Formation. Cyprus was a territory of the Ottoman Empire, lastly as part of the Vilayet of the Archipelago, since it was conquered from the Republic of Venice in 1570–71.. A British protectorate under nominal Ottoman suzerainty was established over Cyprus by the Cyprus Convention of 4 June 1878, following the Russo-Turkish War, in which the British occupied the …

The Turkish invasion of Cyprus was launched on 20 July 1974, following the Cypriot coup d'état on 15 July 1974.. The coup was ordered by the military junta in Greece and staged by the Cypriot National Guard in conjunction with EOKA B.It deposed the Cypriot president Archbishop Makarios III and installed Nikos Sampson. The aim of the coup was the union of Cyprus with Greece, and …