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Constantine XI: He is the last Byzantine, and thus Roman, Emperor, who died defending his city and empire. Constantine rules over nothing more than a small city-state, which had once rules most of the eastern Mediterranean and was one of the largest empires in the early Middle Ages. He is, however, powerless to stop the decline of his empire. <ref>For more on Constantine XI, see: Nicol, D.M., 2002. <i>The immortal emperor: the life and legend of Constantine Palaiologos, last emperor of the Romans</i>. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge [England]; New York.</ref>
Çandarlı Halil Pasha: The main vizier and adviser to Mehmed and his father earlier. Mehmed does not trust him because he feels he is too cautious. There is also suggestion of bitterness due to the fact Mehmed had to give up the throne the first time he ruled and for severe beatings he had to endure under Çandarlı. Mehmed has Çandarlı executed, possibly for perceived betrayal in taking Constantinople.<ref>For more on the grand vizier and his role, see: Papademetriou, T., 2015. <i>Render unto the Sultan: power, authority, and the Greek Orthodox Church in the early Ottoman centuries</i>, First edition. ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pg. 27.
Giovanni Giustiniani: A brave and skillful tactician who led the defense of Constantinople. His efforts were often successful but in the end the Ottomans were simply too many and their resources too vast for Giovanni to defeat them. He lost his life after the conquest of Constantinople, having being wounded in the final assault. <ref>For more on Giovanni, see: Philippides, M. and Hanak, W.K. 2011. Ashgate.<i>The Siege and the Fall of Constantinople in 1453: Historiography, Topography, and Military Studies</i>. </ref>
Loukas Notaras: The last Grand Duke, or chief adviser to the Byzantine Emperor, helped guide the defense of Constantinople. He was executed after the fall of the city because he was seen as deceitful and he had hid treasure that could have been used to defend the city or buy off the Ottomans.
