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Lefkosia History
The Greek name of Nicosia, "Lefkosia", probably comes from Lefkos, son of Ptolemy I of Egypt, who rebuilt the city in the 3rd century B.C. The city also bore the name of Lefkothea - the white goddess. Still known as Lefkosia, the city became the island's capital in the 11th century. Known as Ledra or Ledrae in ancient times, the city was the seat of the Lusignan kings of Cyprus since 1192, became a Venetian possession in 1489, and fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1571. Ledra is now the actual name of the most popular commercial street. The name "Nicosia" appeared towards the end of the 12th century, when the city was owned and run by the Knights Templar. In fact, it is this period of Frankish (Luisignan) rule that gave rise to the exonym Nicosia. In this era of the Franks, the city expanded culturally, while under the Lusignans in the 15th and 16th centuries, the capital saw the erection of a number of palaces, mansions, churches and monasteries. The Ottoman siege of 1570 caused 20,000 casualties, while the 19th century also observed tragedy. The Turks eliminated the 1821 revolt with bloodshed, cholera hit the city in 1835, and fire destroyed large parts of Nicosia in 1857. The British Empire gained control over the island in 1878, leaving Nicosia the colony's capital. Nicosia was the scene of extreme violence in the period just prior to Cypriot independence in 1960.
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