Crete under Venetian rule (1204-1453)

The Republic of Venice which founded by Roman consuls who send from Padoa in 421 and maintained its loyalty to the Byzantine Empire in the early periods and gained privileges despite the difficult geographical conditions it was in, made significant progress towards becoming a maritime empire from the 900s onwards, it captured the island of Crete, which would become its main colony after the Crusade in 1204. After the Republic of Venice acquired the island of Crete through purchase, it sent its own noble citizens from the metropolis to settle on the island in 1211 and began to implement its own administrative system, the sestiere, on the island. In addition to the sestiere system, Venice appointed a duke and two assistants known as consiglieri to the island, as in the capital. The island also became known ad the Duchy of Heraklion (Duca di Candia) or Crete. However, almost immediately after this system, known as the six-fold, was implemented, rebellions were seen, especially by the local Orthodox noble Greek families on the island, and these rebels continued until the end of the 1450s. Therefore, the process of settling the Republic of Venice on the island of Crete was often difficult. Although the Republic of Venice had to fight against these rebellions, it continued its communication with the Eastern Mediterranean and other parts of Europe via this island by implementing almost everything that existed in the capital, including officials on the island of Crete, in political, military, commercial and socio-economic matters. This study, which consists of an introduction and three chapters, first deals with political, administrative and military system of the Republic of Venice on the island of Crete, as well as the rebellions that took place on the island and the Venetian officials on the island. The second chapter is entirely devoted to the political and military relations of the Duchy of Crete with other states and principalities. The final chapter aims to provide the socio-economic structure of the island in general.