Trabzon
(1998 est. pop. of city 144,000). Trabzon (Trebizond), capital of Trabzon province (1998 est. pop. 850,000) in a mountainous region of northeasternTurkey on the Black Sea, took its name from the table-shaped plateau on which the city is located. Known as Trapezus in antiquity, the city was colonized by Greeks from Sinope, also on the southern shore of the Black Sea, west of Trabzon.
The Hagia Sopjia Byzantine Church in Trabzon in 1990. (DAVID SAMUEL ROBBINS/CORBIS)The city was occupied by the Seljuks at the end of the eleventh century and became the capital of the Greek empire of Trebizond from 1204 to 1461. Captured by the Mongols in 1240, it remained under their rule until conquered by the Ottoman sultan Mehmed II (1432–1481) in 1461. The Ottomans ordered the city's churches converted to mosques; one of these, the Aya Sofya, became a museum in 1964. Sultan Selim the Grim (1467–1520) served as governor (1490–1512) until his accession to the throne in 1512. His son Suleyman the Magnificent (1494 or 1495–1566) was born in Trabzon and raised there until he took the throne in 1520.
Trabzon's historical importance derives from its location on one of the most important routes between Europe and Central Asia and its use as a seaport. Venetian and Genoese merchants frequently visited Trabzon before the Ottoman conquest, and for centuries exports from Asia, such as silk, cotton fabrics, and wine, passed through its port.
During World War I Trabzon was attacked by the Russians in 1915 and was occupied by them in 1916. The Turks recaptured the city on 24 February 1918. The town's population consists mainly of boatmen and fishermen. Trabzon continues to be known for its tobacco, hazelnuts, and tea.
Further Reading
Faroqhi, Suraiya. (1960) "Tarabzun." In The Encyclopaedia of Islam. 2d ed. Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 216–219.
Statistical Yearbook of Turkey. (1999) Ankara, Turkey: Devlet Ístatistík Enstitüsü.
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