Around The World
Turkey Timeline
Travel through our timeline of major events in Turkey's history.
330
Constantine, the ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire (also called Byzantium), founds New Rome. It later becomes Constantinople.1288
Osman, a warrior chieftain, founds the Ottoman Empire.1453
Sultan Mehmed II conquers Constantinople and extends Ottoman control. The powerful empire lasts 600 years.1520-1566
Sultan Suleyman I expands the empire and builds mosques and monuments.1914
After World War I, Ottomans and foreign troops occupy the region.
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1919-1938
Mustafa Kemal, called Ataturk ('Father of the Turks') leads a rebellion. He becomes president of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. Ataturk launches sweeping reforms.1930
Constantinople is officially renamed Istanbul.
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1974
Turkey invades Cyprus. Both Greece and Turkey want control of the island.1982
After a military takeover, a new constitution is adopted.1984-1999
The government and a separatist Kurdish group battle. More than 30,000 are killed in the fighting.1999
Two earthquakes in northern Turkey kill more than 17,000 people.
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