Cretan Stateball

Cretan Stateball was an island stateball of in South .
==The Start of Ottoman Rule and the First Rebellion==
The island of Creteball had historically been ruled by either the Byzantineball or Republic of Veniceball (once Constantinople had fallen). However, after an event known as "The Cretan War" (which saw Veniceball and Ottomanball fight), the island became subject to Ottoman Turkish rule. However, it could be accurately said that immediately after Ottomanball had taken control, revolutionary action started to take place.
In 1770, a man by the name of "Daskalogiannis" from the autonomous area of Sfakia, began to communicate with the long time rebels of Maniball and (due to Russian influence) Count Orlov of Russian Empireball. The Russians instigated and encourage a rebellion in Greece (later to be known as the "Orvlov Revolt") from the natives of Mani (in exchange for "guaranteed Russian intervention"), thus giving birth to the struggle against Turkish rule and Revolutionary Creteball. Revolutionary Creteball managed to take control of Sfakia and other parts of Crete, effectively creating their own independent nation with their own currency.
However, Russia never intervened, thus leaving Revolutionary Creteball abandoned, allowing the Ottomans to brutally crush the 1,300 strong rebellion. With the fall of Sfakia came the fall of its autonomy, with Daskalogiannis being skinned alive and executed. It would be quite some time until Revolutionary Creteball would once again threaten Ottoman rule.
==The Revolts during the Greek War of Independence==
With the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, Revolutionary Creteball was once again formed in an effort to break free from the Ottomans. The initial retaliation saw Ottomanball execute bishops that were accused of being "ring-leaders". However, despite this, Revolutionary Creteball was able to see some progress, forcing Ottomanball to call on their vassal of Egypt Eyaletball. With Egypt Eyaletball's entry into the war, Revolutionary Creteball attempted to see their factions unify against this common threat, only to be decisively defeated and reduced to isolated mountainous enclaves in 1825. Creteball was now under the occupation of Egypt Eyaletball.
During 1825, Cretan troops numbering 300's returned from fighting in Peloponneseball, hoping to continue the fight against the Egyptians and Ottomans. Now basing themselves in Gramvousa (along with capturing the fortress at Kissamos), the rebels successfully restored the insurgency, stopping Ottomanball from firmly quashing all resistance (although they managed to stop it from spreading, thus isolating the forces in Gramvousa). Despite this, Revolutionary Creteball managed to survive through piracy (with Gramvousa being a hub of piracy, disrupting Ottomanball's trade and reinforcements) and started to create schools and a church. After another wave of Greek forces came into the island (successfully capturing Sfakia only to be crushed by the Turks), pirates and klephts that made up Revolutionary Creteball was brutally crushed by UKball's ships, thus putting an end to Revolutionary Creteballs piracy and control.
==Further revolts in the 1800s==
Revolutionary Creteball would conduct further revolts in 1841 and 1858, only to be crushed yet again by Ottomanball (although after the 1858 revolt, the Cretans were given certain privileges). However, this did not phase the Cretan revolutionaries, who started yet another revolt in 1866 (known today as "The Great Cretan Revolution"). The rebels managed to control and take over much of the hinterland, however, the main cities were still under the control of Ottomanball Ottomanball. Basing themselves in the Arkadi Monastery, the rebels came under siege from Ottoman forces, amongst them being 700 women and children. When Ottomanball finally broke through this siege (after sacking and destroying other churches and cities), a gunpowder keg had blown up, causing the deaths of the civilians and international condemnation of Ottoman rule within Creteball. This revolution inspired others and cemented the idea of eventual Cretan independence from Ottoman rule.
Revolutionary Creteball would enact yet another revolt against Ottomanball in 1878, seeing the recently started Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878) as an opportunity to gain their freedom. Armed bands started forming whilst arms were being poured from Kingdom of Greeceball, despite concessions made by the ruling Ottomans. With further Greek support, and the fact that Revolutionary Creteball was seemingly beating Ottomanball within the island, Cretan exiles and veterans from the previous revolt started to return to the island in a move of support for the rebels. Ottomanball sent emissaries to negotiate with the rebels, who demanded autonomy (but remain as a tributary) and an elected Christian governor. The Ottomans delayed and so the revolution continued and intensified, seeing the entirety of the countryside under the control of Revolutionary Creteball, whereas the rest of the cities could not be taken without artillery. Pressured into a ceasefire by the UK, the Cretans agreed to enter negotiations with Ottomanball during the Congress of Berlin. This led to the creation of the Pact of Halepa, which saw Creteball gain a lot of rights, as well as semi-autonomy from Ottomanball (although, this barred them from achieving their goal of union with Greece). The rebellion, therefore, came to an end in 1878.
==Formation into the Cretan State==
Stability was achieved in Crete until the Ottomans reneged on the Halepa Pact, thus sparking another rebellion in 1895. This revolt started to expand, occupying the majority of Crete by 1897, only for the Great Powers of Europe to intervene with warships in order to stop the fighting. Greek troops within Crete saw a crisis and war occur, resulting in an Ottoman victory but the Treaty of Constantinople saw Creteball elevate in status as a suzerainty, resulting in the formation of Cretan Stateball, which would later unite with Kingdom of Greeceball in 1908.
==How to draw==
WIP
==Gallery==
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Category:Historical Countryballs
Category:Greeceball
Category:Europe
Category:Greek Speaking Countryball
Category:Cross
Category:Ottomanball
Category:Turkish Speaking Countryball
Category:Christian
Category:Orthodox
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Category:South Europe