Cyprus-Forum.com

[detailer]

Therefore there are swings and roundabouts. Few things are totally black and white and the Ottoman occupation of Cyprus, although mostly dark grey, is not as complete a dark picture as many people like to portray it.

Yes a very objective, at least not predujiced comment. Another imprtant fact is: some drawbacks of ottoman empire were also true for TC and the other Turkish living under the rule of ottoman empire.

I don't expect GC to forget all the bad sides of Ottoman Empire but you can try to be a little more objective and criticise ottomans based on that period's conditions.

Another thing which gets my attention about this topic is the similarity of the phrases which GC and greeks bring to criticise the ottoman period. It seems that they are all coming from the primary education.

[cannedmoose]

My final thought is that we should be looking forward in time not backwards unless you are studying for a history exam.

Sorry Bro', disagree with you on this one. A mantra that I've always believed in and which is pertinent for both Cypriots (of both extractions) and Turks alike is that you can't move forward until you appreciate your past mistakes. The old adage of history repeating is often too true and it usually repeats in ways we wouldn't wish it to.

[Nickp]

EDITED:Name calling is not permitted. One line posts are usulally useless.

[suetoniuspaulinus]

Do not reply to offensive posts, do not quote them in your reply and do not be offensive yourselves. Or your posts will be deleted too.Look here:

http://www.cyprus-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 27836a7bcb

[magikthrill]

What is also clear is that although the "serfs" or peasants of this island may have spoken Greek at this time and were obliged to pay homage to the Roman Catholic Pope they were not part of the "Greek Nation".

There was no such thing as a Greek Cypriot, needing to be reunited with the Greek Nation.

just like there was no such thing as a Greek Nation for them to be reunited with smart guy.

This particular concept only arose as a result of the "Independence " granted to a part of the Ottoman Empire, later to be called Greece, by the Ottomans in the late 1800's.

you dont seem like the right person to be giving history lessons. the Greek nation was established in 1832 - that would be EARLY 1800s maybe mid 1800s but DEFINITELY NOT late 1800s.

oh and it wasnt the ottomans that matgically gestured independence for the Greeks. it was after a rebellion and with the help of the big european powers.

I would suggest you get to grips with a half decent book on the period and if you can't manage that try " The Ottoman Years" by Lord Kinross.

It may be a bit big for you ( more than 20 pages and NO pictures) but perhaps you could ask someone how to use the index at the back of the book.

If that book is where you got your information from then maybe you shouldnt be recommendin git.

Good Luck.

i would say the same to you.

[Khan]

If i am young to try and correct a misconception that Ottomans oppressed GC's for hundreds of years then i'd appreciate if you could correct me with a reference from a book.

EDITED

[magikthrill]

If i am young to try and correct a misconception that Ottomans oppressed GC's for hundreds of years then i'd appreciate if you could correct me with a reference from a book.

there are no references. you are right. all history books have picture of Ottomans cooling the Greeks with fans and feeding them grapes.

[Murtaza]

If i am young to try and correct a misconception that Ottomans oppressed GC's for hundreds of years then i'd appreciate if you could correct me with a reference from a book.

EDITED

You are wasting your time, they prefer to believe ottomans as devil.
Because they are trying to justify what they did.

If you read posts well, you can easily see it.

They are trying to justify what they did to TC, with what ottomans did them.

So of course ottomans should be worst of worst.
A good ottomans or at least, a normal ottomans make them guilty, they cannot justify what they did.
But They cannot show, a country, who treat her minorities better than Ottomans.(At that times)

[MicAtCyp]

This is an arbitrary conclusion my friend. In this thread we are presumably discussing the situation of Cyprus under the Ottomans. I did not have much time to contibute but I can prove to you it was barbaric and based on blood, fear and subordination. Someone asked if it was worse than other rulers like the Venetians and the Francs before them. I say yes it was 100 times worse.
Someone also asked to compare it with previous Empires like the Roman Empire. The answer is yes it was about as worse as that one. The problem is the Roman Empire was1000 years before!
As in every other firld the Ottoman Empire got civilisation back about 1000 years.
Time for you to start jumping again!

[erolz]

Someone asked if it was worse than other rulers like the Venetians and the Francs before them. I say yes it was 100 times worse.

This is an arbitrary conclusion my friend. (and not based on any historical evidence that I can see).

Ventians

Did not allow religous freedom
Used a system of serfdom (see here for discription http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serfdom)
Did not grant the conquered cypriots citizenship of the venetian emipre.

Ottomans

Allowed religious freedom
Abolished serfdom
Granted conquered cypriots citizenship of the ottoman empire.

So can you tell me why you think the venetians were 100 times better rulers for cypriots than the ottomans were? For right now the only reason I can think of is because the ventians were christian western white rulers and the ottomans were dirty filthy muslim barbarians - ie you view would seem to be based on racism rather than any analysis of how the two conquerors actual behaved. Please let me know that there is a non racist reason why the ventians were 100 times better rulers for cypriots than the ottomans.