356... 60... 828,027... 9,959... 36 E 43 - 40 N 19...

Tokat... A culturally rich settlement center, with traces of history all over the land, Tokat lies inland of the middle Black Sea region, 422 kms from Ankara. Wandering in the city is an opportunity to catch a glimpse of life at old times, with the many historical buildings at the numerous ancient sites. The most important figure here, is the Ottoman Citadel of 28 towers, founded on a rocky hill overlooking the town. The Garipler Mosque dating to the 12th century and the Ali Pasa Mosque of 16th century constitute other sights worth visiting. One of Tokat's finest buildings is the Gok Medresse (Pervane Bey Darussifasi) which was constructed in 1270. It was founded as a school of theology, and is now converted into a museum, housing archaeological finds from the area. Two other notable monuments in this region, are the Hatuniye Medresse of the 15th century, built by Sultan Beyazit, and a Seljuk bridge spanning the Yesilirmak River, belonging to the 12th century. The Latifoglu Mansion is still another, which is a traditional Turkish house of the 19th century, restored recently to its original state. 69 km northeast of Tokat, is Niksar, one of the beautiful towns of the province, which carries important signs from the history of the country. It was once the capital of the Turkish Danismend Emirs, and among the interesting sights are the well-preserved citadel, the Ulu Mosque, and the 12th century Yagbasan Medresse. Zile is another ancient town, 67 kms west of the province, with its fortress and the 13th century Ulu Mosque near it. This district has been the scene of many events of the earliest ages too, and it was here that the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar said his famous words "Veni, Vidi, Vici"; "I came, I saw, I conquered". Resadiye is well known for its vast pine forests, hot springs, clays and natural beauties. Ballica cave at Pazar is a natural wonder. The Dumanli meadows are the other famous places for resting and refreshing. Tokat is at the cross-roads of ancient and old trade routes. There must have been some kind of early settlement at the place where Tokat is today for the rocky hill top, now crowned by the remnants of the Seljuk/Ottoman castle, must have played an important role as protector for the area around it. Archaeological excavations in town led to the discovery of objects from the Bronze Age and the Hittite empire.

Around 1200 BC the Phrygians (Homer's Iliad of describes them as allies of the Trojans) invaded Western Anatolia. Around 800 BC the Phrygians had established themselves in the Tokat area and founded a high level of civilisation. Midas, known in Greek mythology as the king who received the gift that everything he touched turned into gold, was a Phrygian King.

In about the same period the Cimmerians, an ancient people who lived on the Crimea, were driven away from their homelands by Scythians (fierce nomadic warriors who had migrated West from Central Asia). Around 700 BC the Cimmerians invaded the Phyriagian territories and destroyed the Phyriagian power. After an age of chaos the area came under the rule of the Medians and subsequently the Persians. The Persians left not only archaeological findings in the area but built a Royal Road as well. The road started in *Susa (then an administrative centre and royal residence) and ended in **Sardis (then the capital of the Kingdom of Lycia). The Royal Road which crossed virtually the whole of Anatolia, entered the area of what is now Tokat North along the Behsat Brook and left by what is now Sulu Sokak (South of the castle).

*The remains of Susa are now near Dezful in South-West Iran. **The remains of Sardis are now near Salihli, about 90 kilometres from the Aegean coast.

Alexander the Great made an end to Persian rule but Alexander's empire broke up soon after his death (323 BC) in several states. The area of Tokat became part of the Kingdom of Pontus. The last of three wars with Rome was fatal to the Pontic Kingdom at 63 BC, the victorious Roman commander, Pompey, reorganised the administration of Anatolia. Part of the Pontic Kingdom was allowed to exist as the client Kingdom of Bosphorus. In 49 BC a war broke out between Pompey and Julius Caesar both seeking to be the major power in the Roman Empire. Pompey was defeated and fled to Egypt (to be murdered eventually), Julius Caesar followed to restore order. While Julius Caesar was in Egypt, Pompey's ally (Pharnaces, King of Bosporus) attacked the Roman Anatolian provinces, with a recreation of the Pontic Kindom in mind. Julius Caesar marched into Anatolia and the two forces met near Zile (about 60 kilometres West of Tokat). Pharnaces's army was defeated in five hours during a ferocious battle. To the Senate in Rome Julius Caesar sent his message 'Veni, vidi, vici' ('I came, I saw, I conquered').

The Kingdom of Bosporus was reduced to a humble client state confined to its possessions on the Crimea. North Anatolia became the Roman province Pontus. *** You can have look at a map displaying this part of Anatolia's geography around 100 AD.

Thanks to the indefatigable geographer Strabo (64 BC-21AD) we know some more about the area of Tokat. Strabo mentions the town Comana Pontica whose Southern approaches were guarded by the Dazimon fortress. The 'Dazimon fortress' is the location of Tokat's castle. Comana Pontica, its history most probably goes back to the Hittites, was a prosperous town where the Goddess Ma was worshipped. According to Strabo the people lived in luxury and 'the women made profit of themselves'. Strabo meant to say is that Comana Pontica was well known for its prostitutes. The temple of the Goddess had its own temple prostitutes and the zenith of the cult was reached during Roman times. Conversion to Christianity made an end to the Ma cult and Comana Pontica was deserted, the place had become to serious I assume. The population migrated to what is now Tokat. On the road to Niksar (about 10 kilometres North-East of Tokat) you can find the sparse remains of Comana Pontica.

The Romans were replaced by the Byzantines who left, except an enlargement of the fortress into a castle, no marks on the town. The town was taken in 1074 by the Danishment Dynasty, a dynasty founded by the sons of a Seljuk commander. In 1175 the Danishment Dynasty was united with the Seljuks again. The Seljuks were defeated in 1243 by other Asian invaders, the Mongols. Around the middle of the 13^th century the Mongols had established their own dynasty, the Ilkhanids. 7 Thanks to Muhineddin Suleyman, who was the advisor to the Seljuk Sultan and the middleman between Seljuks and the Ilkhanids, Ilkhanid rule was rather liberal in the Tokat area (the fiefdom of Muhineddin Suleyman). However, Muhineddin Suleyman had foremost his private aspirations in mind. He had the Sultan strangled and succeded to become regent to the child successor, later he plotted with the Egyptian Mamelukes to become Sultan of Rum and drive the Ilkhanids out of Anatolia. Things didn't work out as Muhineddin Suleyman whished and he was captured and excuted by the Ilkhanids. The last quarter of the 13^th century Ilkhanid rule was firmly established in Tokat.

The Seljuks left their marks on the town with several buildings whereunder the famous Gok Medrese and the 13^th century bridge over the Yesilirmak River. The bridge was a mainchain in a new North-South connection starting in Samsun, via Amasya and Tokat to Sivas. Together with the above mentioned Royal Road Tokat became the spider in this web of connections. Trade developed rapidly and the town at the foot of the castle spread out accordingly. Below the busy town centre, on what is now Cumhuriyet Meydani (Square of the Republic), trade roads met, caravans halted and business was conducted.

Ilkhanid power crumbled at the beginning of the 14^th century and Eretna the Mongol governor of Sivas established an own dynasty (Eretna). The Eretna Dynasty ruled Tokat till 1352, thereafter its power severely weakened. Tokat was drawn into the clashes of several successors and principalities. This turbulent period ended when Tokat became part of the Ottoman state in 1392.

Ten years later the town was sacked (however its castle hold out) by the Tatar armies of Timur (also know as Tamarlane). Timur defeated the Ottoman armies near Ankara and took the Ottoman Sultan Beyazit I prisoner. Beyazit died in captivity within eight months. This could have meant the end of the Ottoman state but Timur had plans to conquer China and left East, he died in 1405 underway and his empire broke apart.

After the restoration of Ottoman power Tokat, became an important trade and economic centre. The town was famous for its vineyards, cereals, weaving, block-printing (see further) copperwork and copper mining. The Ottomans left their marks on the prosporous town with numerous buildings. The 19^th century, the age of industralisation, undermined Tokat's economy which could not compete with industrial products. The railway never made it to Tokat, the overal decline of the Ottoman Empire did the rest. Tokat became an ordinairy, sleepy provincial town.

In this age of decline Tokat's most famous son was born, Gazi Osman Pasha. Gazi means warrior or warhero in Turkish, pasha means general. Osman Pasha already showed his qualities during the Crimean War (1853 - 1856) and was a very capable army commander in the Ottoman-Russian War 1877-1878. When the Russian army invaded the Balkan posesions of the Ottoman Empire, the European powers didn't give the Ottomans a chanche.

After initial success the Russians were opposed a bit South of the Danube River. Here in and around the town of Plevna (now named Pleven, about 150 kilometres North-East of Sofia) Osman Pasha had his forces dug in and made Plevna a strong point that dominated the way South. The Russians with far superiour forces atacked Plevna in July 1877 and were routed in a day. One and a half month later the Russians, reinforced with Rumanian forces and locally under Rumanian command unsuccessfully tried again. The Russians decided for the only solution left to them, to encircle the town and to starve the Ottoman forces. Realistic as he was Osman Pasha preferred to give up the town, he had two times defeated far superior forces and had left the Russians with an unattractive winter campaign. Anyhow events had gone to far, the heroic defence and the fighting skills of the Ottoman forces were covered in the press of Europe. Plevna had become comparable with Verdun in WWI or Tubruq in WW II. Europe showed its sympathy and admiration for the bravery of the Ottomans.

Sultan Abdul Hamit II, wishing to take advantage of the European sympathy, ordered Osman Pasha to stay in Plevna and promised to send a new army. The force that Abdul Hamit II sent was a band of irregulars that was routed easily by the Russian - Rumanian forces. Despite all Osman Pasha held out till the end of November 1877, his army was out of rations and looked greedily for rats and dogs. Osman Pasha concluded that the situation was hopeless and in a dark December night his disclipined forces broke out. The opposite forces were completely surprised. During the fight Osman Pasha was wounded by a bullet that killed his horse. Rumours spread that he was dead, his troops broke. Osman Pasha capitulated 28 November 1877 it was the only thing that was left to him.

The Russian army's way was free but the winter conditions took a heavy toll. The remnant of the Russian army dragged itself (end of January 1878) before Istanbul and dictated the Ottomans a peace treaty. The big European powers, due to a combination of sympathy for the Ottomans, greed, and anxiety for Russian domination of the Straits, voided the peace treaty at the Congress of Berlin (13 July 1878).