Cyprus

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

CYPRUS is one of the greater Ilands of the Mediterranean Sea, which was so called either from Cyprus the Daughter of Cynica, or from the Cyprus tree, which is proper to this Iland. It lyeth in the middle of the Issican Bay betweene Silicia and Syria: on the East it hath the Syrian Sea, and the Issican Bay, which is commonly called Golfo de Lajazzo, on the West the Pamphilian Sea: on the South the Aegyptian Sea: on the North it looketh toward Cylicia, which is now called Turcomannia, according to others Caramania. The compasse of it is 427. miles, the length of it 200. as Bordonius witnesseth. It hath for the most part an unpleasant, and unwholesome ayre, in regard of the exhalations and uprores which arise from the Lakes. Yet the whole Iland is very fruitfull. For it produceth all things necessary both for necessity and delicacies: as Wheate, Barley, and other kindes of Graine: also excellent Wine that may compare with Crete Wine: also Oyle, Sugar, Honey, Salt, Oranges, Citrions, Lemmons, Dates, and other excellent fruit. Also Gold, Cotton, Wooll, Saffron, Coriander seed, Silke, and what not? also Emralds, Chrystall, Iron, and Allome: and especially such great store of Brasse, which it is thought was first found there, so that it was called Brazen Cyprus. There is also a kinde of stuffe made of Goates haire, which is called Chamlot. Diodorus Siculus. Lib. 16. writeth that 9. Kings did governe this Iland, which were all subject to the King of Persia. It had also Greeke Tyrants. We read that heretofore it had 15. famous Citties, which are now for the most part decayd and ruinated. The chiefest of them were Paphos, now called Bapho: also Palae Paphos, where the Inhabitants doe affirme that Venus came first out of the Sea: there is also Sali•i•• which is seated in a pleasant Bay of the East shore, from whence there is a convenient passage to Syria. It was afterward called Constinople and Epiphanius was Bishop thereof. There were also the Citties Amathus and Ceraun•a. But now the chiefest are Nicotia and Famag•••. But out of the Mountaine Olympus, there doe runne two great Rive•s Ly•us and L•pethus, the former runneth Southward, the latter Northward. The other streames may be rather called Torrents than Rivers, because they are sometimes dry, and then the Inhabitants doe want water extremely. There are divers Mountaines in this Iland, but the highest of them all is Olympus, which they call Trohodon▪ which is beautified with all kinde of trees, and hath many Monasteries on it, in which the Calojerians dwell. The compasse of it is 54. miles.

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of CIPRUS Iland, and the trade thereof.

THe Iland of Ciprus is accounted also belonging to Asia, and scituated in the Syrian Sea; in length 200 miles, in bredth 65; and is 60 miles distant from the shoare of Cilicia, and 100 from the maine land of Syria.

This Iland is said to afford materialls to build a Ship from the keele to the topsaile, and fitted for the Sea, either •…s a Merchants vessell for transportation of goods, or as a Princes •…or warfare.

It affordeth also these commodities, as wine, oyle, corne, sugars, cot•…ns, honey, wool, turpentine, allum, verdigrace, salt, grograms, and o•…her commodities.

The chiefe Cities of this Iland are Paphos, Famagusta, Nicosia, Lescara, Salines, and some others; in which Iland the English have a factorie, for the onely trade of cottons here in use; and the English consull resident in Aleppo carryeth the title of consull of Syria and of Ciprus, in which place hee hath a vice consull to supply his occasions for the preservation and maintenance of the English trading hither; which are onely the Company of Merchants called the levant or Turkey Company, as included within their priviledges.

The moneys of this Iland currant I need not mention, nor yet their accounts, as being the coines of the Grand Signiors, and their accounts kept after the same denomination as in Constantinople.

The weight in use through this Iland is the dram, 750 whereof is the Rotolo, and 100 whereof makes a cantar, which is accounted 4 per cent. greater than the common cantar of Aleppo; and is by calculation of such as have resided there 80 ounces haberdepois, or 5 li. the Aleppo rotolo yeelding by this computation 4 li. 13 ounces, or 77 ounces: and the quintall or Cantar of Ciprus by this account should be 500 li. sotile; but I find some observations made, that upon some commodities that the 100 Rotolos of Ciprus have made in London 510 and 512 li. The Rotolo of Ciprus containes 750 drams: and the Rotolo of Aleppo is accounted 720 drams, and 62½ drams makes 1 ounce, & 6½ ounces make here an Oake: but note that the cantar of Famagusta, is 4 per cent. greater then this generall cantar of the Iland, which is above 1½ ounces per Rotolo.

This common cantar of Cyprus, I find thus to respond with the Citie of Venice and other places.

Rotolos 100 of Cyprus, makes sotile U•… 780 li. and of gross 480 li. which by this computation should bee about 522 li. English: but I imagine this is accompted the c•…tar of Famagusta, which is 8 per cent. greater then that of Aleppo, which deducted, being 42 li. there resteth 480 li. haberdepois, the weight rendred of Aleppo; so that Rotolo 21 in circa, makes 100 li. gross, and Rotolo 13½ doe make 100 li. sotile; and Rotolo 1 is 7½ sotile or 4 li. 8 ounces gross of Uenice weight.

Againe, I find these observations made on the weights of Cyprus, for cottons, viz. 100 Rotolos of Cyprus cottons, hath made in Venice 750 li. which is 30 li. lesse then the aforesaid notes which are meant of Famagusta, and hath made in

Naples	671 li.
Bollonia	627 li.
Montpelier	678 li.
Barcelona	564 li.
Sivill	589 li.
Paris	448 li.
Marselia	567 li.
Genoa	710 li.
Florence	656 li.
Milan	678 li.
Avignon	570 li.
Bridges	555 li.
Rome	631 li.
London	506 li.

The truth whereof, I referre to the triall of the experienced.

Measures of length are heere two sorts: first, the pico, by which is sold all woolen cloth, and silke accounted 26½ ynches, and the brace, by which is sold linnen, being 〈◊〉 longer then the pico abovesaid.

The 100 picos rendring in Venice 125 woolen braces and 116 of silke braces.

Wine is sold here by the Cusse, 7 cusses makes 6 fetches of Venetia, which is a candie barrell, so that a cusse and a halfe, and a Zant jarre, are of one and the same bignesse.

Oyle is sold by the Rotolo, which weighs 2½ oakes which is accompted for 1000 drams.

Graine is sold by a measure called the moose, which weigheth 40 oakes, and 2½ mooses, or 100 oakes makes one staio in Venetia.

Salt is sold by the Moose; 1000 mooses heere of salt, makes 14 Mooses in the accompt of Uenetia.

Also some graine is sold by the coffino, 100 whereof making 24 in 25 steras of Venetia, which is () bushels English.

In this part of Asia (following the opinion of Authors) is the Iland of RHODES seated, formerly the habitation of the Knights of S•…. IOHN, now a Beylque of the Turkes, and where for the commodiousnesse of the Port, there is maintained a squadron of his Galleys yearely imployed, to cleare and protect those Seas: matter of trade presenting heere, I have heere willingly omitted, and placed the same amongst the Ilands of the Archipelago; to which place I referre the Reader, and who desires to see further thereof.

1676. A most exact and accurate map of the whole world by Donald Lupton.

Cyprus

550 miles round on the Cilician and Syrian Seas, from each main Land above 60 miles, having 10 Promontories, and having had 10 names, as famous for Cypresses as Rhodes is for Roses, under the 4^th Climate, hot, abounding with Wine, Oyl, Corn, Sugar, Cotton, Honey, Wool, Turpentine, Allom, Verdegreese, all sorts of Mettals, store of Salt, Grograins; besides Lycus and Lapithes small Torrents, and some springs running from Olympus, which is here 54 Italian miles round, loaded with Trees and Fruits of all sorts, where is

1. ruined Paphos, now called new Paphos and Baffo, on the Sea side.
2. Arsino.
3. Trepano, a well seated, and traded port.
4. Connelia rich in Sugar, and Cotton Wool.
5. Cithera.
6. Amathus.
7. Episcopio a considerable place neer the Promontory Curias.
8. Salines and its rich Salt-pits.
9. Strong Nicosia, in the midst of the Isle, both pleasantly and fruitfully scituated, and exactly round.
10. Wholesome Cerines neer the Sea;
11. Famagusta raised out of the Ruines of Salamis in the E. end of the Island in a plain and low ground, between two Promontories, Cape St. Andrew, and Capo de Griego 4 square, 2 miles about, with a haven (opposite to Tripolis in Syria) opening towards the South-East, defended from the injury of the Sea by twogreat Rocks, betwixt which the Sea cometh in at a narrow passage, not above 40 paces broad, but after opening wider and wider, to a conveniency of safety and capacity assured both by the difficult Entrance, and a Chain crossed over it.
12. Arsinoe, now called Lescare.
13. Tamassus, eminent for brasse mines, and a great quantity of Verdegreese, and Vitriol found neer it.
14. Idalium, the yearly custome upon Salt is here 500000 Crowns.

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Cyprus, one of the greatest Islands of the Mediterranean Sea, has Title of a Kingdom. It was formerly consecrated to Venus; who, if we believe what Poets say, was born in this Island, perhaps because the Inhabitants were much given to Love. Cyprus has Syria to the East, and is but about 20 Leagues from firm Land. Formerly it was divided but into four parts; but the Turks generally count eleven. As the Country has no Rivers, but instead of them great Ponds, the Air is very thick and charged with Vapours which render it very often unhealthfull, especially for those that are not used to it. Setting this Inconveniency aside, the Island is fertil enough, bearing great quantities of Corn, Fruits, and other good Provisions; especially its Wines are excellent, which was the chiefest reason Selim had to take it, as will be said hereafter. It was always so considerable for it Mines, that the Graecians called it Macaria, that is, Fortunate. After which it was called Cyprus, either for the great Quantity of Brass found there, or from a certain Tree, which the Graecians called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and is found in great abundance in this Island. It's not Cypress, but the Ligustrum of the Latins, the Ligustro of the Italians, and is called Arbel de la Alhenna by the Spaniards, which is a Shrub that bears a white Flower with a very pleasant smell. Its chief Towns now are Nicotia capital of the Kingdom, Famagousta that has a good Port, Limisso, Sirori, Musolo, Lascara, Cerines, &c. and formerly had Paphos, now Baffo, Cythera, Amathunte. It had its particular Kings before it became subject to the Romans, whereof Evagoras, Ally to the Athenians, is most spoken of, the same that was killed by the Eunuch Nicocles in 380, 374 before the Christian Aera. After this the Persian Empire being destroyed, the Isle of Cyprus was under the Ptolomies, Kings of Egypt, from Alexander's death, in the 430th. year of Rome, until 697, or 98, that the Romans usurped it. Ptolomy, the last King, killed himself upon the rumour of their approach. Cato, sent by the Senate into Cyprus, gathered and brought off all the Wealth which furnished the Exchequer or Treasury far more than the Spoils of any other Conquest. For some affirm that it amounted to above thirty thousand Talents. From Constantine the Great's time it always was under the Graecian Emperors, until all the Island revolted, and Isaac Commenes, a cruel Man, given to all manner of Wickedness, made himself the Master. Richard King of England, going in 1191, to fight the Saracens in the Holy-land, driven hither by a Storm, re-took it from this Commenes, who instead of helping his Men, so miserably beaten in the Tempest, came and plundered them. Richard left it to Guy of the Family of Leziguen, or Lusignan, of France, whose Successors held it till 1473. Then John, or Janus, the last King, left it to Charlotte, who married Lewis of Savoy, but James, Janus's Bastard-son and a Clergy-man, usurped it from her, and married Catharine, Daughter to Marc Cornaro, a Venetian, whom the Senate had adopted and appointed a Dowry for. This James died and left Catharine big with a Son that lived but two years; whereupon Catharine made the Kingdom over to the Venetians, though Charlotte was then still alive and reclaimed her Right. This Common-wealth kept it until 1571, that the Turks made themselves Masters of it under Selim II. It's said that this Prince, being a great Lover of Wine, though prohibited by Mahomet's Law, would have this Island for that good Liquor's sake. He was also willing to revenge a particular Quarrel, and to please them that were about him, amongst others there was one John Miches, a Native of Portugal, and descended from those Hebrews, who rather than be forced to quit a Country, do not stick to renounce their Ancestors Religion. This Man, banished his Country for some ill thing he did, retired to Venice, where being punished for a certain Crime, resolved to be revenged, and so went to Constantinople; there he married a rich Jew, and having access by his Wealth to Selim, put him upon the Conquest of Cyprus. It's said that this Turkish Prince one day half drunk, struck Miches upon the Shoulder, crying, You are King of Cyprus, if Heaven favours my Designs. In the mean time, the Venetians fortified the Isle, especially the Towns of Famagousta and Nicotia. The Turks made their Descent under Piuli and Mustapha, in August, 1570, and took the last of these Places after a Siege of forty eight days. Afterwards they invested Famagousta the 22d. of September; but Winter coming on, the Siege was put off to the next year, when it surrender'd after it was bartered fo• 7• days with above 1500000 Cannon shot. This being thus taken the Turks made themselves Masters of the whole Island, wher• they kept a Beglerbeg. The Church of Cyprus was established by St. Paul, who preached there with St. Barnabas; which last was said to be martyr'd here, and his Body found, under the Empire of Z•n• in 385, with St. M•tthew's Gospel lying on his Breast. St. Epiphanius, Bishop of Salumina, held a Council here in 399 at Theophilus Patriarch of Jerusalem's request, who had himself condemned the Origenists. They were also anathematiz'd in this Synod, and Origen's Books forbidden.

1695. Thesaurus geographicus a new body of geography by Abel Swall and Tim. Child.

The Isle of Cyprus is one of the biggest Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, lying between the 64 D. and 67 D. 30 min. Longitude, and 35 D. of Northern Latitude. The extent of it from South to North is about 20 leagues, and from West to East 50. It was consecrated to Venus, which the Poets say was born in this Isle. The Air is unwholsome, because of the abundance of Lakes which send forth noisome Vapours. The Soil is fruitful in all sorts of Grain, delicious Fruits, and excellent Wines; and produces an abundance of Lemons, Citrons, Oranges, Pomgranates, Figs, Honey, Sugar, Oyl, Silk, Cotton, Saffron, Rhubarb, Colliquintida, Scammony, Turpentine, black and white Allum, Rosin, Bay, and Mineral Salt, Agates, Emeralds, Crystal, White and Red Coral. It feeds abundance of Beasts; Snipes and Linnets are there common. They have excellent Gammons of Bacon. The Vitriol and Brass of Cyprus are highly valued. The Inhabitants are clownish and rustical; they are Mahometans, or Protestants. After the Fall of the Roman Empire, this Isle came under the Dominion of the Greeks, and after it was governed by the Posterity of Guy of Lusignan, whose Daughter Charlotte, the last of his Line, married Lewis Duke of Savoy; whose Posterity having the Inheritance of it by that means, assumed the Title of the King of Cyprus. James, the Natural Son of John the 2d, last King of Cyprus, invaded it by the help of the Sultan of Aegypt, and got it into his Power; he married Katherine, the Daughter of Marcus Cornaro the Venetian, who being left a Widow, brought forth a Son, who lived but two years. After which she put it into the Protection of the Senate of Venice; Charlotte claimed it as her Right, but all in vain. Selim 2d, Emperor of the Turks, conquered it in 1571, and put in a Beglerbeg to govern it, who ordinarily resides at Nicosia, and sometimes at Famagusta, where there is a very good Port. The Knights of Malta have made their Residence at Limosa; they have a Greek Archbishop, whose Seat is without the City Nicosia; and 3 Bishops, of which the first hath his See at Paphos, the 2d at Cerines, and the third at Lar•eca.

The City Nicosia, or Leucosia, stands almost in the midst of the Isle, in the large Plain of Massera, ••th 11 Bastions, and very wide Ditches about it.

Famagusta is famous for the Siege it maintain'd against the Turks in 1570. The Port is large and convenient, encompassed with Rocks; the Walls are built with hewn-stone, 28 foot thick, and •ledge•nked with Bastions all round, with a large Ditch •ledge•t thro a Rock.