The 16-Year-Old Martyr Who Changed Christianity Forever

Men now: “I’m still young, I still have time.” Men before — Alexander the Great, Mehmed the Conqueror, Baldwin IV: Alexander led armies at 16, crushed enemies at 18, and began conquering the world at 20. No “maybe later,” no “I’ll start when I’m older” — only ambition, discipline, and relentless action. Mehmed II mastered languages, strategy, and statecraft as a teenager, then took Constantinople at 21 — doing what empires failed to do for a thousand years. Not waiting. Not delaying. Becoming. B