Greek-Turkish Rivalry Again Near the Boiling Point

Townhall.com ^ | September 10, 2020 | Victor Davis Hanson

[Kaslin]

Almost daily, Greek and Turkish aircraft and ships fight mock battles over disputed oil and gas rights in the eastern Mediterranean.

Since the loss of much of the Christian Balkans to the Ottomans in the 15th century, Greece and what would later become modern Turkey have been rivals, outright enemies and often at war.

Mutual NATO membership and shared Cold War fears of Soviet Russia did not stop the two from almost going to war after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

Still, the current escalation seems weird. Most territorial claims and disputes over borders were settled almost a century ago, and the two countries have had mass population exchanges.

Why, then, does the divide still run so deep?

Turkey is a Muslim country and was once the Ottoman Empire that ruled much of the Islamic world. Greece is still surrounded by Muslim countries.

Turks are quick to remind everyone that from the late 15th century to the early 19th century, most of Greece and the Aegean Islands belonged to the Ottoman Empire.

Greeks note that Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, was the capital of Christendom for 1,000 years and the center of the vast Byzantine Empire, where Greek was widely spoken.

In modern times, after the bitterness over the Cyprus crisis of 1974 and years of socialist governments, Greece was vehemently anti-American despite shared Western traditions.

In contrast, Turkey once prided itself on its secular customs institutionalized by its first modern, pro-Western president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. His successors until recently were pro-American autocrats.

[irishjuggler]

” formerly Constantinople, was the capital of Christendom for 1,000 years”

How about “a’ capital of Christendom? Or “the largest, wealthiest city of Christendom”? Calling Constantinople “the” capital of Christendom certainly ignores Rome’s religious preeminence even during the period when the city itself had declined very badly in terms of wealth and population.

Nonetheless, it would indeed be nice to Make Constantinople Christian Again but I don’t know how realistic that is anytime soon given that the Muslim Turks are unlikely to be going anywhere anytime soon.

[alexander_busek]

Greek-Turkish Rivalry Again Near the Boiling Point

The author doesn't properly understand the meaning of the word "rivalry."

To "rival" means to "compete" or "vie" with - usually in a sporting or at least friendly context.

Regards,

[AZJeep]

Talking about oppression and slavery, the Blood tax (devisme) required every fifth (5th) Christian boy to be given to sultan into slavery! To be converted and indoctrinated. Even now the unruly children on Central and East Europe are scared - If you do not behave, the Sultan will come and take you away! I remember my grandma was telling me that when I was young.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_Ottoman_Empire#Ottoman_slavery_in_Central_and_Eastern_Europe

[Verginius Rufus]

The Turks expanded into Eastern Europe already in the 14th century (the battle of Kosovo was fought in 1389). The struggle between the Greeks (then calling themselves Romans) and the Turks goes back to the 11th century. The Seljuk Turk victory at Manzikert in 1071 led to the loss of most of Asia Minor to the Turks—the Byzantine emperor’s request that the pope encourage Western knights to go help the Byzantines fight the Turks led to the First Crusade.