NIZIP HISTORY
We can list the cultural and historical periods of our region as the Chalcolithic, Palaeolithic, Iron, Hittite (Eti), Mitani, Assyrian, Iranian, Alexander, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic-Arabian and Turkish-Islamic periods, and ruins from these periods can be found.
NIZIP district is one of the very old city ruins. One of the most famous city ruins of Nizip is Carchemish. Carchemish, located on the Syrian border today, dates back to B.C. III. and II. It was the main city of Etiler in the 16th century.
The Belkıs ruins on the banks of the Euphrates River (today they are about to be submerged) are very important in terms of history. Since Nizip is on the roads, it has been a frequent destination of invasion armies many times and important wars have taken place in its territory. The Egyptian armies of Pharaoh Ramsessin, the Phrygian armies, the Iranian armies in the 7th century BC, and later the Greek and Eastern Roman armies were seen in this region.
Nizip and its region were connected to the Hittite state by Mursil I during the Old Hittite period (in the 18th century BC) and by Suppilulluima during the time of the Imperial Hittites (in the 13th century BC). During the time of the Last Hittites (12th century BC), the region became the center of the Hittites. After the Hittites, Nizip and its surroundings remained under the rule of the Assyrians, the Mets, Alexander the Great, the Romans and the Byzantines, and the Roman Empire.
The region, which had religious importance during the Hittite period, also gained military importance during the Byzantine period. It is located in the north-east of Nizip and 8 km from Nizip. The Belkıs Ruins (Zeugma and later Seleucia ad Euphrates) located in the distance remained from the Byzantines.
In the town center, there is a church building dating back to the Byzantines. We also come across artifacts from the Byzantine period in the villages of Orul (Sekili), Mızar (Uluyatır) and Çardak.
In 639, the region was annexed to the Arab state. After the reign of the Four Caliphs, it came under Umayyad rule, and the Byzantines took it back after the uprisings and civil wars that started within the Islamic state.
The Abbasids recaptured the region in 780, and it was captured by the Handanis for a period (925-1013), but was taken back by the Byzantines.
Nizip was very developed during the Abbasid period. During this period, even Gaziantep was affiliated with Nizip. M.S. Starting from the 1st century, Turkish tribes began to settle in this area. The Egyptian Mamluk rule was followed by the Dülkadiroğulları rule.
Turks were first seen in our region in the half of the 11th century. In 1098, Edez County took control of the region. It joined the Seljuks in 1150, the Fatimids for a while, the Christians during the last Crusades, and the Ayyubid lands in 1187.
When the Mamluks dominated our region, XII. The mid-century was an era of development for our region. The Mamluk period was occasionally interrupted by some invasions and occupations.
Although it was taken over by the Dulkadiroğulları and later by the Egyptians until 1515, it joined the Ottoman Empire in 1516.
The Battle of Nizip took place on 29 June 1839 between the Ottoman army and the Egyptian governor Mehmet Ali Pasa.