Mardin From Past To Present

We seem to hear you saying; Seal, what seal? Mardin is naturally the only city that holds the "Clay Seal" of history and Mesopotamia since it is known as the city of clay and stone. Well, obviously you would expect that from a city of which the history dates back to 50000 BC. By the way, how do you think such an old city survived until today? Let us figure out together! This geography is considered as the cradle of civilizations ... Due to its location, Mardin was the most important northern city of Mesopotamia where human history began. During the excavations carried out, it was found that the first indigenous people have a very old history dating back to 50000 BC. In addition, the first people of Mardin have made a very good reputation in trade by starting grain farming.

Let Us Take A Look At The More Recent History

Do not get us wrong since we said recent history, we are still talking about the period around 3300 BC. 

Although it is not known by whom and how the city was first established, it dates back to the Subartu people known as Subaris in 3300 BC. The Subari, ruling over a wide geography from Zagros Mountains to Habur, from Balih to this city, established the first state in world history by accepting Mardin as the center. Assyrians dominated Mardin in the 2000s before Christ. When it was surrounded by Urartu and Hittite civilizations, the city was invaded in a short time. New cultures, new knowledge and new doctrins started afterwards… There have been great love towards Mardin. Many civilization have been after Mardin and many wars have been mad efor the name of Mardin. Of course, Mardin accumulated said love within itself and transformed it into a center of unattainable beauty.

Then What?

The city was first mentioned in the history by the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus in the 4th century. In 640 AD, the Islamic armies under the command of Iyaz bin Ganm conquered the city. After this period, a significant Arab population settled in Mardin. When it comes to the Umayyad and Abbasid periods, it was included in the lands of Al Jazeera. Mardin witnessed the great revolt of Büreyke, who rebelled against the Haricians who controlled the city in 750-751. In 885, the castle was captured by Hamdan bin Hamdun. As we said that there has been too much love towards this city. That is why it continued to be under different rules frequently until the 11th century.

Turkization of Mardin

The population of Mardin, which came under the rule of the Anatolian Seljuk State in 1085, started to become Turkish as of this date. The city, which was dominated by the Artuklu Principality in 1103, was under the same administration for 300 years continuously by the Mardin Artukids State founded by Ilgazi Bey. Nevertheless, it was subordinated to the Anatolian Seljuks during the period of I. Alaeddin Keykubat.

City of Wars

Mardin, the favorite of many people from Ilkhanians to Karakoyunlu, from Akkoyunlu to Timur and even to Shah Ismail, has witnessed a lot of war, siege and plunder. The city, which was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1517, remained loyal to its ruler for centuries. After the Armistice of Mudros,the city was included in the lands of Turkey after the establishment of Republic.