🕌 THE RUINS OF A ROYAL HOUSE 🕌
A VARIED & INTERESTING HISTORY
The village of Choirokoitia, within the district of Larnaca, has a varied and interesting history. The area is mainly known for its Neolithic settlements, but there is also another set of ruins that offers a more recent, intriguing tale.
CENTURIES OLD RUINS
The immediate area around the village offers the ruins of an age-old landmark. Standing among fields and centuries-old olive trees, these ruins are intriguingly marked as the ‘Vasilikos Oikos’, which translates to ‘Royal House’ in Greek.
A DEFENSIVE STRUCTURE
Such a term might refer to a significant historical structure, such as a palace or important administrative building of significance, but in this case, it is widely accepted that it refers to the Great Tower of Choirokitia. The regal tower once stood tall, forming part of the area’s defences against mainly pirate raiders.
AN ARCHED STONE STRUCTURE
All that remains today of the tower is an arched stone structure with a well. Its appearance, location, and dates of origin all indicate that it is likely to have been first erected by the Knights Hospitaller. The Order of Saint John had a commandery in the area, and the tower is thought to have been constructed during the the late 13th century. Further fortifications were likely added to the tower later during the Lusignan period.
A MILITARY RESPONSE
In 1426, however, in response to attacks by Cypriot pirates on Egyptian ships and coastal areas, an Egyptian army landed near Limassol. This force consisted of over 3,000 Egyptian Mamluks. Respected and feared, throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East at the time, the Mamluks were an extreme fighting force that displayed iron-willed discipline.
THE EGYPTIAN MAMLUKS
The Mamluks of Egypt had become a crucial fighting force for the ruling power of the Egyptian Sultanate of the 15th century. They went on to help conquer extensive dominions across the Middle East. The model and structure of this elite fighting force were replicated throughout the Islamic world at the time, and several Islamic nations also established armies composed of Mamluk soldiers. Mamluk ranks were made up of various nationalities who were first enslaved as children and then were trained as elite professional soldiers by their Islamic overlords. The word Mamluk itself translates as ‘to be owned’, thus describing this.
THE EGYPTIAN MAMLUKS
On July 7, 1426, the Cypriot King Janus and his army faced the formidable adversary near the settlement of Choirokoitia. The Cypriot infantry was promptly routed and fled the battlefield as soon as the Mamluks engaged. The king’s cavalry, without infantry support, fought bravely but was soon crushed. King Janus surrendered, and the Mamluks went on to plunder the whole island. They also destroyed several fortifications, including the Great Tower of Choirokoitia.
