Cyprus is a British colony. Why does the UK need military bases in Cyprus? British military bases
Cyprus was officially part of the British Empire from 1915 to 1960 as a colony that served as a naval base to protect the Ottoman borders from possible encroachments of the Russian Empire.
There was no mass migration of British to the island during this period. At the same time, already in 1878, that is, long before the direct annexation as a colony, the secret Cyprus Convention recognized the island as a British protectorate. The British period was characterized, on the one hand, by the improvement in the socio-economic situation of the island, which, in Ottoman period was infamous for its malaria outbreaks. On the other hand, the actions of the British authorities, loyal to the policy of "divide and rule" to maintain their colonial empire, led to fierce competition between the Greek Orthodox majority and the Turkish Muslim minority, which ultimately led to the division of the island and the segregation of its main communities.
In 1878 between British Empire and Turkey signed the Cyprus Convention of 1878, a secret Anglo-Turkish treaty of a "defensive alliance" directed against Russia. The treaty was signed on June 4, 1878 in Istanbul before the opening of the Berlin Congress of 1878. UK pledged to help Ottoman Empire“by force of arms” if Russia, holding Batum, Ardagan and Kars, tries to acquire new territories in Asia Minor. In return, Türkiye agreed to the occupation of the island by Great Britain.
However, the expediency of signing the convention caused serious debate in the British Parliament itself. So the Prime Minister of England sent a letter to Queen Victoria, in which he pointed out the importance of Cyprus for the protection of the Indian part of the empire. On the other hand, the liberals expressed doubts about the advisability of establishing a protectorate. The lack of a convenient harbor on the island was cited as arguments. In addition, the expediency of using Cyprus as a military base became quite controversial and financially difficult, especially after the appearance of British bases in Egypt, which needed financial injections.
In accordance with the secret treaty of the protectorate, the British received the right to occupy and manage the island, subject to an annual payment to the treasury of 99,799 pounds sterling. Formally, Cyprus continued to remain part of the Ottoman Empire, which helped to calm the representatives of a rather large Muslim community (21%), but in fact the real power passed into the hands of the British High Commissioner, which was initially welcomed by representatives of the Greek Orthodox majority, since the British were aimed at holding a number of economic reforms and improvement of transport infrastructure. The British commissioner settled in Limassol, which became the center of the British administration, where quite large funds were invested by local standards.
The island was finally annexed in 1914 during the First World War.
The salutatory speeches addressed to the first British High Commissioner by representatives of the island's population reflected the hopes of the Cypriots for a change for the better. And although the Greeks and Turks imagined the future in different ways, neither one nor the other imagined that the island would become a British colony.
Initially, the British administration acted rather cautiously, since the convention provided only for a temporary cession of the island. The role of the spiritual head of the Greek Cypriots was retained for the archbishop. In 1882 Cyprus was granted a constitution based on a typical colonial model. The real power in Cyprus passed into the hands of the British governor, a self-governing body was formed - the Legislative Council. However, this fact was negatively perceived by the Greek majority, who hoped for enosis with Greece. The long struggle of the Greeks for independence begins, in which the British authorities supported the interests of the Turkish Cypriots to counterbalance.
The revival of economic life, advances in health care and education, however, could not relieve the tension that began to be increasingly felt in relations between the local population and the British authorities as the popularity of nationalist ideas grew among the Cypriots, especially the Greek majority. The movement for enosis, that is, the accession of Cyprus to the "motherland" of Greece, was gaining momentum. The very idea of enosis was born in connection with the creation of an independent Greek state. Its active propagandists were the Cypriot Orthodox Church and extreme nationalists in Greece itself, who advocated the creation of " Greater Greece". At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. the Greek intelligentsia also adopted the slogan of enosis, but the movement for joining Greece was not yet massive. Its participants used peaceful methods, which consisted in holding rallies and demonstrations, sending petitions and memorandums to the British authorities. Already in 1882, the newly elected Greek members of the Legislative Council protested against the policy of the Gladstone government, which prevented the annexation of Cyprus to Greece. With the help of such demarches, the supporters of the idea of enosis managed to achieve a discussion of the Cyprus issue in the British Parliament in 1895, but the majority of the members of the House of Commons did not support the demands of the Greek Cypriots. As a sign of protest in Nicosia, Limassol, Paphos, Larnaca and Famagusta, "national meetings" were held.
Already in 1931 riots broke out among the Greek population, resulting in the death of 6 people and the burning of the British administration building in Nicosia. During the suppression of the riots, 2 thousand people were arrested, a "reserve police" recruited from Turkish Cypriots was used.
Events in October 1931 began with a speech by Bishop Nicodemus of Kition at a rally in Limassol, where he called for civil disobedience, stating that “53 years of British rule on the island showed everyone the impossibility for enslaved peoples to free themselves through requests for help or appeals to the feelings of tyrants ". The next day in Nicosia, the bishop was supported by the priest Dionysios Kykkotis, who unfurled the Greek flag and declared: "I declare a revolution." The participants of the demonstration moved to the residence of Governor Storrs, demanding a meeting with him. When he refused to comply with this demand, an angry mob smashed and set fire to the residence. The police, on Storrs' orders, opened fire on the demonstrators. Similar clashes occurred in other cities - Limassol, Famagusta, Kyrenia. Started as a movement for enosis, the uprising eventually turned into a mass movement against the British colonial regime. However, it was not supported by the leadership of the Turkish community, which again opposed the annexation of the island to Greece or the granting of independence to Cyprus.
The British hastily brought up military contingents from Egypt and crushed the uprising, which lasted about a week. 400 people were arrested, many of them expelled from the island, including the bishops of Kition and Kyrenia. By special royal decree, the constitution was suspended, all elected bodies (Legislative Council, municipal councils) were dissolved, all political parties were banned, censorship was introduced at all means mass media. By the same decree it was forbidden to hang Greek flags and hold rallies and meetings. All legislative and executive power was concentrated in the hands of the governor. Appointed in 1933 as governor, Herbert Palmer used this power to the full to suppress any manifestations of discontent. The restoration of the constitution from 1937 did not change anything in Palmer's activities.
During World War II, Greek Cypriots took part in the British war effort, fighting on the side of the British. This gave rise to widespread expectations that, at the end of the war, Britain would recognize the independence of the island, however, these hopes did not materialize. After the war, there was a growing movement among the Greek population for the unification of the historical Greek territories, including Cyprus, with Greece. January 1950 a referendum is held in which the Greek majority votes for enosis. Britain refused to recognize the results of the referendum.
During British rule, a railway (Cyprus Government Railway) was built in Cyprus, operating from 1905-1951, with 39 stations. On December 31, 1951, the railway was closed for financial reasons.
In 1955 the first armed clash between the Greeks and the British led to the founding of EOKA, an organization of Cypriot nationalists, and Greek pogroms are taking place in Turkey, the Volkan paramilitary group is being formed, leading the fight against EOKA. In 1956 Britain brings the number of its troops in Cyprus to 30 thousand, and conducts mass repression. By 1959 EOKA managed to get rid of the British, Archbishop Makarios becomes the President of Cyprus. However, the main goal - accession to Greece, was not achieved.
British heritage in Cyprus includes, in particular, left-hand traffic, and two remaining military bases that are under British sovereignty. The island's electricity grids are built to British standards - they have British-style sockets and 250 volts, as well as many legal regulations.
Initially, it was a dubious idea to purposefully try to get inside the British military base of Dhekelia in Cyprus. The result was predictable - we were detained by the police and instead of spending the evening in Ayia Napa with friends, we spent it in the British police station. All the pictures taken on the territory of the base had to be deleted, but in this case you will ask a logical question - if the pictures are deleted, how did this photo report appear? And it's very simple, because most I managed to upload the pictures to the server via a SIM card with the Internet, about which I wrote a post "" the day before. To be honest, it was a theater of the absurd to sit in a British police station while in Cyprus, and even in an office where a portrait of Queen Elizabeth hangs.
I will tell you very briefly about the British bases in Cyprus. In 1960, after a long struggle for independence, Cyprus gained independence from Great Britain, the Cypriots got their way and the British left the island, leaving behind three military units: Akrotiri south of Limassol, Dhekelia east of Larnaca and a base on top of Troodos Mountain. I talked about a few days ago. In total, all three bases occupy 3% of the territory of Cyprus, they are really huge! For example, Dhekelia is almost 30 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide. A slightly smaller base in Akrotiri. The importance of these bases for the UK is due to the strategic position of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean, proximity to the Suez Canal and the Middle East.
The attitude of the Cypriots to the presence of British bases is twofold: on the one hand, they are outraged that foreigners keep troops on their territory, and even occupying such vast areas. Cyprus is a small state; when the British actually chopped off up to 50 kilometers of the coastline (in total, Akrotiri and Dhekelia) with beautiful beaches, it’s completely sad. In addition, local residents are convinced that British radio masts and radars on Troodos and Dhekelia threaten the health of citizens within a radius of tens of kilometers.
On the other hand, the British lobbied for the accession of Cyprus to the European Union, and british tourists rank first among the total number of guests of the island. Therefore, the situation is unlikely to change in the near future, especially since it is the UK that is the largest creditor of the weak Cypriot economy, which has survived economic crisis two years ago.
About 8,000 British troops serve on the bases and about the same number of Cypriots in service.
Several roads pass through the bases, traffic is free there, but on both sides of the highway there are fences with barbed wire and signs "Do not take pictures", "Do not stop" and so on -
There are entire cities inside the bases! With churches, residential areas, squares, supermarkets, schools, parks -
Most often, tourists see the base approximately in this perspective -
But if you "twist" a little and arrive on the right day, then you can visit some part of the base. You can drive to part closed beaches and even drive into the sleeping area where the military personnel live -
Ignoring the "no way" signs, we turned onto the beach, drove through the gate, where there was no guard. At first there was some kind of devastation -
Then, having driven a couple of kilometers along a dirt road along the coast, we got to a civilized beach, where military personnel from the Dhekelia base rest -
Specific tablets peculiar exclusively to the "Anglo-Saxon world" -
Fish and chips, well, how are the British without this fast food?
In principle, you can "score" on the prohibition sign and enter. I did so, but inside there was a hefty dog that began to growl angrily in my direction. Decided not to tempt fate -
Remember the Robbie Williams song "Road to Mandalay"? If you don't remember, then listen, the song is super-duper -
Strange pointers, isn't it? Why are military vehicles not allowed here?
Local military court, named after "Her Majesty" -
Another checkpoint and also without security, we pass -
We park in the police parking lot, just no others were found in that place. Moreover, the site was closed with a stick and there was not a single living soul around -
In general, surprisingly, there are almost no people inside the base. Maybe everyone is at work?
Supermarket! We just need to buy groceries -
The supermarket has a typically British selection of food and souvenirs. But we couldn't buy anything. We approached the ticket office and were told that they serve only upon presentation of a certificate of a military man or a civilian employee of the Dhekelia base. Wow! A large supermarket, not a single visitor, the seller plays with the phone, but they refused to sell us even a bottle of water. We were also not allowed to take pictures inside, I managed to shoot only this -
Let's go for a walk in the sleeping area of Dhekelia -
Fire station -
rare car -
Bulletin board -
Caution, children -
It's funny that all the street names here are also British -
All this is reminiscent of the sleeping area of the nearest London suburb. Not to say that the military are chic -
We walked for about an hour and suddenly something happened that should have happened much earlier. We were detained by the police. I took a photo of the police station and returned to the car in the parking lot. As you remember, I parked right here, under the noses of the police. He took out his phone, turned on the signal distribution function for the laptop and set the upload of photos to the server. I'm sitting, the process is going on. Slowly. Nevertheless, the telephone Internet is still far from perfect.
And then a police jeep pulls up and you will notice that this is the British police, and not the Cypriot one. This was my last frame, after which the problems began -
Two people got out of the car, one was a policeman, the other was in civilian clothes. They approach the car and ask for documents. I give them a Russian passport, my companion too. The following dialogue then occurs:
What was the purpose of your visit to the base?
- But we did not visit the territory of the base, - this is my favorite knight's move. Always, I repeat, always, act like a fool and never admit that you have broken some rules. Do you know what we did in the army? It is impossible to refuse to carry out an order - you will be sent to a disbat, but you can not be able to carry out an order. For example, my back hurts and I can't stand - this is normal, but "I don't want to stand" is a violation of the order. Here, in Dhekelia, people are military and these subtleties in dealing with them must be taken into account.
- Didn't you visit? But you are in this moment on the base!
We went to the supermarket to buy water.
- The supermarket is located on the territory of the base, you stopped at the base. For what purpose?
- We were driving from Larnaca to Famagusta, saw a supermarket and decided to buy some water.
- But the road to Famagusta is a kilometer away, why did you turn off the road and drive to the base?
- We are driving on the navigator, he showed us that there is a supermarket.
- Why did you take pictures of the police station and the supermarket?
- Exotic, I will write in the blog. It's not every day you see British police outside the UK.
- Are you a journalist?
- No, I just blog.
Then they asked to open the trunk, I opened it. It's completely empty.
Rental car?
- Yes.
- Where did you stay in Cyprus?
- In Kyrenia.
- On the Turkish part of the island?
- Yes.
After that, the policeman offered to go inside the station. We go inside. Sorry, I couldn't take pictures inside. They sat in the office. They said wait here. They poured water. We wait. About twenty minutes passed and two Cypriot policemen appeared, that is, no longer British. Apparently, it is the Cypriot police that are authorized to resolve civilian issues outside the territory of the British bases in Cyprus. One of the policemen took out a pack of forms of protocols and began to ask questions, writing down everything by hand in the protocol, and placing a voice recorder next to it:
Have you come to Cyprus for the purpose of recreation?
- Yes.
- Did you stop at the occupied part, in Kyrenia?
- Yes.
- A rental car in Larnaca?
- Yes.
- You were looking for a supermarket and mistakenly drove into the territory of the base?
- Yes.
- Are you going back to Kyrenia now?
- Yes.
At this point, two Britons present (a policeman and a civilian) interrupted the interrogation and asked the Cypriot policemen to come out for a minute to talk. We stayed with one of the Cypriots, and the second went out with the British. Waited ten minutes. Then they returned and the tone of the conversation changed:
Why were you photographing a military facility?
- I did not photograph a military facility.
- You photographed the police station, the supermarket, you also photographed the checkpoint, the houses of the staff. For what purpose?
- It was not written on the houses that they belonged to the staff. There is no one at the checkpoint. There are no prohibitory signs to visit the supermarket either.
- Don't you understand that you can't enter the territory of a military unit?
- At the checkpoint where we stopped, nothing was written, we did not know that this was a military unit. But there is a pointer to the supermarket.
- Show what you photographed.
I answer that the laptop and the camera remained in the car. We all go together to the car, I take out a laptop, a camera. They notice the phone and ask him to take it too. I take. We return back to the site. The Englishman in civilian clothes first picks up the phone and starts to look at something on it. I tell him that the photos are on the laptop, not on the phone. The stone-faced one replies, "Thank you for your advice, but I myself know what to watch." And immediately asks:
Are you currently transferring data from your phone? (Wow, how technically savvy he is!).
Yes, photos are being uploaded.
- Do you always send photos as soon as you take a picture?
- As far as possible, I try immediately so that in case of problems with the camera or memory card, the materials do not disappear.
- Show what you filmed at the base.
I open my laptop and show him all the photos that you saw in this report. They look at them carefully.
You claim that you have not seen the signs that the entrance is closed, but meanwhile you yourself photographed the sign. How can you explain this?
- I took a picture of the sign, but I did not violate the instructions of this sign. This is just a photo of the plate.
- Why did you photograph the supermarket?
- I wanted to compare prices here and in Larnaca.
- Do you know that you broke the law and can stand trial?
- I didn't break the law.
- Okay, you'll tell the judge.
- Okay, I'll tell the judge.
Then everyone left again, leaving us with one of the Cypriots. He was silent, silent, and then said, "You got in trouble, I don't envy you!" I answer that his opinion is very important to me. I just say "I really appreciate your opinion". He chuckled. Soon everyone else returned from the discussion:
We got back in the car, sat down and drove off. A few kilometers later, the border between Greek part Cyprus and Turkish. In fact, this is even the border between the British base of Dhekelia and the Turks -
We’re going, and I’m laughing that two hours of talking, and the photos were never forced to be erased! And then my companion reports that she deleted the photos. How so? Yes, the girl removed them as soon as she saw that the police were coming to our car. Bliiiin! Of course, she is a fine fellow and very resourceful and did everything right, because we really could have been arrested. But now not all the photos have survived, but only those that I managed to upload to the server...
Twenty minutes later we were already in Famagusta -
Do you know that there were trains in Cyprus until the seventies? In particular, there is a railway station in Famagusta -
More about Cypriot railways can be read in the article "".
Who do you think is the sponsor of my trip to the British secret base? Maybe the FSB of Russia, or the Mossad? Not at all, sponsor.
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Cyprus is an island with richest history: Numerous cultural, historical, archaeological monuments have been preserved here, and some of them are thousands of years old. It is possible to speak more or less reliably about the history of Cyprus, covering the period starting from 10 thousand years BC. From prehistoric times to the present day, Cyprus bears the seal unique place, which is of great interest to the conquerors, who replaced more than a dozen rulers, personifying a huge layer of the history of the Mediterranean.
Prehistoric period in the history of Cyprus: 10000 - 1050 BC.
You can start a story about the history of Cyprus from the Epipaleolithic era. At that time, there were no people on the island yet, thanks to which dwarf animals lived here. In particular, these are species such as the Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus, the Cypriot pygmy elephant, the Holocene, etc. It is believed that animals could get to the island by sea, by swimming. Another version is that they went to Cyprus by land even at the time when the island was connected to the mainland. After the first people came to Cyprus, dwarf animals began to disappear. The connection between these events is evidenced by the finds of burnt bones in caves in southern Cyprus.
The earliest human settlement in Cyprus dates back to the Neolithic era, it dates back to 8200 BC. At that time, people lived in small houses, which consisted of only one room. Fish, cereals, meat of goats and sheep were used as food. Stone tools were used for work, vessels were made of baked clay. The earliest finds of pottery in Cyprus date back to the fifth millennium BC.
Significant changes in the way of life of the ancient Cypriots brought with them the Bronze Age. The islanders began to build large buildings with several rooms. Copper mining and processing began on the island, and the plow began to be used in agriculture. However, mostly the islanders preferred to settle far from the sea, in small villages. Trade with external territories was not conducted, and on the island itself, communications between the settlements were not maintained.
The first settlements on the coast appeared in the late bronze age. The islanders were increasingly mining metal ores. In the same period (1-2 millennium BC), the first alphabet appeared, the development of trade relations with the peoples living in the Middle East, in Eastern Mediterranean, on the islands of the Aegean Sea.
Finally, in the second half of the XIII century BC. the resettlement of large numbers of people from mainland Greece to Cyprus. Mycenaean pottery began to be brought to the island. Later, its manufacture will be established here: it was actively used in everyday life and in religious ceremonies.
Early historical period in Cyprus: from the Phoenician colonization to the capture by the Egyptians: 1050 - 480. BC.
In the XI century BC. All big cities that existed on the island were completely destroyed. The cause of this destruction was probably some natural disaster. New cities were founded by the heroes of the Trojan War who returned from the campaign. The Hellenization of Cyprus eventually leads to the spread of the Greek language on the island and Greek culture. At the same time, Cyprus begins to strengthen ties with the islands of the Greek archipelago.
Another important development of this period was the emergence of iron-making technology. Initially, it was used only for jewelry, but later this metal replaced copper in the manufacture of tools.
Around the same time, the Phoenicians began to arrive in Cyprus. They capture Kition, a large coastal city, establish a number of their colonies, the largest of which are Salamis, Larnaca, Kart-Hadasht. The Phoenicians brought pottery with a characteristic black and red ornament to the island. At first it begins to be used by local residents, and soon its production begins.
The Phoenicians were not able to hold out on the island for long - already in 750 BC. Cyprus was captured by the Assyrians. By that time, there were several large city-states in Cyprus: Kourion, Amathus, Kition, Salamis, Idalion, Marion, Soloy, Timassos, Palaipafos. All of them were subject to tribute, which was paid to the Assyrian governor. The city-states retained their independence as long as they could pay tribute.
The Assyrians in Cyprus were replaced by the Egyptians: the island was captured by Amasis, Egyptian pharaoh. The period of Egyptian rule in Cyprus brought a gradual increase in Eastern and Greek influence on life on the island. This was especially noticeable in such areas as religion and culture.
The classical period in the history of Cyprus - under the rule of the Hellenes and Romans: 480 BC. - 330
The classical period is considered to be between 480 and 330 BC. 5th century BC was marked by the Greco-Persian wars, which affected Cyprus as well. The Greeks sought to expel the Persians from all Greek lands, which included Cyprus. This was achieved, but for a short period: in 450 and 449 BC.
The expulsion of the Persians became possible as a result of the capture of the city of Marion in Cyprus, the liberation of Soloi and the siege of Kition. Nevertheless, pretty soon Cyprus became part of the Persian Empire, although it managed to largely maintain its independence: despite the fact that the formal rulers in Cyprus were the Persians, the Greek influence on life on the island remained very strong.
So, it is Cyprus during the reign of Evagoras in Salamis that becomes one of the largest cultural and political centers Hellas. The inhabitants of Cyprus continued to worship Greek gods. The appearance of Cypriot coins was also developed by Greek artists.
In the period from 310 to 30 BC. the Persians are gradually losing control of Cyprus. Finally, their influence weakens at the moment when Alexander the Great begins his campaign to the east. After the death of the commander, one of his commanders, Ptolemy, becomes the ruler of Cyprus. During this period, the influence of Alexandria on the culture and art of Cyprus began to increase. It is worth noting that the Ptolemaic dynasty considered the island mainly as a military base. In addition, during the reign of the Ptolemies in Cyprus, copper and timber were widely mined for the construction of ships.
The Ptolemies were replaced by the Romans, who gained power in Cyprus in 58 BC. Interestingly, during the reign of the Roman Empire, Cyprus was called "Kuprum", which means "copper" in Latin. This renaming clearly reflects the interests of the Romans on the island: they were mainly engaged in mining.
At the same time, during the reign of the Romans, which lasted about three centuries, the economy of Cyprus received a dynamic development, which was associated primarily with an increase in activity in the trade sector. During this period, decorative ceramics, which are made in the Roman style, are actively exported from Cyprus. The level of prosperity of local residents becomes really high: the richest burials date back to the time of Roman rule. Finally, in 45 AD. the baptism of Cyprus by the apostles Paul and Barnabas takes place - this is one of highlights in the history of the island.
Cyprus under the rule of Byzantium: IV-XII centuries AD
After the Roman Empire collapsed in 395, Cyprus became part of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as Byzantium. Byzantium lasted until the 12th century, and all this time Cyprus was under its rule.
The state religion in Byzantium was Christianity, and the church had quite a lot of power. So, until the 7th century, the Cypriot church managed to maintain complete independence and even more - its influence gradually increased. Having an autocephalous status, the church had a number of privileges. For example, in 488, the Byzantine emperor Zeno gave the archbishop of Cyprus the right to attend official ceremonies in purple robes. In addition, the archbishop had the right to sign in red ink and carry a scepter. In response, the Cypriot Archbishop Anthemios presented the emperor with a manuscript of the Gospel of Matthew, written by St. Barnabas. This manuscript was found in the tomb of St. Barnabas, located next to Salamis. Later, a monastery was built on this site.
The first few centuries of Byzantine rule were peaceful for Cyprus. At this time, several major earthquakes occurred on the island, as a result of which a number of old settlements were destroyed. New cities were built to replace them in Cyprus. If earlier the capital of Cyprus was in Paphos, now it has been moved to Salamis. in the 7th century, the new city of Famagusta appeared next to it. Next to Amathus, Neapolis was built, later renamed Lemesos. The new city of Lefkosia (modern Nicosia) was also founded. It was Lefkosia that in the 12th century would become the capital of Cyprus.
In the 6th century, silk production technology was brought to Cyprus from China, and soon the production of this fabric became one of the most important crafts on the island. At the same time, the shipyards of the island flourished, where many ships were built. Finally, an aqueduct was erected at Salamis, and this was done on the personal orders of the emperor Heraklios.
During the Byzantine rule in Cyprus there was a flowering of ecclesiastical art. In his works, the simultaneous influence of Eastern and Greco-Roman traditions was traced. So, the churches built at the beginning of this period on the island were very similar to Roman basilicas: they were elongated buildings decorated with arched vaults, the aisles of which were separated by rows of columns. Gradually, the architecture of churches became more complex; domes, arches, and other elements were used in their design. architectural elements. The most interesting buildings of this time are the frescoed wooden basilicas. Such structures have been preserved in Lambus, Kato Paphos, Constantine, Hyalus, Pegia, Kourion.
In the 7th century, Byzantium begins a war with Islamic countries, and Cyprus plays a very important role in it. At this time, the attacks of the Arabs on the island begin - they continue until the year 965 and end after a decisive battle in which the Byzantine emperor Nicephoras II Phokas wins.
Until the 12th century, Byzantium was actively building in Cyprus: fortresses and forts were built along the Pentadactyl mountain range. The largest of them are being built in Kantara, Vufavento, St. Hilarion. At the same time, the largest and most famous monasteries were being built in Cyprus: Maheiras, Kykkos, St. Neophyte.
Frankish rule in Cyprus: 1192 - 1489
In 1191, the power in Cyprus changes once again: during the Third Crusade, the island passes into the hands of the English king Richard the Lionheart. Richard I understood that Cyprus would have a huge strategic importance to supply the troops of the Third Crusade. On the other hand, the king rightly believed that it would be very difficult to maintain power on the island.
As a result, having played his wedding with Princess Berengaria of Navarre in Cyprus, he decided to sell it to the Knights Templar. They refused the offer because a major uprising had just taken place on the island. Then Richard decided to sell Cyprus to the French: the island came under the rule of Guy de Lusignan, a French nobleman who previously ruled the Latin-Jerusalem kingdom.
Lusignan became the first of a whole dynasty of Cypriot rulers: the power of the Franks on the island was maintained for three centuries. During this time, Catholicism became the official religion in Cyprus, and a feudal system was established on the island.
In 1291, the Egyptian Mamluks captured the Latin-Jerusalem kingdom, after which Cyprus was last stronghold Christianity in the East. At the same time, the island continued to be one of the most important trading centers in the east. mediterranean sea. The island received this status due to the fact that the Frankish cities provided serious privileges to the largest European trading cities. Meanwhile, Venice and Genoa, who were among them and actively traded with Cyprus, began to conflict with each other, challenging the right to control over the island. As a result, Cyprus suffered, whose political and economic situation seriously deteriorated.
Nevertheless, the development of the Cypriot economy continued: in the XIV century, Ammochostos and Nicosia became large shopping malls that supplied wines, sugar, as well as a number of agricultural products. In addition, Cyprus became known for the development of weaving and, in particular, the art of lace making. Finally, glazed pottery was another export commodity, which was highly valued outside of Cyprus.
During the reign of the Franks in Cyprus, it became widespread Gothic architecture. It was intricately mixed with Byzantine and Western styles, resulting in a number of original buildings on the island, mainly castles and cathedrals. The most famous examples of Cypriot Gothic are Bellapais Abbey, St. Sophia, located in Nicosia, as well as the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, built in Ammochostos.
Venetian power in Cyprus: 1489 - 1571
The last of the French Lusignan dynasty in Cyprus was Caterina Cornaro, who was the wife of King James II and the sister of Andreas Cornaro, a Venetian nobleman. In 1489, Catherine transferred the rights to Cyprus to the Venetian Republic, as a result of which Cyprus became part of it.
Immediately after that, Venetian influence began to increase on the island, the Genoese were completely expelled from Cyprus. The new rulers tried to establish the tightest possible control over the island so as to ensure the unhindered supply of their ships, as well as their free movement in the eastern Mediterranean.
Cyprus at this time actively exports agricultural products, including olive oil, sugar, cotton, wheat, barley, wine. In Lefkara, a large-scale production of lace is being established, weaving becomes one of the main crafts. Fabrics and lace produced in Cyprus are highly valued and the Venetians continue to export them from the island. At the beginning of the Venetian rule in Cyprus, Ammochostos was the main port of the island, but later Larnaca began to acquire more and more importance, from where the salt mined on the island is exported. At the same time, another major Cypriot port, Limassol, is being developed.
The Venetians failed to hold their power in Cyprus for a long time. Already in 1522, they faced the threat of losing control over the island, which came from the Ottoman Empire. The latter at that time captured the island of Rhodes, coming close to Cyprus. In response, the Venetians engaged in the construction of fortress walls around Nicosia, as well as strengthening the fortress of Famagusta. In the same period, the Tower of Othello was built in Ammochostos, which got its name in honor of the Shakespearean tragedy. It has survived to this day and is considered one of the most significant monuments Venetian period.
Ottoman rule in Cyprus: 1571 - 1878
In 1571, the Ottoman period begins in Cyprus. The Turks capture Ammostochos and drive the Venetians off the island. The first Muslim settlements begin to be built on the island. However, at the very beginning of the reign of the Turks, the Orthodox Church of Cyprus received serious privileges, as a result of which its political influence increased.
In general, Turkish rule becomes a very difficult time for the island. In 1821, Greek Cypriots participate in the Greek War of Independence. In response, the Turks execute the Archbishop of Cyprus Kyprianos, three bishops, as well as about 470 church ministers and parishioners.
The socio-economic situation in Cyprus improves only at the beginning of the 18th century. This process coincides with the gradual weakening of the Ottoman Empire. Coastal cities of the island begin to trade more actively with European states, consulates of other countries appear in Larnaca. Previously, the main industry on the island was agriculture, which existed on the basis of semi-feudal relations. Now, with the dynamic development of coastal cities, the proportion of the urban population is growing on the island. This is largely due to the gradual strengthening of ties with Greece, where an independent state is being formed after the war.
The population of Cypriot cities is also beginning to speak out in favor of creating their own independent state. At the same time, despite all this, Cyprus is still far from full independence.
Cyprus as a British colony: 1878 - 1960
The Ottoman Empire loses power over the island in 1878, when, in accordance with a secret agreement, Cyprus is transferred by the Turks to Great Britain. The colonial rule of the British begins, which temporarily puts an end to the dreams of local residents about major changes in the economy, politics and social life islands. Cyprus, which has long dreamed of uniting with Greece, is under the yoke of the power of the colonists, which brings with it a serious recession in the economy. As a result, in October 1931, a serious uprising took place in Cyprus. Nevertheless, it does not give positive results: having suppressed the rebellion, the colonialists toughen the existing regime even more.
However, the sentiments that led to the rebellion persist on the island: indigenous people continues to demand the restoration of the nation-state, but the British still do not agree with them. On January 15, 1950, a referendum was held on unification with Greece. 95.7% of the island's population is in favor of such a union, but the UK again ignores the Cypriots. On October 20 of the same year, Makarios III, Bishop of Kition, was elected Archbishop of Cyprus. The situation comes to a standstill, the way out of which is the emergence of an anti-colonial movement on the island.
This movement existed for four years: from 1955 to 1959. The National Organization of Cypriot Wrestlers or EOKA is being created on the island. Ultimately, Great Britain renounces its claims to the island, but this does not bring the desired unification with Greece to Cyprus. Agreements are signed in Zurich and London, under which a independent republic Cyprus. Archbishop Makarios III becomes the first president of Cyprus. His reign begins on December 13, 1959.
Modern history of Cyprus: from 1960 to the present day
The official creation of the Republic of Cyprus took place on August 16, 1960. The new state has joined a number of international organizations, among which were the Council of Europe, the UN, the British Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement. Britain maintains two military bases in Cyprus, the area of which is 158.4 square meters. km. This right is assigned to her under an agreement previously signed in London and Zurich. One of the bases is located east of Larnaca, in Dekeli, the other is in Akrotiri, not far from Limassol. Guarantees under the treaty were provided by three powers - Greece, Türkiye, Great Britain. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, they received the right to take action if the terms of the agreement were violated.
Cyprus created its own constitution, which ensured the protection of basic rights and freedoms for the citizens of the island. At the same time, this document contained a number of provisions, due to which its application became too complicated and practically impossible.
The President of Cyprus proposed a number of constitutional amendments in 1963, but the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot community, as well as Turkey itself, rejected them. As a result, the Turkish Cypriots left the Cypriot government, creating an illegal Provisional Turkish Cypriot government. In 1964, the Turkish and Greek communities of the island entered into open conflict, after which the UN Security Council sent its peacekeeping forces to the island.
Greece intervened next. The military junta that came to power in the country in 1974 organized a military coup, the purpose of which was to overthrow the Cypriot president. Turkey responded by sending troops to the territory of Cyprus - on July 20, 1974, Turkish military forces landed on the island, occupying 37% of its territory. The UN, the UN Security Council, the Non-Aligned Movement, the British Commonwealth and a number of other international organizations condemned Turkey's actions, recognizing the rights of the indigenous people of Cyprus. However, despite this, Turkish troops are still occupying northern part islands.
Since 2004, Cyprus has been a member European Union, however, the agreement on the accession of the republic to the EU was supplemented by a special protocol. He points out that EU legislation in the case of Cyprus will not apply in territories not controlled by the government. After Cyprus problem is resolved, the protocol will lose its force. Today, negotiations on a solution to the Turkish Cypriot problem continue.
The other day, London confirmed that the status of its Sovereign Territories in Cyprus under the treaty, which is exactly half a century old, will remain the same.
Political scientist Leonid Shepilov comments:
Fifty years have already passed since Great Britain, under the terms of the Zurich-London Treaty on Cyprus (August 1960), introduced British status from mid-November of that year to almost 5% of the territory of Cyprus. British military and intelligence bases are located in these areas, and in the status of the Sovereign Territories of the United Kingdom. The mentioned British areas are located in the east of the Mediterranean. And in its extreme West, another British territory- Gibraltar also has military and intelligence bases. That is, London, and, therefore, NATO will continue to control these most important strategic points in the Mediterranean.
Moreover, British base territories in Cyprus were created before the First World War. Because in London they understood and understand not only the role of these bases in the context of Western policy in Mediterranean region and in the adjacent Caucasus, in particular.
This is a very instructive example, by the way, for Russia - in the context of Sevastopol, our military facilities in the Crimea, Kerch Strait. Russia could well have taken advantage of this British “experience” on the Crimean peninsula, but during the collapse of the USSR, our authorities preferred to fix the Ukrainian status of the entire Crimea and the waters adjacent to it ...
Meanwhile, the British bases in the British areas of Cyprus allow, firstly, to "view" not only the Caucasus and Transcaucasia. But also the whole South of Russia, Crimea, Donbass. Not to mention all the countries neighboring Cyprus and the nearby Suez Canal. And secondly, it was these areas that were used, in particular, for the recent transfer of British troops to Iraq, Afghanistan, some Arab countries Persian Gulf.
Let me note that these base territories in the mentioned Treaty and other documents on Cyprus (1959-1960) were qualified as guarantors of the independence and integrity of Cyprus. But in fact, Great Britain contributed to the Turkish occupation of almost half of this island in the summer and autumn of 1974. For neither politically nor militarily, London has done nothing to counter Turkish aggression and the split of Cyprus.
Because the idea of the revival of the Hellenic unity - the union of all Greek-speaking countries and territories - is still contrary to the interests of the West. Therefore, in 1974, the British declared neutrality during Turkish invasion, and today London does nothing to overcome the split of Cyprus. It is also characteristic that almost all British Sovereign Territories on this island are located precisely in its Greek part, that is, in the Republic of Cyprus.
Special for the Centenary
Recently we went to rest in Cyprus (in English Cyprus (cypres), and the inhabitants are cypriots) in a small “village” called Protaras. The word “village” is not accidentally put in quotation marks, because the village is only in its size, and, unfortunately, not in authenticity. That is, it is such a “tourist village”, with one main street, a bunch of cafes, restaurants, shops and hotels, apartments, private villas. I don’t know how old this “resort” is, but it looks completely new, so new that the windows of our hotel on the shore overlooked the construction of a neighboring hotel ((
But I wanted to write not about the place itself, but about the tourists who come here. We were specifically looking for a place where there would be fewer of our compatriots, and we found it! There are really very few Russians here, and basically, as I already noticed in Greece, this is a trio of grandmother-mother-child. And for some reason, only Russians can be found on the beach at five o’clock, when the sun has already gone, but it’s not dark yet, and you can swim quite well, because right now the water is the warmest!
I cannot be responsible for the whole village, but several groups of people rested in our hotel. Older German couples, older English couples, young English couples with a child, Russian trios. And I wanted to dwell on the English in more detail.
The grandparents are just adorable! They are very attentive to each other, walk hand in hand along the beach, watch football together in the bar during the day, and drink wine by candlelight in the evenings.
Young couples are very similar to each other. Mostly they have one child. Dad and mom are about 30 (+/-). The husband is thin and fit in a T-shirt with the logo of his favorite football team, the wife is short and rather plump. And all the young English women (I saw several without children) with extended nails! It's fashionable now, I guess...
In general, everything there is set up in an English way, starting with sockets in the rooms and downloading the menu in the restaurant. English breakfast, the one with scrambled eggs and bacon, really is and is very popular here! I don’t know how things are with the generation of 30-40 year olds, but English grandparents every morning line up for a cook who cooks scrambled eggs right there in front of them. Do you know what the British eat in the evenings? Soup!! It is also on the lunch menu, but of course, who eats it at lunch? That's right, Russians! (Because the eating habits of the British seem very strange to me, probably, like ours - to them)))
And the British also have a wonderful habit - to “dress up” (to dress up) if they go out somewhere in the evening. It doesn't matter where they go! For example, dine at the hotel, or have a pint of beer at the bar! Even for the sake of the evening promenade along the only street of our tourist village, English women of all ages put on make-up, hairdo, beautiful dresses and jewelry. There is no way without this) And you know, I liked this state of affairs, it immediately creates a feeling of a holiday, which, you see, is very pleasant)
And I was also immediately surprised upon arrival that the driver (taxi) was sitting on the right, and when we were driving along the road (it was at night) I still could not understand why we were driving in the oncoming lane all the time!? And only then I realized that here, as in England (and Cyprus, for a moment, a former British colony), right-hand traffic!
Before leaving, I was going to read a textbook of Modern Greek, learn the rules of reading and basic colloquial words, such as “good afternoon, thank you, please” and so on. Hands somehow did not reach, but on the spot it turned out that this would not have been necessary, because all the attendants in this “tourist village” are not Greeks, but ... anyone but not Greeks. And with them, of course, it would be rather stupid to “speak” Greek. Almost everyone understands English, and many also Russian, because they come from the former Soviet republics or, for example, from Poland, and we will understand Polish if we listen carefully.
And now some translation))
The photos, unfortunately, were lost, but I had a note that among the dishes on our menu were:
“Carrot Cake”, “Coconut Cake”, “Orange Marmalade”, “Almonds”, “Figs” (i.e. figs), “Cheddar Cheese”, “Peach Yogurt” and “Peach Compote”.
And in another store I came across very cool hmm ... dice? marble with all sorts of cool inscriptions:
My family tree is full of nuts– My family tree is full of nuts (the second meaning is “abnormal” (jokingly))
You'll always be my friend You will always be my friend, you know too much 🙂
I tried jogging but I couldn't keep the ice in my glass– I tried to run, but I couldn’t keep the ice in the glass 😉
I keep losing weight but it keeps finding me- I continue to lose weight (that is, literally lose weight), but he still continues to find me!
Alcohol doesn't cause hangover, Waking up does- alcohol is not at all the cause of a hangover, but waking up is very much so!
veni, vidi, visa - I came, I saw, I shopped I came, I saw, I bought
Excuse the mess, we want you to feel at home– sorry for the mess, we wanted you to feel at home :))
