History
The Roman emperor Hadrian founded Hadrianopolis (later shortened to Adrianople) in the 2nd century AD. During Roman and Byzantine times it was important as a waystation on the Via Egnatia that connected Rome with İstanbul, but by the mid-14th century the growing Ottoman state was looking for new conquests. In 1363 the Ottoman army crossed the Dardanelles, skirted Constantinople and captured Adrianople, which they made their capital.
For almost 100 years, this was the city from which the Ottoman sultan launched his campaigns in Europe and Asia. When at last the time was ripe for the final conquest of the Byzantine Empire, Mehmet the Conqueror (Mehmet Fatih) set out from Edirne for Constantinople along the Via Egnatia.
When the Ottoman Empire disintegrated after WWI, the Allies granted Thrace to the Greeks and declared Constantinople (now İstanbul) an international city. In the summer of 1920, Greek armies occupied Edirne, only to be driven back by Mustafa Kemal’s army. The Treaty of Lausanne eventually granted Edirne and eastern Thrace to the Turks.
Edirne
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