Trebizond

Trebizond, known today as Trabzon, is a city on the northern coast of Turkey along the Black Sea. It sits at the eastern edge of what was ancient Pontus and was historically a major port and commercial center. The ancient Greek settlement on the site was called Trapezus, and it developed as a prosperous city within various regional powers through late antiquity and the medieval period.

In the wake of the Fourth Crusade, Trebizond became the capital of the Empire of Trebizond, a Byzantine successor state established in the early 13th century by members of the Komnenos dynasty. The empire survived for about 250 years, maintaining its own rulers and diplomatic relations with Genoa, Venice, and other powers while controlling portions of the Pontic coast and inland territories. It remained culturally connected to the Byzantine world but pursued its own political and military paths until its fall.

The fall of Trebizond came in 1461, when the Ottoman Empire under Mehmed II captured the city, bringing the empire to an end. The region then remained under Ottoman rule, with Trebizond evolving into a provincial center within the larger empire. The city and surrounding area are noted for historic monuments associated with the medieval Byzantine and Pontic heritage, including churches and fortifications, as well as landmarks such as the Hagia Sophia of Trebizond and the nearby Sumela Monastery perched on a cliff.

Today, the city is the provincial capital of Trabzon Province and a focal point of commerce, culture, and tourism in northeastern Turkey. The name Trebizond persists in historical and scholarly contexts, with its etymology tracing back to the ancient Greek Trapezus.