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Hereke History
The first hosts of this region were the Sit, the Amazons and Ases.In fact, this three named people are the same communities.In the writings from Ramses III, the Egypt Pharaoh (BC1927), the whole Anatolia and this region was showed as Sit land.Also, it is understood by these writings Ramses III lost the war against the Sit in this region.The historians believe that, the Amazons, the Sit and the Ases were the father of today's Turks. Fr. Lenortman writes in his book Pre Asia "We must know that when we mention about the Sit, they are the fathers of today's Turks." The Sit were not Greek as claimed.Also Greek historian Ksenephon writes in his book Inabasis we see that Bithynians lived near Kefken, they didn't treat well captured Greek and they couldn't speak Greek.
The Sit established Bithynia Kingdom in BC. 1659.The caravans that came to Izmit Gulf from different countries were disturbed other countries by the ships.The Greek were interested the wealth of The Sit and they came to this coast.At old ages, the coasts of Hereke were full of the jungles.And pirates used these jungles to hide away.
When Asyrian king's son Aigon ascended the throne in BC. 1232, the Bithynia state was founded again.The government was passed from the Asyrian to the Lidyan in BC 727.In BC. 680-640 the Sit rebel against the Lidyan.But they didn't achieve it.The last Lidyan king Kreyzuz was defeated by Persian king Keyhusrev and this region was captured by Persian.They paid their taxes to the Persian. Sometimes they had to fight the Greek to protect their indepence.
At last, the Great Alexander conquered here and the Persian government finished in BC 334.But sooner Alexander died and his government on this region ended.Then Zpeotes continiued Bithynia Kingdom in BC.326-278.Later the Syrian wanted to conquer here but they couldn't.
In the age of Nikomedes (BC. 278-250) Bitini became a very important place.The Galat came here and governed this region, including Hereke.Nikomet won the war but he couldn't take Hereke again.
The Greek could never govern the region completely.They took over there first in BC. 1264.Their relations were usually as piracy way and founded the colonies.But no building can be seen today belonging to the Greek.
The Roman captured the region completely in BC.74.The Roman Empire Augustos abolished Bithynia's privileges and started governing the region entirely.Plinius worked as governer(BC. 103-105) at the age of Roman Empire Tarjan.Hereke was known as Anacirum as a summer resort at the Roman period.It must have been attracted the attention of that period's emperors with its soft climate, gulf, forests and the river.In AD 306 The Great Konstantin's mother Helen called at Yalova then came to Hereke and she chose here as the summer house.Hereke Kalesi might have been built by Helen, but probably it was built by Heraklius, who named here as Hereke.
The Roman Empire divided into two pieces in AD 395, Hereke remained in the East Roman Empire.The Byzantium Emperor Heraklius came in AD 684. He fought against the Muslim, he lost and escaped to Antakya.On this escape, he came to Hereke to talk with statesmen about the government's situation.Hereke had been used as a summer place in the Roman age but then in the Byzantium age it was used as a guard castle.From time to time it was used as caravansary for the caravans which carries silk and spice.The Byzantium Emperor Justinien (AD 527-564) closed this road, probably for the military purposes. So, the transportation started to flow over Gemlik-Iznik, Hereke lost its importance.
After Heraklius lost war against the Muslim, in the 8th century the Persian and Arabic armies came into the region.In the late 9th century the Seljuks started to control Hereke beside the other regions.But Aleksikommen, the Byzantium Emperor, take back this region.And then the Crusades started. After the fourth Crusade the Latin Empire was founded in 1204 and Hereke was a part of Latin Empire.
The exact conquest of Hereke by the Turkish was in 1326.Akçakoca besieged Hereke but when he died in 1328 other commanders continiued the siege.The conquest of Izmit is known as 1326 by Ottoman historians but the European historians claimed it as 1337.After Izmit conquered, Ilyas Bey conquered Derince, Yarimca, Kalburcu, Hereke, Eskihisar and Gebze. Ilyas Bey and his units placed into the caves in Magara Burnu and trenches in Kulluk Hills. But Byzantium army made their advance difficult by arrow shoots. Ilyas Bey decided to fight in groups.He assigned Ali Bey and 200 soldiers to attack Byzantium army.In this assault an arrow lodged in Ali Bey's eye.A private saw and warned him but he said "An eye is enough for a head" and went on fighting.By these words the soldiers took courage and made a last assault and captured the castle. After the Ottoman captured the castle, it lost its strategic importance and the castle turned today's appearance. Henceforth Hereke is used as the dock of upper Hereke. |
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