First President of Cyprus Is Proclaimed
On December 14, 1959, Archbishop Makarios became the first president of Cyprus, marking a significant moment in the island's journey toward independence. Cyprus, located in the eastern Mediterranean, has a rich history that dates back to ancient times, having been influenced by various cultures, including the Greeks and Ottomans. The island was under British rule from 1878 until its independence, during which the Greek majority sought unification with Greece, while tensions existed with the Turkish minority. Makarios, initially a proponent of enosis (union with Greece), ultimately accepted a compromise for independence, leading to the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960. His presidency was characterized by efforts to stabilize the country amidst ongoing ethnic conflicts between Greeks and Turks, and he faced numerous challenges, including assassination attempts and coups. Despite his struggles, Makarios remained a central figure in Cypriot politics until his death in 1977. The island remains divided along ethnic lines to this day, reflecting the complex historical and political landscape that has shaped modern Cyprus.
First President of Cyprus Is Proclaimed
First President of Cyprus Is Proclaimed
On December 14, 1959, Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus became the nation's first president on the eve of its independence. He came to power during a difficult transitional period in the country's history and his long presidency was one of the few pillars of stability in a land torn by ethnic conflict.
The history of Cyprus, an island in the eastern Mediterranean, goes back to ancient times. During the Bronze Age it was an important source of copper (necessary to make bronze) and was extensively colonized by the seafaring Greeks. A significant Turkish minority developed during the time of the Ottoman Empire, which held Cyprus from 1571 until 1878, but the majority remained Greek. It was in 1878 that the British came to rule Cyprus at the invitation of the Ottomans, whose empire was decaying and who wanted to keep Cyprus out of the hands of expanding Russian empire which had just defeated the Ottomans in a war. Today, Cyprus has a population of nearly 800,000, approximately 200,000 of whom live in the capital and largest city of Nicosia.
During the era of British administration, the overwhelming majority of Cypriot Greeks wanted unification with the nation of Greece. Their leader became Mihail Christodolou Mouskos, born on August 13, 1913, in Ano Panaya, Paphos, Cyprus. Mouskos became a cleric in the Orthodox Church and rose to become archbishop of Cyprus in 1950. Taking the name Makarios III, he demanded that the British allow Cyprus to unite with Greece and supported those who organized terrorist campaigns and riots to put pressure on Great Britain. Britain steadfastly refused, however, out of concern for the safety of the island's Turkish minority, given the historic enmity between Greeks and Turks. Makarios accepted a British compromise offer to form an independent nation of Cyprus, and after the 1959 elections he was proclaimed president. Independence was formally granted in 1960 and Makarios spent the rest of his life struggling to bring the Greeks and Turks together, remaining in office despite several attempts to depose him by assassination, coup, and invasion. The nation remains divided as of the writing of this book in the early 21st century, long after Makarios died on August 3, 1977, in Nicosia.