During the Byzantine civil war of 1352–1357, Turkish mercenaries allied to the emperor John VI Kantakouzenos plundered most of Byzantine Thrace and around 1352 were granted the small fortress of Tzympe near Gallipoli. On 2 March 1354, the area was struck by an earthquake which destroyed hundreds of villages and towns in the area. Nearly every building in Gallipoli was destroyed, causing the Greek inhabitants to evacuate the city. Within a month, Suleyman Pasha seized the site, quickly fortifying it and populating it with Turkish families brought over from Anatolia.