Bi-communality has been an integral part of Cyprus's make-up sincethe island's conquest by the Turks in 1571. Before that, Greek-speakingtraders, by introducing their Orthodox form of Christianity, influenced anapparent “Greekness” amongst the Cypriots but historians remain dividedas to its authenticity. After the Turkish conquest, thousands of Turks migratedto Cyprus, settling in villages evacuated by the defeated Venetians. Throughthese immigrants and army officers who settled in Cyprus, a strong TurkishCypriot community emerged