After the Fall of Constantinople, Emperor Mohammed II in 1460, occupied Laconia, the fortress of Mystra and all the surrounding area. The Ottomans controlled the region for the next 360 years, excluding a period from 1684 to 1715, when the Venetians dominated Laconia. In the years of Ottoman rule, the Turks were drawn to settle in Katavothra due to its abundant cultivated land and its very productive vineyards. In this manner, before the War of Independence in 1821, fifteen Turkish families and thirty-six Greek families resided in Katavothra. Most of the fertile land was taken by the Turks, with less fertile land falling to the Christians.