Crete Travel Guide - History

The earliest settlers on Crete were the Minoans, named after the King who legend has it saw his wife fall in love with a bull as a punishment from Poseidon for refusing to sacrifice a bull.

This period was one of great prosperity for Crete, peaking in around 1600 BC. There followed a period of some turbulence and many changes with the Dorian Greeks followed by the Romans under Quintus Metellus and then a period of Arab rule before the island was re-conquered by Nicephorus Phocas in 961 AD.

This Turkish rule continued for more than 200 years before the Cretans revolted against the Turks with a series of battles between 1896 and 1897 leading to a war between Turkey and Greece.

Ultimately, the majority of Turks were forced to leave Crete and an autonomous Cretan state was formed with minor Turkish control. The state was held together by a ruling commission of England, France, Italy and Russia who rejected the Cretans attempts to be united with Greece.

In WWII, Crete was a military base for the British and the setting for the Battle of Crete in 1941. This battle was one of the first significantly airborne battles in history and saw the Germans drive out the British Empire force. Following the end of the war and continuing today, Crete has developed and prospered, becoming a holiday destination with a thriving tourist industry.