SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF THE GREEKS OF ASIA MINOR

General Knowledge

Knowledge Deepening / Consolidation

Students will get to know the Modern History of Hellenism of Pontus, get familiar with the relevant literature and maps of the period.

Pontus from the Fall of the Empire of Trebizond until the beginning of the 20th century The subject of the course is the history of the Greeks who lived in the historical Pontus (from Colchis and Armenia Minor in the northeast to Paphlagonia in the west and Cappadocia in the south) from the fall of Trebizond in 1461 until the beginning of the 20th century. The period 1461-1774 in particular is characterized as a period of introversion, especially after the predominance of the Ottomans and their allies in the Black Sea. However, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Europeans began to rapidly penetrate the Ottoman Empire to serve their geopolitical, strategic and economic interests. In addition, the Powers imposed on the Sultan an ambitious programme of administrative reforms and radical changes (Tanzimat), which were favourable to the Christian element of the Empire (in this case the Greeks) because, despite the opposition of the Muslim elite, conditions for economic and social growth were created, particularly in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. This development was violently halted by Turkish nationalism and the application of punitive measures and the commission of genocide by the Young Turks and the Kemalists in the period 1908-1923. Introduction. Course Units and Objectives. Information on student obligations, syllabus and examinations. Optional assignments and their grading. Reference to the importance of sources and the most important Archives. The fall of the Empire of Trebizond. Period of isolation (1461-16th century). Demographic and social upheavals after the Ottoman conquest The Church and monasteries in Pontus Education in Pontus The economy. Trade routes. Gumushane and Mining Russo-Turkish wars - Treaties of Kiuchuk Kainarji and Adrianople. Beginning of European diplomatic and economic penetration Migrations of populations. Epidemics in Pontus Armenians and other neighboring peoples. Reforms. The Ottoman Empire under pressure Associations and Unions in Pontus The Young Turks Movement and Hellenism in Pontus. The First World War and its consequences. The attitude of the European Powers Genocide - "Exodus" Overview of the course material

Pontus, Greeks of Pontus, Ottoman Empire, Black Sea, Consulates

21-09-2025