Bafra - History

Bafra has kept his place as big district of Samsun providence in a mean of local authority since the foundation of the Republic.

The history of Bafra goes to the years in 5000s B.C. In the researches made in İkiztepe ruins, the signs of the settlements belonging to the Chalcolithic Period (5000 – 4000 B.C) were found.
It has been understood that the settlements were constantly made in 2300 years’ period from 4000 B.C. to 1700 B.C. in İkiztepe ruins. Many works of art and remains which bear the tracks of the cultures of the Bronze Age (3000 - 2000 B.C.) and early Hittite period (1900 - 1800 B.C.) were found here. It is known that the Paflagons lived in the Kızılırmak valley around 670 B.C. 
In 546 B.C., the Persians invaded the region where the Lydians captured in 6th century B.C. There is a mausoleum belonging to the Hellenistic period (330 - 30 B.C.) in İkiztepe.
This region was first dominated by the Roman Empire in 47 B.C. and then was dominated by the Byzantium.
In 1214, İzzettin Keykuvas, the Ruler of the Anatolian Seljuk, placed the Turcoman tribes into Bafra which was conquered by the Seljuk Empire after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. The Mongol invasions which started in 1243 caused the fall of the Seljuk Empire and led Turkish principalities to emerge. So in this period BAFRA PRINCIPALTY which was a small Seljuk principality was founded. Bafra went under the control of the Ottomans in 1640.
Bafra is supposed to have gained its name from the word Bafira which was called for the trade houses built in the bays where Kızılırmak meets the sea and the trade ships were docking (in 512 B.C, the Phoenician Period). 
In the Ottoman period, Bafra was a place depended to Canik shire under the provincial of Trabzon province. It is not certainly known that in which year it became a district. According to the annual records, it is understood that Bafra became the centre of district towards the end of 1854.
In the Imperial times, many Turks came to Bafra from Crimean after 1876 war. The decrease in Turkish population and becoming poor due to the 1st World War and the Balkan Wars let the Romans and Armenians hold the trade life and get richer, though they were minorities. Thus, the Romans and Armenians who desired to found Pontus Roman Empire, established Mavri Mira community.  

But they failed to make their ideas come true after the start of the War of Independence in 1919 and they were exchanged with Turks in the West Thrace.