History of Eskişehir

From the time when the human race changed from the hunter-nomad way of life to grower-settler society i.e. from the neolithic era until the present day the territory of Eskişehir has been home to many civilations. Approximately five thosund years ago small groups of people founded their first settlements on the fertile grounds of Eskişehir. After 2000 B.C. at the time when the Hittite empire was founded in Anotolia, Eskişehir bacame a principality. In the 12 th century B.C. the Phrygians moved in from Thrace and conquered Central Anatolia where they founded a United Kingdom. Eskişehir became a prosperous commercial and cultural centre under the name of Dorylaion. Many monuments has been preserved from those days.The Phrygian rule weakened in the 6 th century and cosequently the land was taken over by Lydians, who minted the first coins thus faciliating commerce. The Lydians built and guarded the "King's Road", which ran from Sardis to Nivevch. This historic road passed near Dorylaion and helped Lydia grow, but at the same time it helped the Persians conquer the whole country in 546 B.C. The Persian rule persisted until the battle at the river of Gronikos in May 334 B. C., where Alexander the Great of Macedonia licked the hell out of the Persian generals. Alexander died in 333 B. C. After having ruled the region only for a short period of time. During the days of confusion that followed Alexander's death crowded groups of Greeks moved in to settle on the fertile land around Eskişehir, and thus began Hellenistic era. Later between the years of 190 B. C. and 395 A. D. Romans ruled Dorylaion, or Dorylaeum as the Romans called it. They used the town as a spa and as a centre of entertainment. As the Roman empire split into two, Eskişehir came under Byzantium until it was finally conqured by Selijuks in 1074. The "Kings Road" was used by Crusaders during the Cruades, which began in 1096, so that Eskişehir (Dorylaeum) became the scene of numerous battles and frequently changed hands. At this time the Arabs call the town Duruliye, while the Selijuks call it Sultanönü or Sultanhöyüğü. In 1289 Osman Bey gets hold of the town, which due to its ruinous appearence was the named "Eskişehir" meaning "Old Town". The town remained under Turkish role until the present days During World War I. Now, Eskişehir is an agricultural, conumercial and cultural center.

source: alkara(dot)com

History of Erzurum

Erzurum, the regional capital with a population of 400.000 and the leading mountain resort in Eastern Anatolia, is situated in a very high valley with an altitude of 2000 meters from sea level. Today, the city is a popular tourist haven for skiing and winter sports. Palandöken Mountain, just on the edge of the city, offers some of the best winter recreational activities in all of Turkey, allowing skiing until mid April.

The history of Erzurum dates as far back as 4000 BC. Excavations in and around the city have proven that many ancient civilizations were present such as the Urartians, Kimers, Scythians, Meds, Persians, Parts, Romans, Byzantines, Sasans, Arabs, Seljuks, Mongolians, Ilkhanids and Safas.

Having become the capital city of Eastern Anatolia under the leadership of the Seljuk Empire in the 12th century, Erzurum has undergone many name changes during the different dynasties. For centuries the city of Erzurum has played a very significant role as a crossroads where so many routes and civilizations converge as one.

Today, the city is characterized by many historical sites, which provide a unique appearance to the surroundings. Of these historical sites, the Double Minaret Medrese (or Çifte Minare) dating back to the 13th century is the most famous attraction of the area. In the shadow of the Double Minaret Medrese, stands the Yakutiye Medrese, this was built in the 14th century, and served in the Ottoman Empire as a theological school. Today it stands as a Turkish and Islamic work of art and Ethnographic Museum where various ethnographic objects of the region are exhibited.

From 1514 until the forming of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 the Ottoman Empire ruled the City and its surroundings. We can include the great Alexander and Timor amongst the important rulers who had control over the city and its surroundings. The city’s function in the defense of the region has a close relation to its geographic structure. The city has been established in a place where it can easily defend against any possible attack, which may come from the east. The resistance movement against the west’s alliances at the beginning of the 20th Century started in Erzurum under the leadership of Atatürk. Atatürk had gathered here the congress in which he laid the foundation of the national unity and independence movement on 23rd July 1919.

Historical work of art belonging to the ethnic groups and nationals mentioned above can be found in the City. Most of these have been preserved to date, without being spoilt. Along with these work of arts, which add to the natural beauty of our city there are many other natural beauties in existence to be discovered.

There is also a castle, built around the 5th century AD, which stands out as one of the relics of the Byzantium civilization. Added to these three main historical sites are the three tombs, the Lalapasa Mosque, Rustempasa Karawansaray, Atatürk House, the Congress Building and the Archaeological Museums. Just outside the city of Erzurum lies many additional attractions. There are other beautiful places to visit such as the Tortum Waterfalls, the Çobandede Bridge and Narman Fairy Chimneys. Some thirty kilometers to the East is the ancient town of Hasankale with its magnificent Castle. The city is also surrounded by attractive towns, villages and many public natural hot spring baths.

source: atauni.edu.tr

History of Elazığ

Elazığ is a city in East Anatolia, which was built on the foot of the hill on which the historical castle of Harput takes place. The city, which is 1067 higher than the sea level is on a ground which, is a bit sloppy. The history of Elazığ as settle-place is new, however the history of the regain is very old. For this reason, we should consider the history of Elazığ with the history of Harput, which is its source. According to the available historical source, the oldest dwellers of Harput are the Hurrions who settled down East Anatolia from 2000 BC. Again according to historical restrictions we see that Hittites dominated the regain after Hurrions. After the freedom of Hittite, Urartus who founded the government in East Anatolia dominated Harput, from the 9th century A.D (from the ninth century A.D). The castle of Harput, which still stands with its historical grandeur even today, carries the traces of the time of Urartus. It has been ascertained that there are ladders, which were carved into rocks, tunnels dark rooms and aqueducts. Harput, which has been known as, fortified place with its castle since the ninth century BC, has the past of at least four thousand years. Har-the first syllable of the word Harput means stone (rock) the last syllable –put means castle. According to present Turkish, it means stone castle. When we examine the history of Harput deeply, we see that it was dominated politically and militarily by Roman people from the first century to the third century. A.D. But it is known that it was exchanged in the age of pontus King Mithradates, who did long and hand struggles so as to send Roman people away Anatolia, and at the later times. As well as this Harput was exactly depended to Empire from the time of emperor Dioclationus in the third century A.D.The first independence period of Bizans in the middle of the seventh century in Harput, which was always seen as dispute border in the wars which went on between Sasani and Bizans then and exchanged by being dominated by Sasani some time sand by Bizans sometimes. We see that the Arab, who owned syria and Iraq at the time of Hz. Ömer, occupied Harput and the places around it, towers the middle of the seventy-century. The Arab freedom which began by means of this went on until the middle of the tenth century.No active traces are seen from the Arab time like the time of Roman. The region was usually a stage for the body shows of Bizans and Arab’s political and military power.The second dominion of Bizans in Harput is the tenth century. The first target of the occurrences of Bizans against Islam World was always Harput. As a matter of fact Bizans dominated Harput and inquired the castles by foundering a city organisation hare in the first assault.Harput was said “Harpote” similar to its present saying in the history of Bizans. In fact the region of Harput is called Mesopotamia. The Sovereignty of Bizans in Harput went on until almost the end of eleventh century.

The Occupation Of Harput By Turkey:

Harput and the around part of it was taken by Turks in 1085 without certainty after Malazgirt battle on 26th August 1071. This was at the time of Selçuklu. The fist Turk sage of Harput was Çubuk Bey. Çubuk Bey founded a government in Harput provided he would be connected to the Selçuklu Sultan like the other Selçuklu people. As his son Mehmet Bey became successor to him, this age is called Çubukoğulları Devri. It isn’t suspicious that Çubukoğulları and the Turks who come with them are the ancestors of Harput people. The place which was only a fortified castle the domination of Turks in Harput became a developing city which Turks. After the time of Çubukoğulları, the age of Artukoğulları began in Harput. The age which started in the first years of the twelfth century went on until 1234. After Artuklu come to East Anotolia and settled down there, a branch of tem come to Harput, so they were called Harput Artuklu. Belek Gazi, who is still remembered in Harput and Elazığ, is known to be the most famous Turk conquerer whom Harput trained. (In 1965 a beautiful statue of Belek Gazi on a horse was mode y Harput Tourism Organisation) The most important utility of him with Selahattin Eyyubi. (Under the light of the last investigations historians state that the true name of Balak Gazi was Belek Gazi.) After Balak Gazi the princes who come from Artukoğulları dominated Harput until 1185. Fahrettin Karaaslan, one of them, has an unforgettable place and traces. Karaaslan dominated Harput between 1148 and had Ulu Cami, which takes place in Harput, built. The sovereignty of Artuk Dynasty in Harput ended in 1234 and was annexed to Harput Selçuklu Dynasty. At the time of Selçuklu Harput was directed by a police superintend and at this time no traces except Arab Baba Mosque and the tomb next to it were left. We see that in the fourteenth century İlhanlı dominated Harput for a while and then Dulkadiroğulları is it after the sovereignty of Anotolia Selçuklu in the region had finished. After the age of Dulkadiroğulları which didn’t lost long, Harput was occupied by Uzun Hasan in 1465 and for about forty years Akkoyunlu dominated it. After Akkoyunlu, Harput passed to the direction of Shah İsmail in 1507. It was conquered by Ottoman Army after Çaldıran War in 1516. Harput, which passed to Ottoman direction, was organised as a depending on Diyarbakır at the beginning. According to a registration in 1530, there were fourteen Moslem, four Armenian districts at that time. According to Kamus-ül-a’lam there were 2670 houses, 843 shops, 10 mosques, 10 Islamic schools, 8 libraries and churches, 12 ins and 90 baths in Harput at the end of the nineteenth century. Harput, whose historical ages we mentioned shortly above, was left like a lot of ancient Turkish cities, which mixed to the history by similar reasons and gave its place to Elazığ at present. Elazığ of today was started to be built on the place which was called “mezra” amongst people at the time of Retit Mehmet Pasha, who was made officer so as to make revelations and from the authority of the government in the easterncities in 1834, at the time of Mahmut II. In the some year (1834) hospital, barrack and ammunition building were built and the centre of the city was carried to Elazığ (the new city) from Harput. As Harput wasn’t a border city and more, was out of the main ways, it was difficult to reach there in winter and the village was suitable to build a beautiful city, this transfer was done. The city which was just built was a province and later a city centre at the beginning and then became a Sancak depending on Diyarbakır. It became independent governor of a province (müstakil Mutasarrıflık) in 1875 and a city again in 1879. In the last years of Ottoman Empire, Malatya and Dersim were connected to here and in 1921 both of the two Sancak left Elazığ. In the fifth anniversary of having the throne of Sultan Abdulaziz, in 1867 “Mamurat ul-Aziz) was given with the suggestion of Governor İsmail Pasha, who was sent there at the time of Hacı Ahmet İzzet Pasha. But shortly it was said “ELAZİZ” by people as the pronunciation of it was difficult. Along the visit of Atatürk in 1937 “Elazık” in the meaning of “Provisions City” was given, than this name turned to “Elazığ”.

source: el-teks.com

History of Edirne

Edirne throughout its history has had relative importance as a gateway from Europe to Asia and vice versa and as a place where many battles and sieges took place. The Greek mythology tells that formerly the city was built by the son of King Agamemnon, Orestes and named it as Orestias.

Later the Roman Emperor Hadrian founded the city of Hadrianopolis where previously were the ancient Thracian settlement known as Uskadama, Uskudama. He began to build many monuments and in few time the city became to one of the most important Roman cities of the Empire. During the Roman and Byzantine times Hadrianopolis was whiteness of many battles and some of the most important were the battle between the Roman army commanded by the Emperor Valens against the Goths in 378, where the Romans were defeated. Centuries later in 807, the city was captured by the Bulgars but early was recovered by the Byzantines.

In 1362, the city was captured by the Ottomans, been the sultan Murad I, and a year later the city was renamed to Edirne. In 1365 the city was declared as the Capital of the Ottoman Empire and conserved its title until 1453, when the capital of the Empire passed to Constantinople. During the 17th century Edirne underwent its Golden Era, when many Sultans went to the city to spend their time. In 1828 Russia captured the city after three days of siege during the Greek War of Independence, and in 1878 in the Bulgarian independence war. In 1912 was captured by Bulgarians and finally by the Greeks in the early 1920s, which finished with the Lausanne Treaty of 24 July 1923.

source: justturkey.org