The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-05
TIE ISLAND OF CRETE
A Brief Historical Account Of
Thrilling Interest.
Story Of the isle Of Ono Hundred
Cities" from the Age Of Fable
TO the Present Year
Of trace.

Cities" from the Age Of Fable
TO the Present Year
Of trace.
There are not many islands with .
more stormy or more heroic history
than that of Crete. In remote antiquity
IT was the redoubtable Isle of One
Hundred Cities" and had an illustrious
line of kings, among whom were Rhad-
amanthus, Minos and Idomeneus. The
last-named led a feet of so ships to
assist in the conquest of Troy, and was
the last of what we may call the legend.
airy kings. After him gap of several
centuries occurs, and when the record
authentic history. At the time of the
Persian invasion Of Greece the island
! was populous and gge12erous. 1t was
divided into several independent re-
publics, which, like those of the PENN
sular Hellas, were not always in peace
and friendship with each other. They
kept free from foreign wars, however,
except as they voluntarily furnished
mercenary troops to whichever side
would pay best for them. This was
done in both the Persian and Pelopon-
nesian wars. when the Cretan archers
were as noted and as dreaded as those
Of Merry England in later ages.
The prowess of the ancient Cretans
and their insular position kept them
free from, invasion down almost to the
Christian era. While the eagles Of Rome
slapped wide wings in fiery fight"
over nearly all else of the known world
that island retained its independence.
Indeed, it was only through intestine
quarrels that it was at last subdued.
Some 20 years before the Christian era
Rome took advantage of the prevailing
iiscord in Crete to invade the island,
on the pretext that the Cretans had
given aid and comfort to Mithridates,
and had ill-treated some Roman soldiers.
The first army was repulsed and almost
STIMULATED by the Cretans. But Rome
was determined TO achieve the conquest.
If it took the whole power OF her en-
pire. Army after army was sent, and
after three years of desperate fight
ing Rome prevailed. For the first time
in her history Crete became, in 6s B. c.,
subject to an alien master. From that
day to the present, for more than 200
years, she has been a conquered prov
ince, never once regaining the indie
pendence SO long maintained and so re-
luctantly relinquished.
For many years Crete remained an
appendage of Rome, and then of BY.
zantium. It first fell into Moslem hands
in S23, when the Arabs, led by Michael
the Statterer, found it an easy prey.
No important attempt to COLOMBO II
was made by the new conquerors. but
many of the Greek inhabitants, volun-
tarily or involuntarily, accepted the
Noslem faith. So it comes to pass that
ut this day there are few Turks or Arabs
IN the island, though many Moham-
medans, the latter being OF as pure
Greek blood as their Christian neigh
bors. After 1877 years of Arab rule the
island was retaken by the Greeks under
Nicephorus Phocas, who taught the
Arabs what he thought IAN everlasting
lesson" It remained under Greek rule
until the establishment Of the Latin
empire by the crusaders, when. in 1904,
it was turned over to Boniface, mar
quis of Monferrat. The Genoese tried
to buy it of him, but he sold it to their
rivals, the Venetians, instead, for the
sum of 100000 silver marks. The Gre
tans revolted against the Venetians,
and, assisted by Genoa, gave them much
trouble. Indeed, during their several
centuries of ownership, the Venetians
had few years of peace with the turbu-
lent islanders.
The second Moslem conquest dates
text that Venice had given assistance
TO the knights Of Malta, sent an army
Of 100, 900 men to seize the island. 1t
took them nearly two months to cap
ture the port of Canea, and no less than
"a years to reduce the capital city OF
Gambia. Then Venice yielded the whole
island to the Turks, excepting three
ports. the last Of which she also re-
linquished in 1918. Thereafter came the
bloodiest chapter in Cretan history. OPP
pressions, rapine, torture and massacre
made UP the daily story for more than
100 years. The Cretans were in a chronic
state of revolt, and in 1921 would prob
ably have been successful had not an
Egyptian army come to the aid of the
Turks. Seven years later, when Greece
became independent, Crete was ceded
to Egypt as reward for the latter's
services For some years thereafter.
under the wise rule of Mehemet Ali and
Mustapha Pasha, the island enjoyed
such prosperity. peace and justice as
it had not known for many centuries.
Unhappily, in 1870 the powers COM
PEELED Mehemet Ali to surrender II
again TO Turkey, and since then af-
fairs have been nearly rs bad as pos
sible. The great rebellion of 80 years
ngo resulted in the granting OF some
reforms But the Cretans did not know
how TO make proper use of the advan-
tage they had gained. and now The whole
battle must be fought over again.-N. Y.
Tribune.
THE MAN OF THE HOUSE.