Earliest Ottoman Conquest of Constantinople?

How early can the Ottoman Empire, or a similarly Anatolian-based, Muslim, Turkic state sustainably conquer, and hold Constantinople (presumably as a capital).

The reason I've been asking is due to the innumerable "how can we save the Byzantine" threads. While the discussion within is in the finest spirit of this site, I am going through a bit of an Ottoman phase (call me a historical dilettant, whatever. :p), and wanted to see y'all's opinion.

My opinion--in regards to having the House of Osman do it-- is it would have to be before Timur comes and ruins everything, but after 1324 and the conquest of Bursa, which is a pretty massive window.
 
Immediately before Timur came, the Ottomans were really close taking Constantinople. After Nikopolis and before Ankara seems possible.
 

Razgriz 2K9

Banned
Indeed, in fact the only reason why Constantinople managed to survive that far along into the 15th century was partly because Timur defeated Bayezid at Ankara in 1402. Otherwise, we would have seen an earlier Ottoman Empire with the claim to be successors to the Byzantine and Roman legacies.
 
What about John Cantauzencus(who I have the impression may have been one of the few competent Byzantines left in his generation) getting killed midway through the civil war and the Ottomans quote-unquote taking up his cause?
 
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