In 1453, the Ottoman Turks under the command of Sultan Mehmed II conquered the Byzantine capital of Constantinople. Constantinople (later renamed Istanbul) became the capital of the Islamic Ottoman Empire for the remainder of its lifespan (1453-1922). Under the Ottoman Empire, there were three main non-Muslim communities: the Jewish community, the Greek Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Christianity is a firmly embedded central component of Armenian history and culture, which dates back to 301 C.E when Armenia became the first ever nation to implement Christianity as a state religion. Under Ottoman Islamic rule, Sultans allowed the Christian Armenian communities to preserve their culture, customs, language and religiosity so long as they remained loyal to the Ottoman sultan and the state. This governance of the non-Muslim community was achieved through the implementation of what has become known as the millet system.