It is not possible to say when first inhabitants of Cyprus lived,
but it is believed possible that as long ago as 8.500 B.C. there
were settlements on
Cyprus.
Cyprus has had many names, but the name we use now is believed to
have come from the word copper of which there was, and possibly
still is, an abundance of on the island. An alternative theory is
that its name comes from the word Kypros (the Greek for henna) of
which there was also abundance. No one knows for sure.
Cyprus has had a troubled history. The abundance of copper, timber,
and the strategic location between East and West resulted in
repeated invasions, changes of rulers, and strife for the
inhabitants.
Before the annexation to Rome in 58 B.C. Phoenicians, Archaeans,
Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, and Greeks colonized Cyprus.
In 43 A.D. Christianity came to Cyprus and in 330 A.D. Cyprus became
part of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire. And so it remained
until 1191 when Richard the Lionheart, on his way to the Holy Land
to fight the 3rd Crusade, conquered the island. A year later Richard
sold the island to the Knights Templar for 100,000 Byzants. The
Knights Templar, unable to exploit the island satisfactorily, then
returned the island to Richard who sold it to the French nobleman
Guy de Lusignan. The Lusignan dynasty ruled the island for the next
three hundred years - a rule that was often oppressive, effectively
reducing Cypriots to serfdom.
In 1489 the Lusignan King James died leaving the Kingdom to his
Venetian wife who abdicated giving the island to Venice. The
Venetians saw
Cyprus
primarily as a military base and built fortifications all over the
island. Cypriots, at that time, were seen merely as a populous to be
taxed as much as possible. In fact, it is said that Venetian rule
was so unpleasant that when the Ottomans arrived in Cyprus in 1571
the locals felt as if they had been liberated from slavery.
The Ottomans abolished serfdom and instated the Orthodox Church as
the Church, of Cyprus. They also made being Catholic a punishable
offense, so Cypriots had to choose between Orthodox Christianity and
Islam. The majority chose Christianity, but the result was that the
population began to take on the ethnic structure it still possesses
today, namely Greek and Turkish.
The Ottoman Empire entering the First World War on the side of
Germany and emerged defeated, partly occupied by foreign powers, and
with harsh restrictions imposed,
Cyprus became a
part of the British colonies, following the Treaty of Lausanne in
1925
In 1960 the Treaty of Zurich was signed to give independence to
Cyprus whilst protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriot
population. The guarantors of this treaty were Britain, Greece, and
Turkey.
In 1963 relations between the two communities separated by language,
culture and religion, had deteriorated. 13 articles of the
Constitution were attempted to be changed in favour of Greek Cypriot
community, also disarming
Turkish
Cypriot Police and establishing the National Greek Cypriot
Guards. These measures were in clear contravention of the Treaty of
Zurich. Civil war began, and the United Nations sent in troops in an
attempt to restore peace, creating the Green Line, which effectively
divided the communities.
In 1974 Greece attempted a military coup in conjunction with the
Greek National Guard in a bid to achieve ENOSIS (Idea of union with
Greece).
On the 20th July 1974, Turkey, after consultation with Britain,
intervened military, namely Peace-Keeping Action to protect the
Turkish Cypriot community. This was in exercise of the powers of
guarantee agreed in the Treaty of Zurich.
Since this time the island has remained divided. On the 15th
November 1983
The Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus was founded. It is a fully
democratic state and with exception of a few border incidents,
internal peace has been established.
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF CYPRUS Period - Event
c.8,500 - 8,000 BC
Hunter Gatherers
7,000 - 5,300 BC
The first settlers: the Khirokitians
4,000 - 2,500 BC
Chalcolitic (Copper) Age: stone crucifix pendants are carved
2,700 - 1,600 BC
Cypriot Bronze Ages, Early and Middle: cattle, horses, and bronze
making are introduced as well as highly indi- vidual pottery style
1,600 - 1,050 BC
The Late Bronze Age: period of sophisticated literate city states
such as Enkomi-Alasia and Kition
1,500 - 1,450 BC
Hittite rule in Cyprus
1,450 - 1,000 BC
Beginning of the Egyptian domination of the island
1,200 - 1,000 BC
Establishment of the city states of Salamis (capital at the time),
Soli, Marion, Paphos, Kurium, and Kyrenia; arrival of Greek colonies
1,000 - 850 BC
Iron Age - Cypro-Geometric Period. The coming of Iron, the Dorians
and a Dark Age also known as Cypro-Geometric I and II
850 - 750 BC
Iron Age - Cypro-Geometric Period. The Phoenician-led Renaissance
and Assyrian rule on the island.
750 - 475 BC
Iron Age - Cypro-Archaic Period. Time of the city-kingdoms despite
the island being ruled by a succession of foreign countries for much
of the period (Assyrians, from 709 BC; Egyptians, from c.570 BC; and
Persians, from 545 BC).
568 - 525 BC
Egyptian domination
525 - 333 BC
Iron Age - Cypro-Classical Period sees the Persian occupation and
the rule of the island and the duel between the city kingdoms of
Kition and Salamis.
333 - 58 BC
Hellenistic rule: the heirs of the Alexander the Great rule the
island
58 BC - 395 AD
Roman Empire ruling Cyprus: 350 years of quiet provincial prosperity
395 - 649 AD
Island becomes a part of the Byzantine Empire when Cyprus is
gradually converted from paganism to Orthodox Christianity (Early
Byzantine period)
649 - 965 AD
A second Dark Age: the island is caught on the frontier between the
two warring empires of Byzantium and Islam
965 - 1191
Return of the island to Byzantium (Late Byzantine period)
1191 - 1192
Rule of the island by Richard I (the Lionheart), of England and
later by the Knights Templars
1192 - 1489
Rule of the island by the Frankish Lusignan Dynasty
1489 - 1570
Venetian domination of Cyprus
1571 - 1878
Conquest of the island by the Ottoman Empire
1878 - 1925
In accordance with a defence-alliance between Britain and the
Ottoman Empire, the administration of Cyprus passes to Britain
1925 - 1960
Cyprus is annexed by Britain when Ottoman Empire enters into the
World War I on the side of Germany; subsequently the island becomes
a Crown Colony and under the British rule
1960
Foundation of the Republic of Cyprus (by the Turkish and
Greek-Cypriot communities)
1963
Inter-communal strife in Cyprus and the subsequent collapse of the
constitutional rule
1974
Coup d'etat by the Greek army officers stationed on the island to
overthrow the President (Makarios) with the aim of uniting the
island with Greece; subsequent Turkish Military intervention (under
the provisions of the Treaty of Guarantee of the Republic of Cyprus)
1974
Division of the island into Turkish-Cypriot North and Greek-Cypriot
South
1975
Declaration of the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus, to pave way
for a federal settlement on the island
1983
Foundation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
1990
The 'Republic of Cyprus' (effectively the Greek-Cypriot South
Cyprus) applied for full membership to the EU on 4th July 1990. This
application was made without the consent of the Turkish-Cypriot
Community as was required by the Constitution of the 'Republic of
Cyprus'.
2002-3
Dialogue and negotiations between Denktash & Klerides to unify the
North & South before EU entry
2003
After 30 years borders open between North and South Cyprus on 23
April 2003, following the Turkish-Cypriot Authorities' ease the
border restrictions.
2004
Twin-Referendums on uniting the island under the UN Annan's Plan -
accepted by Turkish-Cypriots, but rejected by Greek-Cypriots. Island
(effectively Greek-Cypriot Southern Cyprus) becomes a member of the
EU.
Northern Cyprus Properties for sale in Northern Cyprus properties.
