Sunday, May 2, 2010

History of Kütahya

Kütahya was known as "kotiaeion'' in ancient times. At different stages of its history it has been known as "Kotiaion” "Cotyaeium", and "Cotyaium". According to the ancient geographer Strabon, this name means "the city of Kotys". From the findings in Tavşanlı, Tunçbilek, Boyalık and Gevence we know that the first settlers in Kütahya date back to the Chalcolithic age. Findings in Altınbaş and Domaniç suggest that there were settlements during the Hittite era - in the First and Middle Bronze ages. The Phrygians, who came to the region along with other migrants from the Aegean, became organized as a state in 800 B.C. The region, which was invaded by Kimmerians in 676 B.C. joined with the Lydian lands, and was later conquered by Persians during the reign of Kyros the Second (559-529 BC). In 334 BC, the King of Macedonia, Alexander the Great by defeating the Persians gained control of the region. With his death in 323 BC, the control of Kütahya and its neighbouring areas changed hands between his generals. After a short time the region was settled by Galatians from Thrace and although the kingdoms of Bithynia and Pergamon were regionally dominant it was seeded to Rome in 133 BC. Remaining important as a bishopric during the reign of Constantine.

Kütahya took its place in a province called Anatolicon during the Byzantine period. In 1075 Kutalmışoglu Süleymanşah, who had founded the Anatolian Seljuk State, conquered Kütahya. Invaded by the Crusaders in 1097, the region re-joined Byzantine lands. However it was taken under the dominion of Seljuks during the Alaeddin Keykubad period in 1277 as part of the last Anatolian Seljuk State. Kütahya and the neighbouring areas were taken by Germiyanoğulları and after the death of the last Germiyan Sultan, Yakup 2 in 1429, they joined with the Ottomans. Being a Sanjak belonging to the province of Hüdavendigar from 1876, Kütahya became an independent Sanjak after the second Constitutional Monarchy. After the First World War, Kütahya was invaded by the Greeks on July 17, 1921, and liberated on August 30, 1922 as part of the "Great Advance" started on August 26, 1922, and was turned into a province in 1923

Kütahya has a special place in our history of national struggle against the Entente States. The most important part of the Turkish War of Independence was took place in our province.

At the end of the World War I, the Entente governments began to occupy Anatolia according to the articles of the Armistice of Mudros. Against the occupation, with the leadership of Ataturk, the Turkish National Defense Movement began on May 19th, 1919, continued 3 years and lasted in August 30th, 1922, with a great victory in Kütahya Dumlupınar.

Atatürk came to Kütahya-Çalköy on August 30th, 1924 for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Monument of Martyr Sancaktar Mehmetçik and highlighted that:

“Afyonkarahisar-Dumlupınar Square Wars and its last stage Great Advance was the most important milestone of Turkish history. This victory was a new step not only for Turkish history but also for World history. There is no doubt that the basis of the new and young Turkish Republic established here [Dumlupınar and Çalköy]. Our martyrs’ souls were the safeguards of our State and our Republic.”

source: kutahya(dot)gov(dot)tr

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