Origins of the name "Istanbul"

Arabs were saying "Dersaadet"

Originally posted by R_AK47 The origins of the word Istanbul are Greek.  It simply means "the city."

No, according to the Greek theory it is supposed to mean "to the city". But the Greek theory seems as good a guess as any, and Islambol is in my opinion more plausible.

The city was known as Islambol, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise how logical it is for it to have such a name.

Why was it changed?

Umm, there was a revolution, the Ottoman Establishment overthrown, the old capitol was moved and to weaken its power and get away from it being the centre of the Capiphate aswell as to secularise, the name Istanbul was adopted.

Common, even the most die hard Greek nationalists must laugh at the pathetic excuse for it being, "In the City" , yeah Mehmed heard some Greek peasents say IN TO THE CITY and stupid Mehmed said yeah that's it, I'll name it IN THE CITY

Mehmed the Conquerer was a highly educated very intellegent man and brilliant strategist, who knew six languages.

Why should the word "CITY" be in the actual name of a city, how ridiculous. London is London, not Londoncity, Rome is Rome, Paris is Paris.

I think certain Greeks should have a good listen to this song.


Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
"Istanbul" 1953


Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night

Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way

So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works
That's nobody's business but the Turks

Istanbul (Istanbul)
Istanbul (Istanbul)

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works
That's nobody's business but the Turks

So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works
That's nobody's business but the Turks

Istanbul


Lets give the "Four Lads" a round of applause, they break down the realities damn well

Constantine's City but it was no longer a Roman City once the Ottomans walked in was it, it became the abode of Islam     

Its also been called Islambol, Kushta, Gosdantnubolis, Tsarigrad, Rumiyya al-kubra, New Jerusalem, the Eye of the World, the Refuge of the Universe, the Gate of Happiness, Costa, Micklegard........ and so on.

Pick your favourite, it really doesn't matter. Out of them all, Islambol was most relevant as the cities new Muslim rulers and inhabitants were obviously adheres of Islam. Islambol --> Istanbul due to the abolishment of the Caliphate and to distance from the old Theocratic rule to the new secular.

Sorry but its far more viable than the story about a Mehmed over-hearing a few old guys say IN TO THE CITY IN TO THE CITY

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way

Old Istanbul was once called Constantinople or Neu Roma
Why they changed it I CAN say
People just like it better that way

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works
That's nobody's business but the Turks



Good nite

Originally posted by Bulldog Islambol = City with abundance of Islam, city of lots of Islam

see.. even that's "Greek".

bol = mpoliko (pron. bo-li-ko) which means = plentiful

bahahah..... you guyz can't think of anything original

 

Edited by Ellin - 20-Jul-2006 at 07:46

Originally posted by Bulldog Just accept whose city it is today and whose it always will be

tehehe... so you think!

Kosmas the Aitolian doesn't seem to think so!
bit of an enigma for you.

I think it was "Micklegard"

Therefore the fact is that Turks couldn't spell Islambol so they changed it to Istanbul, yes?

Too many Turkish cities names originaly not Turkish.