Turkish Occupation in Crete 1669 – 1913
ie 267 years, 7 months and 7 days of agony.
But, as far as that period was concerned, that was the future.
In 1895 the first genocide acts against the Armenians had begun,
and Europe was observing more closely the fate of the occupied Crete.
The authorities attempted to change the negative data, and therefore replaced the
Governor of Crete, with a Christian, namely Alexander Caratheodory.
But the Turks did not realy want him in Crete.
Therefore, they continued the massacre of Christians in order to force him to resign.
The violence continued even after the revolutionary parliament.
In 1896 on the 11th of May, they slaughtered Greeks in Chania and they continued likewise in Heraklion.
Then, the Europeans in Chania with the consulates of the Great Powers
proposed a constitution for the Christians of Crete.
A Christian Governor. Twice as many jobs for Christians.
Reorganization of the Gendarmerie with European judges.
Economic and judicial independence of Crete with the protection of the Great Powers.
But the authorities were slow in implementing the constitution.
And the massacres resumed in early 1897, aiming at the eradication of Christians.
It was then that Greece conquered the whole island.
But the war with Turkey would delay the liberation.
On the 25th of August 1898 a new massacre against hundreds of Christians occurred.
And there comes the error, the strategic one..
They killed 17 British soldiers and the consulate in Crete.
The Turkish militants were expelled from Crete.
The last one departs on the 2nd of November 1898.
That’s when the first Muslims depart as well,who in 1881 constituted one third
of the population, whereas the ninth by 1900 .
The election result was: 138 Christian MPs, and 50 Muslims .
The independence will follow, but that was not yet the case for the liberation.
We awaited until 1908 for the Reunification with Greece, which was officially recognized in 1913 with the Treaty of Bucharest.
The last Turks would depart after the 1923 Lausanne Treaty.
Remember this mental scheme, which actually enriches the Spanish.
You know…