# What patch of land has changed possession the most throughout history? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 15, 2007, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243 "2007-09-15T00:01:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aliquot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@aliquot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliquot)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/1 "2007-09-15T00:01:37Z")
The title pretty much says it all. I’m curious to know which area of land – and, for the sake of definition, let’s define “area” as “larger than Rhode Island,” although that’s obviously arbitrary and I just made it up – has been claimed by the most kingdoms, empires, sultanates, republics, etc. throughout history. My gut-feeling is that it’s going to be somewhere in the Middle East, simply because recorded history is eldest there, but I’d not be surprised if someone posited, say, somewhere on the Balkan peninsula, or perhaps some crossroad land like Transoxiana, or maybe something I’ve never heard of. Plus, even if it is somewhere in the Middle East, if someone could narrow it down, that’d be neat. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/2 "2007-09-15T07:54:20Z")
I don’t know which patch actually changed possession the most times, but the city of [Edirne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edirne), Turkey, holds the distinction of being the most fought-over city in history- something like fifteen major battles have been fought in the near vicinity. The city was called Adrianople at the time of most of those battles. It’s probably not the record-holder, but France and Germany have kicked [Alsace-Lorraine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alsace-Lorraine#Modern_History) back and forth between them so many times it’d make your head spin. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/3 "2007-09-21T23:00:49Z")
I believe Shlegsvig Holstein has switched back and forth between Denmark and Germany a few times and a city in England called Berwick on Tweed was alternately Scottish/English quite a few times as a result of the frequent wars between the two countries before the Act of Union. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/4 "2007-09-22T00:59:03Z")
Palestine. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/5 "2007-09-22T03:10:53Z")
I remember reading once that Belgium had seen the most warfare on its it land among all the European nations. That may not mean it changed hands all the time, but different armies keep tramping through it. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/6 "2007-09-22T05:13:17Z")
Not an answer to your question but I find it interesting that Egypt was under foreign occupation by many [successive forces](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Egypt) for about 2,400 years before it regained self-control. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/7 "2007-09-22T12:11:19Z")
I think you’ll find isolated cases of city and land area that have some sort of obscene number of ‘change of flags’ due to specific conflicts. [Winchester, Virginia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester%2C_Virginia#Civil_War_history) is said to have changed hands more than 70 times during the Civil War. > [@](#): > > Winchester was a key strategic position for the Confederate States Army during the war. It was an important operational objective in Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s and Col. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s defense of the Shenandoah Valley in 1861, Jackson’s Valley Campaign of 1862, the Gettysburg Campaign of 1863, and the Valley Campaigns of 1864. Including minor cavalry raids and patrols, and occasional reconnaissances by various forces, it is claimed that Winchester changed hands as many as 72 times, and 13 times in one day. Battles raged all along Main Street at different points in the war. Both Union General Sheridan and Stonewall Jackson located their headquarters just one block apart at various times. I’m sure there are others out there in the world similar to this. But it does prove that the number is liable to be ludicrously high. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/8 "2007-09-22T13:34:56Z")
Jerusalem has been under so many occupiers over the millennia. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/9 "2007-09-22T19:08:03Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Palestine. [/QUOTE] You mean Eretz-Yisra’el? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/10 "2007-09-22T19:58:13Z")
[QUOTE=Operation Ripper] You mean Eretz-Yisra’el? [/QUOTE] I mean that bloodsoaked plot of utterly, _ **utterly** _ _useless_ land, between Egypt & Syria, that two bands of morons squabble over endlessly. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/11 "2007-09-23T02:49:16Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] I mean that bloodsoaked plot of utterly, _ **utterly** _ _useless_ land, between Egypt & Syria, that two bands of morons squabble over endlessly. [/QUOTE] Northern Ireland is not between Egypt and Syria. Look at a map why doncha? ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/12 "2007-09-23T02:54:27Z")
I’ve heard that the Paris Hilton has been taken over by dozens of conquerers. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/13 "2007-09-23T02:54:55Z")
I am sure that there must have been patches of the barbar-Roman frontier that changed hands on a yearly basis. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/14 "2007-09-23T03:20:43Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] I mean that bloodsoaked plot of utterly, _ **utterly** _ _useless_ land, between Egypt & Syria, that two bands of morons squabble over endlessly. [/QUOTE] **Moderator Warning** **Bosda,** you know better than to make political posts in GQ. Or, rather, you’ve been warned often enough about it that you should. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/15 "2007-09-23T03:24:49Z")
[QUOTE=Operation Ripper] You mean Eretz-Yisra’el? [/QUOTE] [Moderating] **Operation Ripper,** I am not issuing a formal warning at this point. However, given that you are just back from suspension I would **strongly** suggest that you refrain from deliberately provocative posts. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/16 "2007-09-23T04:29:17Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] [Moderating] **Operation Ripper,** I am not issuing a formal warning at this point. However, given that you are just back from suspension I would **strongly** suggest that you refrain from deliberately provocative posts. Colibri General Questions Moderator [/QUOTE] What are you talking about? Per [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine) it’s another name for Palestine. Btw, I’d appreciate it if you did not needlessly tar me by bringing up my suspension for denouncing wife burning, thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/17 "2007-09-23T05:00:17Z")
[QUOTE=Operation Ripper] What are you talking about? Per [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine) it’s another name for Palestine. [/quote] Do not play naive with me, **Ripper**. Both you know and I know that the only reason you brought that up was to get a rise out of **Bosda** or some other poster. > [@](#): > > Btw, I’d appreciate it if you did not needlessly tar me by bringing up my suspension for denouncing wife burning, thank you very much. Since your suspension was in part for unnecessary political posts in GQ, my bringing it up was entirely relevant. Unfortunately, you don’t seem to have learned anything from your vacation. You are on extremely thin ice. Drop the subject now. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Puzzler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d07c76/32.png) [@Puzzler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Puzzler)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/18 "2007-09-23T07:53:23Z")
From the [Where do you live - in history?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=435519) thread: [QUOTE=Alessan] Remebered another one: In 132 AD Simon Bar Kochva drove the Romans out and established an independant Jewish state, which lasted until basically the entire Roman army came down on their heads three years later. So my revised list is as follows: Canaan Phoenicia Philistine holdings Egyptian Empire Israel Judea Assyrian Empire Chaldean (Neo-Babylonean) Empire Persian Empire Macedoniam Empire Ptolmeian Empire Seleucid Empire Hasmonean Kingdom of Israel Roman Empire Israel (Bar Kochva Rebellion) Byzantine Empire Umayyad Caliphate Abbasid Caliphate Selejuk Empire The Frankish Kingdom of Jerusalem Egyptians (Mameluks) Various Mongols The Ottoman Empire The French Empire The British Empire (Mandatory Palestine) Israel [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/19 "2007-09-23T11:11:37Z")
[QUOTE=NurseCarmen] I’ve heard that the Paris Hilton has been taken over by dozens of conquerers. [/QUOTE] And Pizza Boys 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lars\_Aruns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Lars\_Aruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lars_Aruns)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243/20 "2007-09-23T13:41:23Z")
Naples and Sicily also changed hands many times, and they were almost never ruled by locals, but by foreigners. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-patch-of-land-has-changed-possession-the-most-throughout-history/419243.md?page=2)