the chief city of Lycaonia, in Asia Minor. An assault being
meditated at the place by the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles upon the
Apostles Paul and Barnabas, who, by preaching in the synagogue, had
converted many Jews and Greeks, they fled to Lystra; where the designs
of their enemies were put in execution, and St. Paul miraculously
escaped with his life, Acts xiv. The church planted at this place by St.
Paul continued to flourish, until, by the persecutions of the Saracens,
and afterward of the Seljukian Turks, who made it the capital of one of
their sultanies, it was nearly extinguished. But some Christians of the
Greek and Armenian churches, with a Greek archbishop, are yet found in
the suburbs of this city, who are not permitted to reside within the
walls. Iconium is now called Cogni, and is still a considerable city;
being the capital of the extensive province of Caramania, as it was
formerly of Lycaonia, and the seat of a Turkish beglerberg, or viceroy.
It is the place of chief strength and importance in the central parts of
Asiatic Turkey, being surrounded by a strong wall of four miles in
circumference; but, as is the case with most eastern cities, much of the
enclosed space is waste. It is situated about a hundred and twenty miles
inland from the Mediterranean, on the lake Trogilis. Mr. Kinneir says,
Iconium, the capital of Lycaonia, is mentioned by Xenophon, and
afterward by Cicero and Strabo; but does not appear to have been a place
of any consideration until after the taking of Nice by the crusaders in
1099, when the Seljukian sultans of Roum chose it as their residence.
These sultans rebuilt the walls, and embellished the city: they were,
however, expelled in 1189 by Frederic Barbarossa, who took it by
assault; but after his death they reëntered their capital, where they
reigned in splendour till the irruption of Tchengis Khan, and his
grandson, Holukow, who broke the power of the Seljukians. Iconium, under
the name of Cogni, or Konia, has been included in the dominions of the
grand seignior ever since the time of Bajazet, who finally extirpated
the Ameers of Caramania. The modern city has an imposing appearance from
the number and size of its mosques, colleges, and other public
buildings; but these stately edifices are crumbling into ruins, while
the houses of the inhabitants consist of a mixture of small huts built
of sun-dried bricks, and wretched hovels thatched with reeds. The city,
according to the same authority, contains about eighty thousand
inhabitants, principally Turks, with only a small proportion of
Christians. It is represented as enjoying a fine climate, and pleasantly
situated among gardens and meadows; while it is nearly surrounded, at
some distance, with mountains which rise to the regions of perpetual
snow. It was formerly the capital of an extensive government, and the
seat of a powerful pasha, who maintained a military force competent to
the preservation of peace and order, and the defence of his territories.
But it has now dwindled into insignificance, and exhibits upon the whole
a mournful scene of desolation and decay.
meditated at the place by the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles upon the
Apostles Paul and Barnabas, who, by preaching in the synagogue, had
converted many Jews and Greeks, they fled to Lystra; where the designs
of their enemies were put in execution, and St. Paul miraculously
escaped with his life, Acts xiv. The church planted at this place by St.
Paul continued to flourish, until, by the persecutions of the Saracens,
and afterward of the Seljukian Turks, who made it the capital of one of
their sultanies, it was nearly extinguished. But some Christians of the
Greek and Armenian churches, with a Greek archbishop, are yet found in
the suburbs of this city, who are not permitted to reside within the
walls. Iconium is now called Cogni, and is still a considerable city;
being the capital of the extensive province of Caramania, as it was
formerly of Lycaonia, and the seat of a Turkish beglerberg, or viceroy.
It is the place of chief strength and importance in the central parts of
Asiatic Turkey, being surrounded by a strong wall of four miles in
circumference; but, as is the case with most eastern cities, much of the
enclosed space is waste. It is situated about a hundred and twenty miles
inland from the Mediterranean, on the lake Trogilis. Mr. Kinneir says,
Iconium, the capital of Lycaonia, is mentioned by Xenophon, and
afterward by Cicero and Strabo; but does not appear to have been a place
of any consideration until after the taking of Nice by the crusaders in
1099, when the Seljukian sultans of Roum chose it as their residence.
These sultans rebuilt the walls, and embellished the city: they were,
however, expelled in 1189 by Frederic Barbarossa, who took it by
assault; but after his death they reëntered their capital, where they
reigned in splendour till the irruption of Tchengis Khan, and his
grandson, Holukow, who broke the power of the Seljukians. Iconium, under
the name of Cogni, or Konia, has been included in the dominions of the
grand seignior ever since the time of Bajazet, who finally extirpated
the Ameers of Caramania. The modern city has an imposing appearance from
the number and size of its mosques, colleges, and other public
buildings; but these stately edifices are crumbling into ruins, while
the houses of the inhabitants consist of a mixture of small huts built
of sun-dried bricks, and wretched hovels thatched with reeds. The city,
according to the same authority, contains about eighty thousand
inhabitants, principally Turks, with only a small proportion of
Christians. It is represented as enjoying a fine climate, and pleasantly
situated among gardens and meadows; while it is nearly surrounded, at
some distance, with mountains which rise to the regions of perpetual
snow. It was formerly the capital of an extensive government, and the
seat of a powerful pasha, who maintained a military force competent to
the preservation of peace and order, and the defence of his territories.
But it has now dwindled into insignificance, and exhibits upon the whole
a mournful scene of desolation and decay.