Muslims conquered Cyprus to save the Jews

 Most of the traces of Islam scattered at some stage in Europe had been developed with the aid of the Ottoman rulers.  But the enlargement of the empire was once no longer the solely purpose for the Turkish excursion to European soil;  Rather, the motives at the back of their marketing campaign had been the liberation of the masses, the safety of the pursuits of the Muslim Ummah, and the protection of worldwide waterways.  There have been some motives at the back of the Turkish excursion to Cyprus, the land of beauty.  Unified (Turkish and Greek) Cyprus used to be dominated through Turkish sultans for about three hundred years.

Neighboring Cyprus dominated the Republic of Venice when Ottoman rule used to be set up in Turkey.  It was once a ruthless colonial rule in all respects.  Despite the abundance of resources, there used to be no give up to the distress of the people.  But the whole lot would go to Venice.  The king of Venice appointed two rulers to Cyprus.  They managed Cyprus, seaports, and ports.

Despite the steady enlargement of the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish rulers did now not pay interest to Cyprus, which was once solely 50 kilometers away from Turkish territory.  They did no longer even assume of occupying this island full of herbal resources.  But the information of the tyranny of the Cypriot rulers, the piracy of the waterways, the plunder of Muslim ships every time they acquired the risk and the assaults on the pilgrims grew to become a supply of headache for the Turkish rulers.

During the reign of the Turkish Sultan Selim II, the injustices of Cyprus went to extremes.  As a result, he determined to take manage of Cyprus.  The two important motives in the back of Sultan Selim's excursion have been the looting of the ships of the pilgrims and the captivity of 50 pilgrims, and the request of the minority Jews and Greeks in Venice.  Joseph Nazi, a Jewish courtier from Sultan Selim, was once in particular stimulated by way of the expedition.  He desired the Sultan to provide the Jews of Cyprus the present of a free and unbiased life.

He used to be additionally disturbed by way of reviews of looting of service provider ships, assaults on Muslims and obstruction of the Hajj.  He despatched envoys to Cyprus in the center of 1570, urging them to surrender.  But their rulers in Venice and Cyprus overlooked the Sultan's message.  Because Cyprus's protection and inexhaustible meals grant made them arrogant.

The metropolis of Nicosia used to be made the capital of Cyprus, with Nicolas Dandolo as its ruler and the port of Pharmagusta with Mark Antonio Bragadin as its ruler.  They gave Venice the concern of defending Cyprus.  At the identical time, The Holy League used to be some other supply of hope for the Christian rulers of Europe.  Sultan Selim II performed all the preparations for the excursion to Cyprus.  He gave the duty of this day trip to Lala Mostafa Pasha.  On the different hand, in the news of the Muslim campaign, a area of Jews, Greeks and Christians equipped in want of the Turks.

In September 1570, Lala Mostafa Pasha despatched a message of lay down to Nicosia.  But in reply they once more expressed arrogance.  As a result, there used to be no different way open for the Turkish forces barring war.  The Sultan's forces started out throwing ammunition into Cyprus.  Trying to shield himself from inner the fort, Nicosia finally fell.  On 9 September the Muslim forces conquered the town of Karen except any hindrance.

On 15 September Lala Mostafa's forces reached the port town of Pharmagusta.  They referred to as on Bragadine to surrender.  But when he refused, Lala Mustafa laid siege to the fort.  Five gates, 15 towers and a deep moat round the fortress — all in all, the safety used to be very strong.  Security used to be then tightened after the begin of the Muslim campaign.

Lala Mostafa desired the wounded troopers to relaxation at some point of the siege and new troops to arrive.  And Bragadine was once ready for The Holy League's mixed forces ship.  But due to the triumph and heroism of the Turkish forces, most of the European rulers did no longer agree to be a part of the war.  Eventually, General Mark Kurini set out from Crete with a few ships and a fleet of 1,700 troops.  But he did no longer go on the the front line, however attracted the interest of the Turks with three ships, and the different ships launched sporadic assaults on the Turkish ships.  Three weeks later they returned.

After a lengthy wait, Lala Mostafa launched an all-out offensive when new Turkish troops arrived in Cyprus in April.  But earlier than the remaining attack, Bragadine used to be once more referred to as upon to surrender.  But Bragadine denies it.  In the ultimate week of June, section of the citadel partitions collapsed.  Again a extreme meals disaster used to be created in the fort.  As a result, there used to be strain from the humans to surrender.

On August 1, 1571, Bragadine agreed to surrender.  On 5 August he surpassed over the keys of the metropolis and the citadel to Lala Mostafa.  It used to be published at the time that Bragadin had killed the captive pilgrims.  Bragadine then faces punishment for killing a hostage.  Turkish rule in Cyprus persisted until the 18th century.  After the Russo-Turkish War, the island got here beneath British occupation.  Cyprus won independence from Britain in 1959.

(According to History of Cyprus)

Source: KalerKantha