| History
Turkey has been the home of many
civilisations. Ancient people who lived in the area include Hittites,
Phrygians and Lydians. The Persians ruled between 545-383 BC, followed
by the Greeks (333-30BC) and the Romans (30BC-395 AD).
In 330 AD the Roman Emperor Constantine moved his capital to Byzantium,
a Greek city, dividing the Roman Empire into two. Byzantium was renamed
Constantinople becoming the capital of the Christian Empire. The
Byzantine Empire lasted until 1453.
In the eleventh century Seljuk Turks from Central Asia moved into Turkey
(Anatolia). Their most famous leader, Osman (1259 - 1326), founded the
Osmanli or Ottoman dynasty. The Ottoman Empire superseded the Byzantine
Empire and Constantinople became Istanbul. With the change in name came
a change in religion and the centre of Christianity became Islamic.
The Ottoman Empire lasted until 1923. During this time the Empire ruled
parts of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Countries under its
control included Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia, (Africa),
Cyprus, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, (Middle
East), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, (Asia), Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia
(Europe).
In 1526 the Ottoman army occupied Buda in Hungary. By 1683 the Ottomans
had moved further into Europe and tried to take Vienna (Austria) but
were defeated by the King of Poland, John III (Jan Sobieski). The Turks
were finally driven out of Hungary in 1686 by the Austrian, Hungarian
and Polish armies.
In the eighteenth century the Ottoman Empire fought a number of wars
against European countries and Russia. The most well remembered war of
the mid nineteenth century was the Crimean War (1845-1856) when Britain,
France and the Ottoman Empire fought against expansionist Russia.
Twenty years later the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878) saw the liberation
of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule. However Bulgaria lost territory to the
Turks and in 1912 Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria attacked the
Ottomans (the First Balkan War) gaining land from the Ottoman Empire. In
the Second Balkan War (1913) Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Romania
fought against Bulgaria winning territory for Greece and Serbia.
Unrest in the Balkans contributed towards the First World War. During
the War the Ottoman Empire allied itself with Germany and
Austria-Hungary. At the end of the War Ottoman territory was greatly
reduced.
Ottoman rule ended in 1922 and Turkey was formed in 1923. Mustafa Kemal
Ataturk (Father of the Turks) became the President of the Republic of
Turkey. |
