Copper, the metal, is named after Cyprus. This came about because the Romans called copper aes Cyprium or, the metal of Cyprus. This was later on shortened to cyprium and then it got converted to cuprum.
The history of Cyprus is violent but that is due to the fact that since it holds a very strategic position in the East Mediterranean region it was always subject to frequent invasions but nearly every major empire that passed through the Mediterranean. For example, the following empires have had Cyprus in their grip through a long history: Greeks, Assyrians, Persians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Byzantines, and Romans. Cyprus was also ruled by Richard the Lion-Heart, leader of the Third Crusade, from 1191-1192. One year later, Richard sold Cyprus to the Knights Templar.
The Knights in turn sold it to Guy de Lusignan (the deposed King of Jerusalem). Following this, the island of Cyprus was ruled by the Lusignan family until the late 15th century, before it fell victim to another invasion and annexation. This time by the Venetians. A century later, from the 16th century to the 19th century, it was ruled by the Turks. After stumbling through this long history Cyprus finally became a British colony. This came about after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, following which Cyprus was yet again annexed, by the British in 1925.
From 1955 to 1959, the Greek Cypriots were led by George Grivas in an effort to unite the island with Greece. However, this move did not succeed and the result was the formation of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960.
At this time the total Turkish Cypriots comprised of only 18% of the total population of Cyprus. This is why the 1960 constitution made certain provisions to ensure the well being of this minority by including conditions such as the vice-president always being a Turkish Cypriot, the parliament should be 30% Turkish Cypriot, and similar conditions.
The constitution also includes articles that allowed the creation of separate local municipalities so that the Greek and Turkish Cypriots could run things their own way in large towns. It should be noted that this particular article was never implement by the Republic or the president.
Turkey invaded the island of Cyprus in 1974 in an apparent response to an earlier coup sponsored by Greece. This invasion resulted in Turkey seizing the northern 33% of the island. Following this, Turkish Cypriots moved into the Turkey-occupied regions to the north while the Greek Cypriots moved southwards to be among the Greek majority. Though this northern region was named the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus but is recognized as such only by Turkey. The United Nations has refused to formally recognize the country.
The Republic of Cyprus is basically the southern 2/3rds of the island that were not forcibly occupied by Turkey. The Republic of Cyprus applied for a full membership to the European Union on 4th July 1990. Noticeably, this application does not have the consent of the Turkish Cypriot population.
On 23 April 2003, after almost 30 years, the border restrictions were relaxed by the Turkish Cypriot authorities.
Cyprus History