Anatolia as Turkey is known Asia was occupied by the Indo-European Hittites during 1900 B.C. Following the demise of the Hittite empire in 1200B.C it was occupied by the Lydians and Phrygians. Then it was the Persian Empire during the 6th century B.C who gave way to the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman Turks made their appearance in the early 13th century and vanquished the Mongol and Turkish groups into the eastern border with the Byzantine. They reduced the Christian Balkan states into vassals and slowly spread their reach through the Balkans and Near East. The Ottoman Turks finally captured the city of Constantinople in the year 1453 and stormed the gates of Vienna about two centuries later. At its prime, the Ottoman Empire reigned from the Persian Gulf to the western Algeria. The Ottoman Empire lasted for 600 years and was not only one of the most powerful empires to rule the Mediterranean but also injected a vibrant culture, Islamic art and literature.
Once the reign of Sultan Suleyman I the Magnificent came to an end, the Ottoman Empire started to decline in all forms, economically, politically and administratively. By the beginning of the 18th century, Russia was trying to establish itself as a guardian of Christians in the Balkan states under Turkey. Though the Russian ambition was checked by British and French in the Crimean War, the Russo-Turkish War liberated Siberia and Bulgaria from the allegiance to the Sultan. This exposed the Turkish weakness and led to the resurgence of a group of young liberals who called themselves the Young Turks. They grew in power and forced the Sultan to install a liberal government and set forth a constitution. These reforms had no effect on Turkey’s continuous defeats at the hands of Italy (1911-1912), then the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) and during WWI Turkey sided with Germany and as a consequence lost territory at the end of the war.
The present boundary was drawn during the Conference of Lausanne in the year 1923. Turkey was declared as a republic and Kemal Ataturk was its first president. The Ottoman monarchy was abolished and the country was set forward in a direction of industrialization, modernization and cultural reform. Ataturk secularized the society and reduced the dominant role of Islam and replaced Arabic with Latin for writing the Turkish language. After Ataturk’s death in the year 1938, a multiparty system and parliamentary form of government gradually took root in the country. Despite intervals of brief instability and military rule, the country maintained a functioning parliamentary system. Turkey was neutral for most of WWII but declared war on Germany and Japan; however it did not take part in active conflict. Turkey awarded a full time NATO member status in 1952 and a signatory in the Balkan Entente in the year 1953. It became a member of the European Common Market in 1963. Turkey went on offense an invaded Cyprus on July 20, 1974. This was after negotiations failed to resolve the conflict between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
Turkey certainly has an intensive and rich history. What better way to learn about this history than to experience the country. Consider traveling to Turkey. In an increasingly homogenized world you’ll be inspired by the art and architecture here that has been influenced by different cultures over the centuries.Instead of a hotel, consider staying in a resort that has international name recognition, like Diamond Resorts International. Large corporations often have extensive websites and reviews so you know what to expect.To prepare for your trip you’ll want to find out everything you can, including where to stay, where to eat and what sites you’d like to visit. A good resource for travel information is the Turkey Travel Planner. When you do go, however, be sure to leave room in your itinerary for the unexpected. The concierge at your timeshare may tell you about a fascinating restaurant or an architectural wonder that most tourists don’t know about. Sometimes the best adventures are the ones you didn’t plan on.