Cyprus History
Cyprus is the third largest island in the east Mediterranean Sea, some 47 miles from the southern coastline of Turkey.
The Republic of Cyprus is a member of the United Nations Organisation (UN) and Council of Europe and has a business relationship with the European Community (EC). It is also a member of the British Commonwealth. Of the population of 702,000, 80 per cent are of Greek origin and fewer than 20 per cent of Turkish origin.
Because of its geographical position, Cyprus has seen many invasions. The oldest known settlement in Cyprus dates from the Neolithic Age (7000-3900 BC). During the 14th century BC, Mycenean and Achaean Greeks reached the island and during the 12th and 11th centuries BC Achaean Greeks settled on the island, bringing with them the Greek language, religion and customs. From the 8th century BC, Cyprus fell prey to several conquerors: the Assyrians (708 BC), the Egyptians (560 BC) and the Persians (385 BC). Following Alexander the Great's defeat of Persia at the Battle of Issos in 333BC, Cyprus became part of his empire. After the death of Alexander, the island came under the influence of the Hellenistic state of the Ptolemies of Egypt. Under the Ptolemies, the island's culture, shipping, commerce and architecture thrived.
The Ptolemaic period was ended by annexation by the Romans in 58 BC. The single most important event during Roman rule was the introduction of Christianity during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. After the division of the Roman Empire into two parts, Cyprus became part of the Byzantine Empire under the rule of Constantine the Great. The Byzantine period saw a series of Arab raids beginning in the first part of the seventh century. These raids shattered the peaceful life of the islanders and did not cease until the Arabs were decisively defeated by Nicephorus Fokas in AD 965.
In the twelfth century, Isaac Comnenos, set himself up as governor until 1191 when the island was captured by Richard the Lionheart. Control passed from Richard to the Knights Templar and subsequently to Guy de Lusignan who established the Frankish Lusignan dynasty which ruled Cyprus for more than three centuries until Cyprus was ceded to the Venetians in 1489. Throughout the period of Venetian rule, Cyprus was under almost constant attack by Ottoman Turks culminating in the full-scale invasion of the island in 1570.
The Ottoman Turks obtained complete control of the island in 1571 and Ottoman rule lasted until 1878 when, under the Cyprus Convention, Britain assumed administration of the island. Cyprus remained under British rule until 1959 when the island became independent. On 20th July 1974, Turkey invaded the north part of the island. 200,000 Greek Cypriots were forced to leave their homes in the occupied area and because refugees. Since 1974, 37 per cent of the island's territory has been under Turkish military occupation.
