History of Turkey
Through an infancy symbolised by the invasion of Egyptians, Greeks, Persians and Romans, Turkey earned a prestigious legacy that includes the remarkable ruins of Troy and the Anatolian coast. An initial civilisation cultivated by the Hittites was left prostrate by invasions of Greeks from the west in 1250 BC and Persians from the east in 550 BC. Dominating the entire region in 330 BC was Alexander the Great, after whose death the Galatians (Celts) pronounced Ankara the capital in 279BC and the advancing Roman Empire stabilised the region. As of 324 AD, Constantinople (Istanbul) had been designated capital of the Eastern Roman Empire by Emperor Constantine, and the Western Empire declined in tandem with Byzantium’s rise in significance.
The region never completely embraced Christianity. With the Roman Empire diminishing, the South was seeing the rise of a new leader. As the prophet Muhammed departed Mecca carrying Allah’s message to disperse the word of Islam, 669 Islamic armies, confidence bolstered by conquering most of the Middle East and North Africa, commenced defying Byzantium’s rule. As the 11th century witnessed the expansion of Islam through the Great Seljuk Turkish Empire succeeding the Romans, alarmed Crusaders descended from Europe to loosen the Seljuk’s grip. But with Crusaders’ interest focused on the Holy Land, the Seljuks endured until the late 13th century.
From Turkish warriors fleeing encroaching Mongols grew the grand Ottoman Empire. The rule of Mehmet the Conqueror made the Ottomans sufficiently mighty to take Constantinople by 1453. Islam was established in the region, Istanbul had blossomed into a glorious city and the Empire had expanded to as far afield as Hungary and Egypt. Despite 500 more years of sultan rule, the Empire slowly crumbled. In turn, each conquered territory defected and seceded, beginning in 1832 with Greece’s hard earned liberty, trailed by the Serbs, Bulgarians, Rumanians, Albanians, Armenians and Arabs. A grievous decision to join ranks with Germany in WW1 confirmed the demise of their regional authority.
On the Turkish home front nationalism was looming. Ottoman general Mustafa Kemal (known later as Atatürk or Father Turk) moved the Turks toward a War of Independence (1920-22). Abolishment was at hand for the Sultanate and Kemal’s immense modernisation of Turkey included a constitution, the outlaw of polygamy, downplaying Islamic impact, embracing Roman script as its language and enhancing education.
Kemal’s replacement, Ismet Inönü, retained Turkey’s neutrality throughout WWII and managed its conversion to a pure democracy, with the opposition Democratic Party victorious in the elections of 1950, 1960 and 1970. Political infighting and civil discontent in 1980 brought the country to a standstill. Supported by the Soviet bloc or radical Muslim factions, fringe groups led to chaos that required military intervention. In 1983 free elections led to a relegation of power to the centre-right party, which chaperoned a business growth enduring through the 80s. The 90s witnessed a reversion to volatility and intermittent religious fervour.
A controversial record in human rights, faltering economy and continuing matter of Kurdish separatism have cramped Turkey’s desperate attempt to fuse with the EU, and the country opposes its NATO members regarding regional strife, especially concerning Iraq.