The Ottoman Empire and the Japanese Empire reacted differently to the Western threat. The Ottomans were a major Islamic power in the Age of Three Empires, alongside the Mughals and Safavids. They were close to Christian Europe and posed a threat to southeast Europe. The capture of Constantinople in 1453 marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and the rise of the Ottomans. By the 1500s, the Ottomans were a strong military force, sometimes even stronger than Western powers. Overall, the Ottoman Empire was a significant player in the world as one of the gunpowder empires.