TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Cities
Iznik (Nicaea) · Today: Turkey
Iznik came under Ottoman rule in 1331; it remained an Ottoman city until the end of the empire. It changed hands in between; there are 2 separate Ottoman periods. Famous for its tiles, Iznik was one of the first major Byzantine cities taken by the Ottomans.
A Byzantine relief army was defeated (Pelekanon); the city could no longer expect help.
Sultan: OrhanOn 2 March 1331 the Byzantine commander surrendered the city to Orhan Bey, on condition that anyone could stay or leave.
Sultan: OrhanOn 21 September 1920 Greek forces occupied the town; it then changed hands four times.
At the end of the Turkish War of Independence the town returned to Turkish rule.
How the total is counted: years of actual Ottoman rule are added up. Temporary occupations shorter than a year (that were reversed) are not subtracted; they appear as notes in the chronology.
On the atlas map the city lies in the region “Bursa–İznik”. Map colours work at region level, so the city's own dates may differ from the region's by a few years.
Open the map in 1331Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, “İZNİK” (Turkish); text written for the atlas.