EARLY HISTORY

• Built on or near the settlement known in antiquity as Arsinoe, the small fishing village that became Famagusta may have been founded by Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt around 285 BC. At present, there is no archaeological evidence of urban activity before 1191 within the old walls.

BYZANTINE PERIOD (AD 324 - 1191)

• Ammochostos, which means "buried in the sand" in Greek, is first mentioned as a place name in the 7th century. Although the material evidence is lacking, it seems likely that- as the island's only natural deep-water harbor-the area of Famagusta would have been a fishing port of the eastern coast. No monuments or churches from this early period survived. However, the small, much-altered Franco -Byzantine church known as St. Symeon Chapel possibly stands on earlier foundations dating to the Byzantine period.

EARLY FRANKISH PERIOD (1191 - 1192)

• Latin rule in Cyprus begins in 1191 with the arrival on the island of England's Richard I (1157-1199), better known as the Lionheart. As the story goes, Richard was travelling by sea to the Holy Land during the Third Crusade when the ship of his younger sister Joan and fiancé, Berengaria of Navarre, was forced ashore by a storm. Snubbed and harassed by the island's self-appointed ruler, Isaac Comnenus, Richard famously came to their rescue, defeating the rogue emperor in a near-bloodless battle and conquering the Byzantine province in a matter of weeks. Moving on, he then sold it to the order of the Knights Templar who, lacking in funds and far outnumbered by an unruly population, gave it back in 1192.

LUSIGNAN KINGDOM (1192 - 1489)

• The island was then sold to the French Crusader Guy de Lusignan, former King of Jerusalem. With Guy's death in 1194, his older brother and successor Aimery was quick to secure the legitimacy of his reign. A Latin Catholic hierarchy was installed over the Greek Orthodox Church and an archbishop was installed in Nicosia with bishops in Paphos, Limassol and Famagusta. Aimery was then crowned as the first ruling monarch of the new Kingdom of Cyprus.


• Dating as far back as 1196, the town of Famagusta is mentioned repeatedly in written documents. However, its importance as a fortress city and first-rate port effectively began in 1291 with the fall of Acre, and with it the last Crusader possessions in Syria and Palestine to the Muslims. Those surviving Christians who remained in the East-the now dispossessed Latin nobles, Merchant class, and various knights and clergy-relocated en masse to Cyprus, settling mainly in Famagusta. Famagusta had thus become the most easterly outpost of Latin Christendom in the Mediterranean, and riches derived from trade with the East poured into the city.


• The 1300s witnessed Famagusta's medieval fortification by Henry II (1285-1324): a Wall went up around the burgeoning center and the existing castle was redesigned and strengthened. Master masons were imported from the West to begin construction on a new Latin cathedral dedicated, as was its predecessor, to St. Nicholas the Confessor. In its wake, churches, convents and monasteries built in a regional Gothic style originating from both Western Europe and the Holy Land sprang up by the dozen. By the 1330s, owing to the phenomenal success of its Merchant class, Famagusta's wealth and munificence had become legendary, often outshining even that of the European courts it aspired to emulate. Indeed, included among the numerous traders were Syrians, Armenians, Italians, Greeks and Jews, all securing extraordinary profits. Two of the most successful of these groups were the Syrians and the Genoese, whose monuments-built to pious ends define Famagusta's landscape to this day (see the Nestorian Church and St. George of the Latins).

GENOESE OCCUPATION (1373 - 1464)

• A century of relative peace and prosperity ended in 1372 with the events that led to Cyprus' debilitating war with Genoa (1373-1374). Seeking reprisals for losses of property and the death of many of their merchants during a riot that took place in Famagusta on the occasion of Peter II's (1369-1382) coronation as King of Jerusalem, the Genoese proposed an initially peaceful, though expensive compensation plan. Denied a sympathetic hearing, Genoa responded by sending an invasion fleet of close to fifty galleys to Cyprus, antagonizing the island for several months. During this time there was widespread destruction, looting and loss of life. Famagusta was mercilessly ransacked and in the end, although the Lusignans managed to hold on to the rest of Cyprus, the island's most valuable port remained in Genoese hands until 1464.


• The Genoese occupation of Famagusta marked a period of swift decline during which the once magnificent city succumbed to dereliction and relative impoverishment As quickly as it had begun, Famagusta's brief but spectacular Golden Age came to an end. The invaders destroyed the personal property and wealth of the town's nobility and Merchant class alike, forcing a drastic decline in non-Genoese trade. Moreover, Genoa's aggressive attitude towards its neighbors and rival trading partners-in particular the Republic of Venice-deterred most Western merchants from reinvesting in the city.

VENETIAN COLONIAL RULE (1489 - 1571)

• Although the Lusignan James II (1460-1473) succeeded in expelling the Genoese from Famagusta in 1464, nearly a century of occupation had taken its toll. Indeed, James' subsequent marriage to Caterina Cornaro (1474-1489)-a Venetian, and the Kingdom's last monarch-was, like most royal marriages, a purely diplomatic tactic intended to gain a powerful ally against the Genoese Republic and the rapidly expanding Ottoman empire. At the time, the Ottomans had already conquered most of Byzantium, taking Constantinople in 1453 and Egypt, Syria and Rhodes by 1522. James II and Caterina Cornaro's marriage, however, was ill-fated-within the span of a year James and his infant son James Ill (1473-1474) were dead, Caterina became a figurehead queen, and Cyprus was made a Venetian protectorate. Her peaceful abdication in Famagusta's .St Nicholas Cathedral in 1489 marked Venice's official assumption of power. The Lusignan dynasty had come to an end and Cyprus was in Venetian hands as Europe moved forward from the Middle Ages into the Early Modern period.


• At the close of the 15th century, Venice was a formidable maritime power controlling a major part of trade between Europe and the Near East. This was mainly (although, not exclusively) due to its possession of a large number of territories along the east coast of the Adriatic Sea, in southern Greece, and even within Ottoman-controlled. Constantinople However, over time, Cyprus surpassed a Crete as Venice's largest overseas colony, with Famagusta providing much-needed harbor for the Venetian fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean. Venice soon recognized the dual imperative of reviving the island's economy while improving its defenses against the inevitable aggression of competitors. Indeed, Famagusta's medieval fortifications were in need of repairs and updating. Gunpowder had been introduced in Europe in the intervening years, and the old walls were no match for cannon and artillery. Thus, commenced the seemingly overwhelming task of modernization; it is thought that no less than twenty Renaissance military architects were brought in for this job. Rumor has it that even Leonardo da Vinci may have lent his expertise.


• However, despite this major undertaking, it does not appear as if any significant development occurred within Famagusta itself during this period. Some houses were certainly built, the royal palace was substantially remodeled, and certain churches were enlarged or altered. Yet, within the walls, the overall appearance of the city remained essentially Lusignan.


• Appearances aside, the Venetian presence marks an important period of recovery for Cyprus. It is well documented that Venice made great efforts to repopulate the island, which had been devastated not only by the Black Death of 1348, but also by recurrent outbreaks of the plague in the 15th century. Although the principal motives for this policy were to increase the profitability of her newly acquired colony-population expansion was clearly necessary for increasing agricultural production and revenues from taxation-Venice also understood the importance of maintaining the general prosperity of the island.

OTTOMAN PERIOD (1571 - 1878)

• The Ottomans arrived in 1570 and had conquered all of Cyprus by 1571. Nicosia fell within weeks followed shortly by Kyrenia’s surrender. Famagusta, however, was the site of an epic siege that lasted nearly a year and changed the very landscape of the .city It is believed that over 000.100 cannonballs were fired into the city. Some of them can still be seen embedded in the southtern walls of the Church of St. George of the Greeks which was in direct line of the fire from the Ottomans' main position at Canbulat bastion. Judging from the distance to which the vaulting was thrown away from the foundations, St. George of the Latins-which may have been used as a storage depot for munitions-is thought to have exploded after being bombarded.


• The siege of Famagusta played an important role in the history of the island as well as the legends surrounding the city itself. It was notable for the small defending force of Venetians, which is said to have been around 5 000 men against 100 000 as well as for how long the small force was able to hold out. The strength of the Ottoman force eventually overwhelmed the Venetians and on August 1, 1571, envoys met to discuss terms. Legend has it that the Ottoman General Lala Mustafa Pasha was impressed by the Venetian Captain Marcantonio Bragadino's defense and so granted generous surrender terms, including transportation to Crete in exchange for the safe return of all Ottoman prisoners. When he found out that some of the prisoners were killed, however, the terms were cancelled and Bragadino was publicly executed in the main square in front of the Cathedral. Thus, the city fell and with it the entire island.


• Cyprus' Venetian governor was replaced by an Ottoman one improving conditions for the Orthodox community, which had been persecuted under the Venetians. While the Latin Church was dissolved, the Orthodox Church was granted back confiscated property. The feudal system, which had kept common Cypriots tied to serfdom for centuries, was abolished and replaced with personal rights for the lower classes who could own and sell .property In the long run, this enabled some upward mobility, though Cyprus' countryside remained desperately poor and in ruin.


• Only Ottoman citizens could reside within the walls of Famagusta, although others could enter with permission from dawn until dusk. A number of public Works Projects were initiated to improve the city's communal facilities-most notable were the efforts of Ağa Cafer Pasha to improve freshwater distribution. Some repairs were made to the fortifications, in order to rectify damage sustained during the siege. In addition, many new bazaars, hamams, fountains, markets and schools were built in this time despite the fact that this was not a major commercial and government center. Indeed, Famagusta's walled city was considered remote enough for the Turkish nationalist poet Namık Kemal to be exiled and imprisoned in the fortress in 1873.

BRITISH COLONIAL RULE (1878 - 1960)

• The history of modern Cyprus begins in 1878, the year the Ottomans gave the island over to British control as a diplomatic move in exchange for their support against Russian encroachment in eastern Anatolia. The island was officially annexed in 1914, becoming a Crown Colony in .1925 The modern period brought important social changes, such as improved health and welfare, an increase in life expectancy, and new opportunities for education. However, it is a matter of opinion as to whether historic Famagusta benefited in any way from British investments in reviving the city's ancient harbor-indeed turning it into a modern industrial port-and constructing Cyprus' first railway linking Famagusta to Nicosia and Morphou. Sadly, the railway was short-lived and industrialization meant dramatic alterations needed to be made to Famagusta's medieval fabric. A number of new Gates were cut through the ancient walls in order to access the port and accommodate traffic. Ancient and medieval stonework-which had been piled up around the town since the Ottomans had taken over 300 years before-was collected and shipped off to Egypt to be used in the construction of the Suez Canal, Britain's principal concern and interest in the region. Indeed, a vast quantity of already cut stones, as well as precious antiquities were looted from the island during this period, initiating the first antiquities laws protecting Cyprus' fragile cultural heritage.


• In 1960, Cyprus became an independent state