# Turhal > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Turhal > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Turhal.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turhal > Source revision: 1357107489 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Turhal** is a district in [Tokat Province](/source/Tokat_Province) in the [Black Sea](/source/Black_Sea_Region,_Turkey) region of [Turkey](/source/Turkey). It is the seat of [Turhal District](/source/Turhal_District).[1] Its population is 62,030 (2022).[2] It is 48 km to the west of [Tokat](/source/Tokat). Turhal is situated on a fertile plain fragmented by the [Yeşil Irmak](/source/Ye%C5%9Fil_River) river. It has an elevation of approximately 530 m. The city is best known for its sugar beet processing plant established in 1934 as an important enterprise of the young [Turkish Republic](/source/Turkey). ## History The first nucleus of Turhal appeared as an important [fortress](/source/Fortress) or [fortification](/source/Fortification) named **Talaura** (Τάλαυρα in [Ancient greek](/source/Ancient_greek)) on the way between today's [Amasya](/source/Amasya) and [Tokat](/source/Tokat) provinces. It is deduced from the tablets found in the region that Turhal had been inhabited as early as the third millennium BC and had relations as far as the [Mesopotamian](/source/Mesopotamian) cultures such as [Sumerians](/source/Sumer) who had already invented an effective [alphabet](/source/Alphabet). ### Classical Age #### Persian period The Persian invasion in [Anatolia](/source/Anatolia) during the 6th century BC made this region an important center influenced by the cult of [Zoroastrianism](/source/Zoroastrianism). The famous geographer of the [antiquity](/source/Ancient_history), [Strabo](/source/Strabo) has, on various occasions, drawn up different accounts on the region describing Turhal as a fortress in the north of another ancient city named Gayyura. #### Hellenistic period In the 3rd century BC, the region was occupied by the contingents of [Alexander the Great](/source/Alexander_the_Great)'s [Macedonian](/source/Ancient_Macedonians) army, but many insurrections had also taken place in this era as the Macedonian occupiers couldn't build up a total control on the region. After the collapse of Alexander's Empire (as Alexander died in 323 BC), the region was taken over by the [Pontus](/source/Kingdom_of_Pontus) Kingdom founded on the [Black Sea](/source/Black_Sea) coast who later had to retreat in the face of emerging Roman power in the whole Anatolia. The Pontus Kings from the [Mithridates](/source/Mithridates_I_of_Pontus) descendance constructed an even more powerful fortress on a rocky hill in the center of the outer city whose remains are only two ruined towers and several tunnels today. The struggle between the two powers lasted for decades and ended up in an absolute defeat suffered by the Pontus Kingdom. Having captured the fortress, the Roman General [Pompeius](/source/Pompeius) destroyed it. In 395, The [Roman Empire](/source/Roman_Empire) was divided into two independent states and thus, Turhal became a [Byzantine](/source/Byzantine_Empire) domain together with other eastern Roman provinces. Turhal was the site of the [bishopric of Ibora](/source/Bishopric_of_Ibora) which persists as a [titular see](/source/Titular_see) of the [Roman Catholic Church](/source/Roman_Catholic_Church) to this day. [Evagrius Ponticus](/source/Evagrius_Ponticus) was born there in the mid fourth century. During the Byzantine era, the region had undergone several raids from the [Sassanids](/source/Sassanids) in the 4th and 5th centuries, later from the Muslim [Arabs](/source/Arabs) in the 8th century. As the constant Turkish immigration to Anatolia and the emerging [Seljuk](/source/Seljuk_Turks) power in the neighbouring east weakened the Byzantine rule in the region, the Turkish principality of [Danishmend](/source/Danishmend) captured Turhal and its environs after 1071 but later ceded it to the Kingdom of [Seljuk Turks](/source/Seljuk_Turks) (Selçuklular). In the 13th century, the whole region was invaded by the [Ilkhan Emperors](/source/Ilkhan_Emperors) who extended their rule as a devastating wave from the [Middle Asia](/source/Middle_Asia) to Anatolia. In 1399, Turhal was taken over by the [Ottomans](/source/Ottoman_Turks) who were uniting the Turkish principalities in Anatolia under their command. After a short invasion by [Temur](/source/Temur), Turhal was taken over once more by the Ottomans in 1413. The most significant change in the [demographic](/source/Demographics) structure of Turhal occurred during the second half of the 19th century as the town became a place of settlement for the Muslim refugees and immigrants coming from the [Balkans](/source/Balkans) and [Caucasus](/source/Caucasus) due to constant military conflicts that the collapsing Ottomans got involved around those regions such as the [Crimean War](/source/Crimean_War) (1854–1878) and the [Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878](/source/Russo-Turkish_War,_1877%E2%80%931878).There is also a Kurdish population and their tribes Badıllı,Canbeg,Şexbızın,Reshwan,Metinan. ## Today's Turhal As mentioned above, Turhal is best known for its [sugar beet](/source/Sugar_beet) processing plant established in 1934. But today Turhal's economy depends on much diverted business sectors such as [textile](/source/Textile), [animal feed](/source/Compound_feed) and [dairy products](/source/Dairy_products). Turhal also has a machine works which provides an important income to the town. Today, Turhal is becoming important with its natural [marble](/source/Marble) [deposits](/source/Deposit_(geology)) and marble processing industries. Traditionally, [stockbreeding](/source/Stockbreeding) and other agricultural activities still keep their importance too. ## See also - [Ibora](/source/Ibora) ## References 1. [İlçe Belediyesi](https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx), Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 22 May 2023. 1. ["Address-based population registration system (ADNKS) results dated 31 December 2022, Favorite Reports"](https://biruni.tuik.gov.tr/medas/?kn=95&locale=en) (XLS). [TÜİK](/source/T%C3%9C%C4%B0K). Retrieved 22 May 2023. ## External links - [Turhal images from D.Osseman's archives](http://www.pbase.com/dosseman/turhal_and_zile) - [District municipality's official website](http://www.turhal.bel.tr/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Turhal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turhal) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turhal?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.