Selçuk Capital
 

The early permanent settlements in and around Konya go back to prehistoric times. The cultures of the Neolithic, Paleolithic ant Early Bronze Ages can be found within this period of time.The mounds within which the early settlements are buried are within the borders of Konya. The findings of the Neolithic period have been dug-out during çatalhoyuk excavations.The Hittite settlements were at Karahoyuk, which lies on the outskirts of Konya today. The arceheological excavations have shed light on the way of living of the people who lived on this land in those days.The Phyrigians, who ended the Hittite domination on Asia Minor, were migrating tribes from the Thrace. The findings from the Aleaddin mound, Karapinar, Gicikisla and Sizma belong to the seventh millenium B.C. Konya (Cavania) was invaded by the Lycian, Alexander the Great and the Romans. The Roman domination all over Asia Minor was longlasting and Konya was called Iconium then ( 25 A.D.) Saint Paul landed at Antalya and, penetrating the Anatolian interior, made her a land of he Ottoman Empire. From there, he passed through Antiochia (Yalvaç) and came to Iconium. In those days Lystra, Laodica aud Sille were the predominant Byzantine settlements. The penetratiou of Islam iuto .Asia Minor brought the Arabian raids, which were made from Konya.

After the Battle of Malazgirt in 1071 a large part of Anatolia including Konya was captured by Seljuk Turks, and the dominance of the Eastern Roman Empire began to disappear.Suleymau Shah, the Anatolian Selçuk Sultan, declared Konya the seat of his empire in 1076. In 1080 Iznik was made the capital and in 1097, once more, Konya was declared the capital of Anatolian Seljuk Empire, staying that way until 1277.Karamanoglu Mehmet Bey took over the rule of the Karamanogullari State.'The Ottoman Sultan Murad II captured Konya in 1442 and ended the Karamauogullan rule.