Turkey

The Anatolian peninsula forms the connection between Europe and Asia. The Seljuk Turks occupied this land. The English used to refer to the lands at Turkye. Such references are found in Chaucer’s writings in the 14th century.

As Islam spread, it reached North Africa and parts of Europe. Most of Spain and Portugal became known as Al-Andalus. It was during the decline of Al-Andalus that Columbus landed in the West Indies.

The bird was native to North and South America. It found its way into Arabia through the trade routes.

The bird arrived in England through the Turkish trade route and, it was assumed that the bird was native to the land. People started calling it “those Turkey Birds”, and the name stuck. Hence the bird was ascribed the name Turkey.

Interestingly, even the French named the bird for where people thought they came from. The French word for Turkey is “dinde” from “d’inde” or “from India”.