Trabzon – Trapezunt

Numbering approx. 180 thousand. Trabzon residents (ancient Trapezunt) it is the largest city in the Black Sea zone after Samsun, tourists treated primarily as a starting point to the nearby famous Sumela Monastery, and by the Jews as a city, from where they will set off to the Kackar Mountains (very popular with the Israelites). By playing here, it is worth visiting some more or less interesting monuments (mainly Hagia Sophia). After the borders of the former USSR were opened, the Russians appeared in the city, not always pure business.

History

Trapezunt was founded in the 8th century. p.n.e. through the Sinop colony, whose inhabitants, in turn, came from Miletus (Greek colony on the Aegean coast). The name of the city is to come from the word "trapeze", which is synonymous with the table, for that was the shape of the city's acropolis. The earliest record of the settlement comes from Xenophon's Ana-base (4th c. p.n.e.), in which he mentions, like the rest of z 10 thousand. The Greeks under his command finally crossed the Pontic Mountains and found herself on the Black Sea coast in the city of Trapezunt. Its residents generously welcomed the newcomers, here at last their adventurous journey has come to an end. Trapezunt from its inception was an important trading center, from here he led the trail deep into eastern Anatolia (by Bayburt and Erzurum) and to the eastern shores of the Black Sea. From approx. 280 r. p.n.e. the city was within the borders of the Pontic kingdom (with its capital in Amasya), and during the battles between Mithridates VI and the Romans, Trapezunta was occupied by the armies of the latter (mid 1st century. p.n.e.). From then on, it grew even faster, because he was exempt from taxes for a long time, occupying a privileged position among the cities on the Black Sea coast. Emperor Hadrian visited the city in approx. 130 r. n.e. and funded the construction of a second port as well as a theater and a water supply network with an aqueduct. Half 111 w. The trapezoid was plundered by the Goths and by over 30 it lay in ruins for years, until it was rebuilt by Emperor Diocletian reigning in the years 284 – 305. From then on, the city developed peacefully again (here the legion Legio I Pontica resided), new ones were built under Justinian the Great, more powerful walls, and under Emperor Leo III (beginning of the 8th century) the capital of the easternmost province of the Byzantine Empire was established here.

Although the Seljuks were successful after success, especially after the victorious battle of Byzantium at Manzikert (1071), they never managed to get hold of the Trapezuntu, bravely defended by the local garrison. The events in distant Constantinople turned out to be the most important in the history of the city, which in 1204 r. was captured by the Latin, as a result, the Byzantine Empire fell for a time. Rebellious against the new order in Constantinople, sons of Emperor Adronikos I.: Alexios and David Comnenians settled in Trapezunta, having previously taken over the area between the Black Sea and the Pontic Mountains. They founded their own state here, and their dynasty ruled these territories until the Ottoman conquest in the mid-15th century. The rulers of the new empire called themselves emperors, and they lasted so long thanks to the skilful policy of navigating on the border of the Seljuk alliance, Mongols and Georgians, and later the Ottomans (both Seljukom, Mongolians, and the Ottomans paid tribute). There were also problems on the part of Europeans, for the Italian merchants of Genoa aspired to monopoly trade in the Black Sea, fighting for this privilege with Trapezunt. Apparently in 1295 r. Marco Polo visited the city during his trip to China. The outstanding theologian and humanist Bessarion was born here, who left for Italy, appointed by Pope Eugene IV as cardinal (1439). Before that, Bessarion held many important ecclesiastical positions, was, among others. Metropolitan of Nice and Patriarch of Constantinople. At the beginning of the 14th century. the empire's possessions were already shrunk practically to the vicinity of the Trapezuntu, it was the last outpost of the broadly understood Hellenistic civilization. W 1461 r. the city eventually surrendered to Mehmed the Conqueror, who generously left the last emperor David II Comnenus alive, ordering him to move to Edime. After 2 In his years, he ordered to murder the whole family, putting an end to the history of the last Byzantine dynasty.

In the Ottoman times a city (henceforth called Trabzon) it was an equally important center, provincial capital, where several future sultans resided as governors (m.in. Bejazyd II i Selim 1). Suleiman the Magnificent was born here. Until the outbreak of World War I, caravans traveled through Trabzon to Persia through Erzurum, although in the 19th century. the importance of the city as a commercial center has declined significantly due to the construction of the Ankara railway – Erzurum. During World War I, Trabzon was occupied by the Russian army (1916 – 18), and the following year the Greeks created an ephemera here – The republic of Pontus. After the war for independence, w 1923 r. all Greeks had to leave Trapezunt and the Pontic region, which initially affected the state of the economy in the Black Sea region.