Cyprus-Forum.com

[Khan]

I've seen quite a few posts which are implying that Ottomans oppresed the Greek Cypriots when they took the island in 1571. Do people actually realise that Ottomans gave the GC's on the island more freedom than they ever had under the Venetians? I think people forget that GC's actually helped the Turks to take the island. The majority of the population was enslaved and not allowed to practice its Orthodox religion. When the Ottomans came they abolished the Latin system of serfdom, gave back full rights to the Orthodox Church and gave the GC population autonomy to run their own affairs under the millet system.

[Murtaza]

Khan

That is not enough for them. they are talking about jenisarries, but realy curious if there is one from cyprus, because they were mostly taken from balkain and armenia.

they are talking about tax, but the tax ottomans imposed is lower than venetians. oh and forget that, they dont go army,Muslims are dying for ottomans at war.But that is not enough also.

They have religious freedom, but well at that times, muslims under christians live more more better than them, for example muslims of spain.

Khan they know all of this, They prefer to hate from Ottomans. This give them weapon agains to TC.

I asked them before, what ottoman should do more, and no answer.

This is what they choose to hate ottomans.

They are forgetting it was them, who call their doom, crusaders.
It was again crusaders reason of ottoman attack.

[magikthrill]

jesus christ?

are you serious?

all GCs should apologize right now becaues the Ottomans were not as bad as other conquerors.

just because they desecrated a few religious monuments and slaughtered a few religious leaders here and there (amongst other things) that doesn't make it a reason for the aboriginal inhabitants to be angry.

how bout this then:
TCs should be happy they werent ALL annihilated from 63-74 as Hitler had done to the Jews and should be more thankful.

EDITED:Name calling

[Murtaza]

Magic yes yes, I know ottoman tried to destroy all greek race from land.
They forced you to change you religion.
They didnt give you any freedom.

But wait, why greeks prefered ottomans?

Noone said, what ottomans did is fine for this time standards, but well for those time standart, ottomans gave you more freedom than you had.
Am I wrong? or do you prefer veneticians?
Dont think other Westerner is better, remember the spains, and natives of Americans.

Remember the your lovely friends, crusaders.
Or Timur Lenk, Russians?

Oh well, after all you just had best empire at that times.
But you try to compare this empire with this times.

EDITED:Name calling is not permitted

[magikthrill]

praise the glorious ottoman empire and its enlightened views on human rights and freedoms.

also praise all the dictators that have roared the earth to help promote human equality and freedoms.

lets also hail hitler who, for his time, had a glorious idea of keeping on the earth a single powerful race.

[brother]

Will everyone on this thread stop acting like spoilt little children, the ottoman empire is over, to some it was glorious, to others it was an oppression, but the long and short of it all is that it no longer exists, so stop going backwards and start looking forward.

[Murtaza]

Ironi wont help my friend. Can you show me better empires at that time, which thread to his minorities better?

I count all of them. and I remind you again, greeks prefered ottomans at that times.
Of course Ottoman ruling was worse than greek ruling, but It was better than other christians ruling. am I wrong my friend?

[Khan]

Will everyone on this thread stop acting like spoilt little children, the ottoman empire is over, to some it was glorious, to others it was an oppression, but the long and short of it all is that it no longer exists, so stop going backwards and start looking forward.

Brother, my intentions in creating this thread was to discuss the common misconception that somehow the Ottomans oppressed the GC's for hundreds of years. People keep bringing this up in certain threads and i felt that it was based more on prejudice than on fact. The problem with this forum is a lot of what is said is simply hear say from their communities, i dont think many peopel actually pick up a book to read about these things.

[cannedmoose]

Folks, we all know today that colonial exploitation was wrong, whether it be by Venetians, Genoans, Ottomans or British. In the modern world, for one people to be subject to another against their will is to deny them the rights and freedoms they deserve as fellow human beings. That being said, our ancestors did not view things in this way, this way of thinking is largely a product of the last fifty years but can be witnessed as far back as 1832 when slavery was abolished throughout the British empire.

In general, Ottoman rule was not benevolent, it was a conqueror-subject relationship, with Cyprus providing resources and manpower without a great deal in return. However, compared to previous rulers, Ottoman rule did provide some Cypriots with opportunities (not just Muslim Cypriots) and allowed contact between Greek-speaking people across the Eastern Mediterranean, Cypriots were by no means isolated from 1571 to 1878.

The Cypriot Brotherhood in Alexandria retained strong links with other Orthodox orders across the Mediterranean and beyond and funded many Orthodox schools in Cyprus. Cypriot merchants traded across the Levant (evidenced by there being three times as many speakers of fluent Arabic as speakers of English even in 1911), agricultural workers found seasonal work in Anatolia, many Christian Cypriot moneylenders and masons amassed huge fortunes working in Cairo, and large numbers of Cypriots settled elsewhere within the Ottoman realm. However, it is also true that Christian Cypriots were heavily taxed, were not free to govern their own affairs (although the Church did have a channel of direct communication to the island's governor), and the Ottomans did not develop the island so much as asset strip its wealth for return to Istanbul.

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.

Before replying, please note the statement I made at the beginning. I am not an apologist for the Ottomans, I am simply stating an opinion based upon historical evidence.

[brother]

Khan you are probably right about a lot of people but on the other hand i have found many on this forum are educated and very informed people but the problem with this topic is that magority of GC/Greeks beleive otherwise as they were under foreign rule hence they only see a monster who made them suffer, if back then the ottomans had freed them from the venetians then just left and let them be totally independent they would be praising them.
This topic is a no win situation as you will argue the positive of ottoman rule and they will argue the negative of it.

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