New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-06
THE STORY OF CRETE.
FROM THE AGE OF FABLE TO THE PRESENT
YEAR OF GRACE.

FROM THE AGE OF FABLE TO THE PRESENT
YEAR OF GRACE.
There are not many islands with more stormy
or more heroic history than that Of Crete. In re-
mote antiquity 1t was the redoubtable isle OF one
Hundred Cities" and had an illustrious line OF
kings. among whom were Rhadamanthus Minos
and Idomeneus The last-named led fleet OF
eighty ships to assist In the conquest OF Troy and
was the last OF what we may call the legendary
kings After him a gap OF several centuries oc-
ours. and when the record Is resumed II Is no
longer fable but authentic history. AT the time
of the Persian invasion OF Greece the isiano "as
populous and prosperous. 1t was diVideo ihto
several independent republics, which, ike those
Of Peninsular Heas. were not always IN peace
and friendship with each other. They kept Tree
from foreign wars, however, except as tney Voiuh-
tarily furnished mercenary troops to whenever
side would pay best for them. This was done III
both the Persian and Peloponnesan 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 tapped wide wings In merry
flight" over nearly all else OF the known worio
that island retained its independence lndeed' IL
was only through intestine quarrels that II was at
last subdued. Some seventy years before the
Christian Era Rome took advantage OF the pre-
vailne discord in Crete to invade the island. on
the pretext that the Cretans had given aid and
comfort to Mithridates and had -treated some
Roman soldiers The first army was repulsed and
almost annihilated by the Cretans. But Rome
was determined to achieve the conquest, If 1t took
the whole power Of her Empire. Army after army
was sent and after three years Of desperate
fighting Rome prevailed. For the first time In her
history Crete became in IS B. c., subject to an
alien master From that day to the present, for
more than 1000 years, she has been conquered
province. never once regaining the independence
so long maintained and so reluctantly REIN
qulshed.
For many years Crete remained an appanage OF
Rome, and then of Byzantium. 1t first fell into
Moslem hands In S23 when the Arabs led by MI
chael the Sufferer, found 1t an easy prey. NO
important attempt to COLOMBO 1t was made by the
new conquerors, but many OF the Greek inhapi-
tants voluntarily or involuntarily, accepted the
Moslem faith So It comes to pass that at this day
there are few Turks or Arabs In the island
though many Mahometans. the latter being OF as
pure Greek blood as their Christian neighoors
After 1877 years Of Arab rule the Island was re-
taken by the Greeks under Nicephorus Phocas
who taught the Arabs what he thought IAN ever
lasting lesson" It remained under Greek rule
until the establishment Of the Latin Empire by
the Crusaders, when. in 1904, 1t was turned over
to Boniface, Marquis of Montferrat. The Geno-
csc tried to buy 1t of him. but he sold 1t to their
rivals the Venetians instead. for the sum OF
100000 silver marks. The Cretans revolted
against the Venetans, and assisted by Genoa
gave them much trouble Indeed, during their
several centuries Of ownership the Venetians had
few years Of peace with the turbulent islanders.
The second Moslem conquest dates from l64o
Sultan Ibrahim, on the pretext that Venice had
given assistance to the knights Of Malta, sent an
army Of 100 600 men to seize the island. 1t took
them nearly two months to capture the port OF
Canea, and no less than twenty-four years to re-
duce the capital city Of Gambia. Then Venice
Welded the whole island to the Turks, excepting
three ports the last Of which she also relin-
quished in 1115. Thereafter came the bloodiest
chapter In Cretan history. Oppression, rapine.
torture and massacre made up the daily story Tor
more than hundred years The Cretans were In
a chronic state of revolt and in 1871 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
| services For some years thereafter, under the
| wise rule OF Mehemet Ali and Mustapha Pacha,
the island enjoyed such prosperity peace ana JUS
tice as it had not known for many centuries. IN
| happily, in 1910 the Powers compelled Mehemet
| Ali to surrender 1t again to Turkey, and since
then affairs have been nearly as bad as possible.
The great rebellion Of thirty years ago resulted IN
| the granting Of some reforms. But the Cretans
| did not know how to make proper use OF the adj
| vantage they had gained. and now the whole bat
| tie must be fought again.