Cyprus has always been an important trading center located between the empires of Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Therefore, throughout history, someone has always wanted to take it from someone else. The Mycenaeans conquered the island first. Then followed the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Assyrians and then the Persians. Alexander the Great took the island from the Persians. Ptolemy seized Cyprus after Alexander’s death. Rome took over in 58 BC and kept the place in relative peace and security until the 7th century. Then the Byzantine and Islamic empires started three centuries of conflict over the island. In 1191, Richard the Lionheart, on his way to the Crusades, dropped into Cyprus for some conquering. He sold the island to the Knights Templar. The Templars then sold the island to Guy de Lusignan, whose heirs ruled for three centuries, repressing the local culture and the Greek Orthodox Church, but making vast improvements for the economy. The Venetians took over in 1489. They were booted out by the expanding Ottoman Empire in 1571, which kept Cyprus for 300 years before handing it over to Britain.

In 1925 Cyprus was made a Crown colony of the UK. The Cypriots began agitation for self-determination, thus laying the foundations for today's Greek/Turkish conflict. While many Greek Cypriots wanted to form a union with Greece, the Turkish Cypriots were not as enthusiastic. By 1950, the Cypriot Orthodox Church and 96% of Greek Cypriots wanted union with Greece. In response, the British drafted a new constitution, which was accepted by the Turkish population but opposed by the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters, who insisted on union with Greece. NOCF began a guerrilla war against the British.

In August 1960, Britain granted Cyprus its independence. The Greek Archbishop Makarios became president, while a Turk, Kükük, was made vice-president. By 1964 Makarios was moving towards stronger links with Greece, and civil violence began to rise. The United Nations sent in a peace-keeping force. In 1967 a military junta took over the Greek government and the desire for union with Greece abated. Even the most fervent Greece-lovers didn't want union with such a repressive regime. Greece didn't give up, though: on July 15, 1974 a CIA-sponsored, Greek-organized coup overthrew Makarios. Turkey responded by invading the island, taking the northern third of the island, forcing 180,000 Greek Cypriots to flee their homes. In 1983 Turkish Cypriots proclaimed a separate nation in their part of Cyprus, naming it the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). No country except for Turkey has recognized this "state".