Venetians, Ottomans & Struggle for Freedom
Byzantine Period (395–1204)
After the division of the Roman Empire, Crete belonged to the Byzantine Empire for over 800 years. In the 9th century, Saracen pirates conquered the island (827–961) and founded "Rabdh el-Khandaq" (Fortress Moat) — today's Heraklion. The reconquest by the Byzantine general Nikephoros Phokas in 961 was one of the most dramatic events of the early Middle Ages.
Venetian Rule (1204–1669)
After the Fourth Crusade, Crete fell to Venice — marking the beginning of 465 years of Venetian rule, which profoundly shaped the island. The Venetians called Crete "Regno di Candia" (Kingdom of Candia) and made it the jewel of their Mediterranean empire:
- Architecture: The Venetian harbors of Chania and Rethymno, the Koules Fortress in Heraklion, the Fortezza of Rethymno, countless city palaces, loggias, and fountains — all date from this era.
- Art: The Cretan School of icon painting flourished under Venetian influence. Its most famous representative: Domenikos Theotokopoulos — better known as El Greco, born in 1541 in Heraklion.
- Language: The Cretan epic "Erotokritos" by Vitsentzos Kornaros (circa 1600) — the most important poetry of the Cretan Renaissance, a love epic in verse, still recited in Crete today.
Ottoman Rule (1669–1898)
After a 21-year siege (1648–1669) — the longest siege in history — Heraklion fell to the Ottomans. The Venetian Christians left the city, mosques were built, and Crete sank into a dark period. Yet the Cretans continuously rebelled: Over 30 uprisings in 230 years, the most famous in 1866, when 900 Cretans blew themselves up in the Arkadi Monastery rather than surrender. The massacre caused international outrage and made the "Cretan Question" a European issue.
Autonomy and Union with Greece
In 1898, Crete became autonomous (under a Greek prince as governor), and in 1913, the island officially united with Greece. The Cretan politician Eleftherios Venizelos (from Chania) became Prime Minister of Greece and one of the most significant statesmen of the 20th century. During World War II, Crete was the site of the famous Battle of Crete (May 1941): German paratroopers landed at Maleme, Rethymno, and Heraklion and captured the island despite fierce resistance from the population — a traumatic chapter that still lives on in the memory of the Cretans.
