History of Cyprus

the Most ancient history of island goes back to VII millenary B.C. From the first settlers of Cyprus on boulders there were mysterious inscriptions which are not decoded till now.

In the beginning of II millenary B.C. on island there were Greeks. They have based on Cyprus rich cities-kingdoms on model Ancient Greek
the cities of Mycenae, having brought with itself the Greek religion and the Greek mode of life. The Greek state form of the system has existed on Cyprus till an epoch of Romans.

The island Name descends from a Latin root cuprum - copper. Infinite natural resources - copper and iron deposits, stores of emeralds, kiparisnye and cedar woods, groves of olive arbours and sugarcane plantations, strange fruit and vegetables always did Cyprus a titbit for foreigners. B.C. Egyptians, Phoenicians, assyrians and persians serially installed the domination on Cyprus, poetically naming its country coming
the sun. Alexander the Great has definitively freed island from aggressors, but after disintegration of its empire Cyprus became an empire province ptolemeevskogo Egypt, and later, about 58 years B.C. has passed to Romans.

In 330 year of our era, after disintegration of Roman empire, the island became a part of Byzantium. Since then Cyprus divides destiny of the Greek orthodox world.

In crusades Cyprus has been won by Richard Lvinoe Serdtse on a path to Sacred land. Richard has passed its knightly order of knights templars, and those, in turn, - Luizinjanam from France which have based on island kingdom on the western feudal sample (1192-1489). Last queen of this kingdom has passed vested interests island to the Venetian Republic. In 1571 the island has been captureed by Turks and has passed in authority of Ottoman empire. Under authority a Turk Cyprus was more than three centuries.

In 1878 Turkey has granted Cyprus to the Great Britain in exchange for the help promised to it in case of war with Russia. Till 1959 Cyprus was the English colony. On August, 16th, 1960, after emancipating struggle Greek-Cypriotes, Cyprus is intoned by an independent state - Republic. Archbishop Makarios became the first president of island republic.

In July, 1974 the Greek military junta has lifted armed rebellion against government Makariosa. Turkey has used the moment. Under the pretext it occupied protection of Turks-Cypriotes 37 % of terrain of Cyprus which illegally keeps till now.

More than twenty years bunton Republic Cyprus Turkish troops: in the north there live Turks, and in the south - Greeks. Between terrains on 180  km the green line along which bear service of troops of the United Nations was drew through.