Erzurum (Armenian:Կարին,romanized: Karin;[1]Kurdish:Erzîrom[2]) is acity in easternAnatolia,Turkey. It is the largest city and capital ofErzurum Province and is 1,900 meters (6,233 feet) above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 367,250 in 2010. It is the site of ancient Theodosiopolis.
The city was originally known inArmenian as Karno K'aghak' (Armenian:Կարնոյ քաղաք), meaning city ofKarin, to distinguish it from the district of Karin (Կարին).[1] It is presumed its name was derived from a local tribe called the Karenitis.[6] An alternate theory contends that a local princely family, theKamsarakans, the Armenian off-shoot of the IranianKārin Pahlav family, lent its name to the locale that eventually became the city.[7]
During Roman times, Erzurum was namedTheodosiopolis (Latin:Theodosiopolis,Greek:Θεοδοσιούπολις). On theTabula Peutingeriana it is calledAutisparate. After theArab conquest of Armenia in the seventh century, the city was known to theArabs as Kālīkalā (adopted from the originalArmenian name Karno K'aghak' (Armenian:Կարնոյ քաղաք), meaning 'Karin City', to distinguish it from the district of Karin (Կարին).[1]
It received its present name after its conquest by theSeljuk Turks following theBattle of Manzikert in 1071.[1] In 1048/49, a neighboring commercial city namedArtze (Arcn, Arzan; Armenian: Արծն) washeavily sacked by the Seljuks.[1][8] ItsArmenian,Syrian, and other Christian inhabitants moved to Theodosiopolis, which they began callingArtsn Rum (meaning 'Artze of theRûm', i.e.,Romans) to distinguish it from their former residence.[9][10][11][1]
Some older sources derive the name Erzurum from theArabicArḍu ar-Rūm (Arabic:ارض الروم) 'land of theRûm'.[9][6]
During the brief period it came underGeorgian rule,[when?] the city was known as Karnu-kalaki (Georgian:კარნუ-ქალაქი).[12]
The following variants of the name also occur:Erzerum,Arzrum.[13]
The surroundings of Erzurum at theUrartian period presumably belonged toDiauehi.[14]
Later, Erzurum existed under the Armenian name of Karin. During the reigns of theArtaxiad andArsacid kings ofArmenia, Karin served as the capital of the eponymous canton ofKarin, in the province Bardzr Hayk' (Upper Armenia).[15] After thepartition of Armenia between theEastern Roman Empire andSassanid Persia in 387 AD, the city passed into the hands of the Romans who fortified the city and renamed it Theodosiopolis, after EmperorTheodosius I.[16]
As the chief military stronghold along the eastern border of the empire, Theodosiopolis held a highly important strategic location and was fiercely contested in wars between the Byzantines and Persians. EmperorsAnastasius I andJustinian I both refortified the city and built new defenses during their reigns.[17]
Theodosiopolis was conquered by theUmayyad generalAbdallah ibn Abd al-Malik in 700/701. It became the capital of the emirate of Ḳālīḳalā and was used as a base for raids into Byzantine territory. Though only an island ofArab power within Christian Armenian-populated territory, the native population was generally a reliable client of the Caliph's governors. As the power of theCaliphate declined, and the resurgence ofByzantium began, the localArmenian leaders preferred the city to be under the control of powerless Muslimemirs rather than powerfulByzantine emperors.[18]
In 931, and again in 949, Byzantine forces led byTheophilos Kourkouas, grandfather of the future emperorJohn I Tzimiskes, captured Theodosiopolis. Its Arab population was expelled and the city was resettled by Greeks and Armenians.[19] EmperorBasil II rebuilt the city and its defenses in 1018 with the help of the local Armenian population.[20] In 1071, after the decisive battle atManzikert, theSeljuk Turks took possession of Theodosiopolis. TheSaltukids were rulers of anAnatolian beylik (principality) centered in Erzurum, who ruled from 1071 to 1202.Melike Mama Hatun, sister of Nâsırüddin Muhammed, was the ruler between 1191 and 1200.
Theodosiopolis repelled many attacks and military campaigns by the Seljuks andGeorgians (the latter knew the city as Karnu-Kalaki) until 1201 when the city and the province was conquered by the Seljuk sultanSüleymanshah II. Erzen-Erzurum fell to the Mongol siege in 1242, and the city was looted and devastated. After the fall of theSultanate of Rum in early 14th century, it became an administrative province of theIlkhanate, and later on the city was underEmpire of Trebizond occupation for a while around the 1310s.[21] Then became part of theTimurid Empire, the Çoban beylik,Black Sheep Turkmen, andWhite Sheep Turkmen. It subsequently passed toSafavid Persia, until theOttomans underSelim I in 1514 conquered it through theBattle of Chaldiran. During Ottoman imperial rule, the city served as the main base of military power in the region.
It served as the capital of theeyalet of Erzurum. Early in the seventeenth century, the province was threatened bySafavid Persia and a revolt by the province governorAbaza Mehmed Pasha. This revolt was combined withJelali Revolts (the uprising of the provincial musketeers called the Jelali), backed by Iran and lasted until 1628. In 1733, Iranian rulerNader Shah took Erzurum during theOttoman–Persian War (1730–35),[22] but the city returned to Ottoman possession following his death in 1747.
Modern history
In 1821, during the last majorOttoman-Persian War, the Ottomans were decisively defeated at Erzurum by the IranianQajars at the Battle of Erzurum (1821).[23] In 1829 the city wascaptured by the Russian Empire, but was returned to theOttoman Empire under theTreaty of Adrianople (Edirne), in September of the same year. During theCrimean War Russian forces approached Erzurum, but did not attack it because of insufficient forces and the continuing Russian siege ofKars. The city was unsuccessfully attacked (Battle of Erzurum (1877)) by a Russian army in theRusso-Ottoman War of 1877–78. However, in February 1878, the Russians took Erzurum without resistance, but it was again returned to theOttoman Empire, this time under theTreaty of San Stefano. There were massacres of the city's Armenian citizens during theHamidian massacres (1894–1896).[24][25]
World War I and Turkish War of independence
Sanasarian College was one of the premier Armenian educational institutions in Erzurum on the eve of the First World War. Its faculty was murdered during the 1915genocide.
The 40,000-strong Armenian population was deported from the city and killed en masse during the 1915Armenian genocide. Their cultural institutions, including churches, clubs, and schools, were looted, destroyed, or otherwise left derelict. When Russian forces occupied Erzurum in 1916, there were scarcely 200 Armenians left alive.[26]
Its historically recorded Suffragan Bishops were :
Petrus I, intervening at the council of 448 convoked by PatriarchFlavian of Constantinople in his see to condemn ArchimandriteEutyches as a heretic for his extreme opposition toNestorianism
Petrus II participated in the 533 dispute in Constantinople between 'orthodoxy' andMonophysitism
As ancient Theodosiopolis in Armenia (or "in Cappadocia"), the former bishopric remains a Latin Catholictitular see.
Council of Theodosiopolis (593)
After the longByzantine-Sasanian War of 572-591, Byzantine rule was extended to all western parts ofArmenia, and emperorMaurice (582-602) decided to strengthen political control over the region by supporting pro-Chalcedonian fraction of the Armenian Church. In 593, regional council of western Armenian bishops met in Theodosiopolis, proclaimed allegiance to theChalcedonian Definition and elected John (Yovhannes, or Hovhannes) ofBagaran as new Catholicos of Chalcedonian Armenians.[32]
As AncientTheodosiopolis in Armenia (or "in Cappadocia"), the former bishopric remains a Latin Catholictitular see, renamed as Titular Archiepiscopal See of Aprus. Its post is vacant since 1968,Antonio Gregorio Vuccino was its last archbishop.[33]
Demographics
In 1829, Erzurum had 130,000 inhabitants, including 30,000 Armenians.[34] In 1909, there were 60,000 inhabitants, including 15,000 Armenians (2,500 families).[34] Armenians mainly lived in the northern and northwestern districts of the city.[34] On the eve of the First World War, 37,480 Armenians lived in thekaza of Erzurum, with 43 churches, three monasteries and 52 schools.[34] All but about 200 Armenians were executed during theArmenian genocide.[34]
Jewelry shops in TaşhanErzurum Administrative Justice Palace
One of the largest source of income and economic activity in the city has beenAtatürk University. Established in 1950, it is one of the largest universities in Turkey, having more than forty-thousand students. Tourism also provides a portion of the province's revenues. The city is a popular destination in Turkey forwinter sports at the nearbyPalandöken Mountain.
Erzurum is notable for the small-scale production of objects crafted fromOltu stone: most are sold as souvenirs and include prayer beads, bracelets, necklaces, brooches, earrings and hairclips.
Erzurum Regional Research HospitalPalandöken in August 2009, as seen from downtown Erzurum.A mosque view in Erzurum.
Little of medieval Erzurum survives beyond scattered individual buildings such as the citadel fortress, and the 13th centuryÇifte Minareli Medrese (the "Twin Minaret" madrasa). Visitors may also wish to visit theÇobandede Bridge, which dates back to late 13th century,[40] theLala Mustafa Pasha Mosque and theGrand Mosque.[41]
Culture
A waxwork illustrating a man and a woman in traditional costumes,Yakutiye Medresesi, Erzurum.
One specialty of Erzurum's cuisine isCağ Kebab. Although thiskebab variety is of recent introduction outside its native region, it is rapidly attaining widespread popularity around Turkey.
Kadayıf Dolması is an exquisite dessert made with walnut.
After dissolution of Erzurumspor due to financial problems, Erzurum is presented byBB Erzurumspor in association football. It was founded as "Gençler Birliği Gençlik Spor Kulübü" in 1967 and took present name in 2014. It played in theTurkish Super League in 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons.
Erzurum's football venue, theCemal Gürsel Stadium, has a seating capacity for 21,900 spectators. To be able to carry out the competitions of the Winter Universiade, a ski jumping ramp, an ice hockey arena and a curling hall were built in Erzurum.
Frank Lenz disappearance
In May 1894, American bicyclistFrank Lenz disappeared outside the city on the final leg of his quest to circumnavigate the globe on a bike.[44]
Climate
Erzurum has ahumid continental climate (Köppen climate classification:Dfb,Trewartha climate classification:Dcbc) with very cold, snowy winters and warm, dry summers. The average maximum daily temperature during August is around 28 °C (82 °F). The highest recorded temperature is 36.5 °C (97.7 °F), on 31 July 2000. ; January is the coldest month, with an average minimum daily temperature around −16 °C (3 °F). The coldest recorded temperature is −37.2 °C (−35.0 °F) on 28 December 2002. Snow cover is frequent in winter, but the dry nature of the climate usually prevents large accumulation. Winter temperatures in this city are exceptionally cold for their latitude, being more comparable toRussia than to somewhere in theMiddle East.
Climate data for Erzurum (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1929–2023)
Source 2:NOAA (humidity, 1991–2020),[46] Meteomanz(snowy days 2000-2024)[47]
Notable people
Details of theÇifte Minareli MadrasaInterior of theYakutiye MedreseThe Statue ofNene Hatun, (1857 – 22 May 1955) was a Turkish folk heroine, who at her age of twenty showed bravery during the recapture of FortAziziye in Erzurum from Russian forces at the start of theRusso-Turkish War of 1877–1878.
Armenians
Hakop Karnetsi, (1618–1673) Armenian historian, geographer
^abSee Joseph Laurent's extensive note in his(in French)L’Arménie entre Byzance et l’Islam depuis la conquête arabe jusqu’en 886, 1919, new edition revised and updated byMarius Canard (Lisbon: Librairie Bertrand, 1980), pp. 87–88, note 83.
^(in German) Markwart, Joseph.Südarmenien und die Tigrisquellen nach griechischen und arabischen Geographen (Vienna: Mechitharisten-Buchdruckerei, 1930), pp. 41, 334, 339.
^Robert H. Hewsen. "Summit of the Earth: The Historical Geography of Bardzr Hayk" inArmenian Karin/Erzerum, ed. Richard G. Hovannisian (Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 2003), pp 42–44.
^Kemalettin Köroğlu:The Northern Border of the Urartian Kingdom. In: Altan Çilingiroğlu/G. Darbyshire (Hrsg.):Anatolian Iron Ages 5, Proceedings of the 5th Anatolian Iron Ages Colloquium Van. 6.–10. August 2001. British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara Monograph 3 (Ankara 2005), p. 101.
^Hewsen, Robert H.Armenia: a Historical Atlas. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001, p. 103.
^Garsoïan, Nina G. "The Foundation of Theodosiopolis-Karin" inArmenian Karin/Erzerum. UCLA Armenian History and Culture Series: Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, 4, ed.Richard G. Hovannisian. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 2003, pp. 63–72.
^(in Armenian) Arakelyan, Babken N. "Hayastani Khoshor Kagh'ak'nere" [The Great Cities of Armenia] inHay Zhoghovrdi Patmutyun [History of the Armenian People]. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1976, vol. 3, p. 232.
^Whittow, Mark.The Making of Byzantium, 600–1025. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996, pp. 310, 320.
^Bayir, Derya (2016-04-22).Minorities and Nationalism in Turkish Law. Routledge. pp. 139–141.ISBN978-1-317-09579-8.
^Fleet, Kate; Kunt, I. Metin; Kasaba, Reşat; Faroqhi, Suraiya (2008-04-17).The Cambridge History of Turkey. Cambridge University Press. p. 343.ISBN978-0-521-62096-3.
^Heinrich Gelzer,Ungedruckte und ungenügend veröffentlichte Texte der Notitiae episcopatuum, in: Abhandlungen der philosophisch-historische classe der bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1901, p. 536, nº 80, e p. 551, nº 112
(in Armenian)Ter-Ghevondyan, Aram N. "Կարին-Թեոդուպոլիսը ավանդության և պատմության մեջ" [Karin-Theodosiopolis in Tradition and History].Lraber Hasarakakan Gitutyunneri 3 (1971).
Hovannisian, Richard G. (ed.)Armenian Karin/Erzerum. UCLA Armenian History and Culture Series: Historic Armenian Cities and Provinces, 4. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 2003.
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg)
.jpg)
_(40381778801).jpg)
.jpg)
