Most biographies describe a chronological line of events. This mostly works well, but for a man like Sultan Mehmed II, the Conqueror, who spent his thirty-year reign in constant warfare, it creates an, albeit correct, fragmented view of conflicts. The same enemies come up again and again, at different times, but we never get a comprehensive look at Mehmed II's conflicts with each of his many enemies. This biography does not work its way through Mehmed II's life in chronological order, rather it provides vertical views of each of his enemies, who they were, where they came from and how and why they got into conflict with the Ottoman Empire. Through this, a web is spun that, despite not focusing on Mehmed II, provides a biography which describes Mehmed II and his life as told through the stories of his enemies.