Under the leadership of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, the Ottoman army captures one Byzantine territory after another, culminating in the conquest of Constantinople, which becomes the capital of the Ottoman Empire. During this time, Vlad the Impaler, the ruthless and notorious ruler of Wallachia, launches brutal raids on Turkish villages, ambushing and savagely killing Ottoman soldiers. To put an end to Vlad's atrocities, Sultan Mehmed tasks Hamza Pasha with confronting him. Vlad ensnares the Ottoman raiders, taking most of them captive, including the brother of Kara Murat. Kara Murat is coerced into betraying his master and is sent to the Ottoman palace as a spy.