Turkey
Anatolia — cradle of Neolithic Çatalhöyük, home of Troy, Byzantium and six centuries of Ottoman rule.
Overview
Turkey occupies the peninsula where Europe and Asia meet. Its history includes Hittites, Lydians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans, culminating in Atatürk's secular republic.
Basic Information
History Timeline
- c. 7500 BCEÇatalhöyük — one of the world's earliest cities
- 1600 – 1178 BCEHittite Empire
- 330 CEConstantine founds Constantinople
- 1071Battle of Manzikert opens Anatolia to Turkic peoples
- 1453Ottoman conquest of Constantinople
- 1923Republic of Turkey proclaimed
Ancient Peoples
- Hattians
- Hittites
- Phrygians
- Lydians
- Greeks
- Armenians
Ancient Kingdoms
- Hittite Empire
- Phrygia
- Lydia
- Kingdom of Pontus
Empires
- Roman Empire
- Byzantine Empire
- Seljuk Empire
- Ottoman Empire
Religions
- Sunni Islam
- Alevism
- Christianity
- Judaism
Culture
Ottoman architecture, Sufi mysticism, Turkish literature and cuisine define the modern republic.
Language
Turkish is a Turkic language written since 1928 in a Latin alphabet.
Important Battles
- Battle of Manzikert1071
Seljuk victory over Byzantium
- Fall of Constantinople1453
Ottoman conquest
- Gallipoli1915
Ottoman defense of the Dardanelles
Historical Figures
Ottoman sultan at the empire's zenith
Conqueror of Constantinople
Founder of the Turkish Republic
Archaeological Sites
- Troy
- Ephesus
- Çatalhöyük
- Göbekli Tepe
- Hattusa
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Historic Areas of Istanbul
- Göreme and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
- Hattusha
- Ephesus
- Göbekli Tepe
Dynasties
- Osman
- Seljuk
Colonial Period
Never colonized; the Ottoman Empire itself was a colonial power.
Modern History
Atatürk's reforms secularized law, education and script. Turkey joined NATO in 1952.