page_title: Ionian Islands
section_title: Union with Greece
hierarchical_section_title: Ionian Islands / History / Union with Greece
caption_attribution_description: English: 5oth anniversary of the Union of the Eptanisos with Greece. Postcard published on the occasion of the 5oth anniversary of the Union of the Ionian Islands with Greece.Ελληνικά: Κεντρική Επιτροπή επί του Πανηγυρισμού της Πεντηκονταετίας της Ενώσεως της Επτανήσου. Καρτ ποστάλ που εκδόθηκε επ' ευκαιρία των 50 ετών από την Ένωση των Επτανήσων με την Ελλάδα.
context_page_description: The Ionian Islands are a group of islands in Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese, but the group includes many smaller islands as well as the seven principal ones.
  As a distinct historic region they date to the centuries-long Venetian rule, which preserved them from becoming part of the Ottoman Empire, and created a distinct cultural identity with many Italian influences. The Ionian Islands became part of the modern Greek state in 1864. Administratively today they belong to the Ionian Islands Region except for Kythera, which belongs to the Attica Region.
context_section_description: In 1862, Britain decided to transfer the islands to Greece, as a gesture of support intended to bolster the new King's popularity (probably and as a counterbalance to the newly established Italian state).
  On May 2, 1864, the British departed and the islands became three provinces of the Kingdom of Greece, though Britain retained the use of the port of Corfu. On 21 May 1864 the Ionian Islands officially reunited with Greece. Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark was born in Corfu in 1921 and grew up to become Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. In 1923, following orders by Mussolini, the Italians temporarly occupied Corfu.
caption: Postal card from 1914 on the 50th anniversary of union with Greece, featuring the flags of Greece and the British protectorate, and the emblems of the seven islands: ancient ship (Corfu), trident (Paxi), Odysseus (Ithaca), Venus (Cythera), Cephalus (Cephalonia), St George (Lefkada), Zacynthus (Zante)
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