian were conquered but the Turks. Soon after, the Venetian naval dominance was no more. .
The fall of Constantinople was one of the most epochal events for all Europeans, many believed it was foreshadowing the end of the world. People were scared, "where would it end?" they asked.
