The Siege of Candia (modern Heraklion, Crete) (1647-1669) was possibly the longest siege in history. Ottoman forces besieged the Venetian city and were ultimately victorious. Heraklion or Iraklion (Greek: Ηράκλειο Italian: Candia), is the largest city and the capital of Crete. ... For the famous World War II battle, see: Battle of Crete For other uses, see Crete (disambiguation). ... A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition, often accompanied by an assault. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... Map of the Venetian Republic, circa 1000 CE. The republic is in dark red, borders in light red. ...

Background

In the 1600s, Venice's power in the Mediterranean was waning, as Ottoman power grew. The Venetian Republic believed that the Ottomans would use any excuse to pursue further hostilities. November 5, 1605 â€” The Gunpowder Plot to blow up the British Parliament. ... Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. ...

In 1644 the Knights of Malta attacked an Ottoman convoy on its way from Alexandria to Istanbul. They landed at Candia with the loot, which included part of the Sultan's harem, returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca. // Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ... The Knights Hospitaller (also known as Knights of Rhodes, Knights of Malta, Cavaliers of Malta, and the Order of St. ... ---- Alexandria (Greek: , Coptic: , Arabic: , Egyptian Arabic: Iskindireyya), (population of 3. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically known in English as Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ... This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ...

In response, 60,000 Ottoman troops led by Yussut Pasha disembarked on Venetian Crete and occupied La Canea (modern Chania) and Rettimo (modern Rethimno). Both of these cities took two months each to conquer. Between 1645 and 1648, the Turks occupied the rest of the island and prepared to take the capital, Candia. Coordinates 35°31′ N 24°1′ E Country Greece Periphery Crete Prefecture Chania Population 53,373 source (2001) Area 12. ... Categories: Greece geography stubs | Crete | Cities and towns in Greece ... 1648 (MDCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ...

The Siege

In May 1648, the siege of Candia began. The Turks spent three months investing the city, which included cutting off the water supply. For the next 16 years, the Turks bombarded the city without being able to gain entry. 1648 (MDCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Being a sea power, the Venetians sought to blockade the Dardanelles to prevent the Turks from resupplying their troops on Crete. This lead to a series of naval actions focused on Crete. In 1655, the Venetian navy was victorious against the Turkish navy. On 26 August 1656, the Turks suffered a defeat, although the Venetian commander, Lorenzo Marcello fell. During 17-19 July 1657, the Venetian navy was soundly defeated by the Ottoman navy, and the Venetian captain, Lazzaro Mocenigo was killed by a failing mast. A blockade is any effort to prevent supplies, troops, information or aid from reaching an opposing force. ... Map of the Dardanelles The Dardanelles (Turkish: Çanakkale Boğazı, Greek: Δαρδανέλλια, Dardanellia), formerly known as the Hellespont (Greek: Eλλήσποντος, Hellespontos), is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. ... This is a chronological list of naval fleet battles: If a battles name isnt known its just referred to as Action of (date). // 456 - Romans under Flavius Ricimer defeat Vandals near Corsica 468 Cape Bon - Vandals defeat East and West Romans 551 - East Roman Byzantines under Artabanes... Events March 25 - Saturns largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christian Huygens. ... August 26 is the 238th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (239th in leap years). ... // Events Mehmed Köprülü becomes Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Events January 8 - Miles Sindercombe, would-be-assassin of Oliver Cromwell, and his group are captured in London February - Admiral Robert Blake defeats the Spanish West Indian Fleet in a battle over the seizure of Jamaica. ...

On 7 November 1659, with the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees and peace between France and Spain, Venice received more aid from the other western states. However, after the signing of the Peace of Vasvár (August 1664), the Turks were also able to bring more forces to bear. November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. ... // Events May 25 - Richard Cromwell resigns as Lord Protector of England following the restoration of the Long Parliament, beginning a second brief period of the republican government called the Commonwealth. ... The Treaty of the Pyrenees was a treaty signed in 1659 to end the war between France and Spain that had begun in 1635 during the Thirty Years War. ... The Peace of Vasvár was a treaty between the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire which followed the Battle of Saint Gotthard of August 1, 1664. ... Events March 12 - New Jersey becomes a colony of England. ...

In 1666 an expedition to retake Khania failed. In 1669 an attempt to lift the siege of Candia with a joint action between the French contingent on land and by sea under Mocenigo also failed. On 24 July and during that attempt, La Thérèse, a 900 tons French warship armed with 58 canons that was the vice-flagship of the fleet, sunk off Candia due to an accidental explosion of the powder-keg. The accident had a devastating influence on the moral of the city's defenders. 1666 is often called Annus Mirabilis. ... // Events Samuel Pepys stopped writing his diary. ... July 24 is the 205th day (206th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 160 days remaining. ...

The turning point was the decision of the French to leave Candia in August 1669. General Sea Captain Francesco Morosini, commander of the Venetian forces, was left with only 3,600 fit men to defend the fortress. He surrendered to Grand Vizier Ahmed Köprülü (Kioproulis) on 27 September 1669. // Events Samuel Pepys stopped writing his diary. ... Captain is a nautical term, an organizational title, and a rank in various uniformed organizations. ... Francesco Morosini was the Doge of Venice from 1688 to 1694, at the height of the Great Turkish War. ... A Vizier (وزير, sometimes also spelled Wazir) is an Arabic term for a high-ranking religious and political advisor, often to a king or sultan. ... Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Pasha (1635 – October 19, 1676), of the Köprülü family, was the grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1661 when he inherited the title from his father Mehmed Köprülü. He captured Crete in 1669 and signed the Treaty of Zorawno... September 27 is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events Samuel Pepys stopped writing his diary. ...

As part of the negotiations, all Christians were allowed to leave the city with whatever they could carry with them. In addition, Venice retained the possession of three fortresses (Grambusa, Souda and Spinalonga) on islets, which protected natural harbours where the Venetian ships could stop during their route eastwards and was compensated for the loss of Crete by an expansion in Dalmatia. However, Morosini negotiated the treaty without asking authorisation from the Venetian Senate, which made him a controversial figure for some years. Souda Island (Greek: Σούδα) is an island near the mouth of Souda Bay, Crete, between the Akrotiri Peninsula and the town of Kalives. ... Island of Spinalonga The Spinalonga island (official name Kalidon) is located in the eastern part of Crete next to the villages of Plaka and Elounda. ... Map of Dalmatia, in present day Croatia highlighted Dalmatia (Croatian: Dalmacija, Italian: Dalmazia) is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, in modern Croatia, spreading between the island of Rab in the northwest and the Gulf of Kotor (Boka Kotorska) in the southeast. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ...

It is said that Pope Clement IX fell ill in October after receiving news of the fall of the Venetian fortress of Candia. He died in December 1669. Clement IX, né Giulio Rospigliosi (January 28, 1600 - December 9, 1669) was pope from 1667 to 1669. ... // Events Samuel Pepys stopped writing his diary. ...

See also

• Naval battles of the Cretan Wars
• Republic of Venice
• Ottoman Turks
• Heraklion, Crete

This is a chronological list of naval fleet battles: If a battles name isnt known its just referred to as Action of (date). // 456 - Romans under Flavius Ricimer defeat Vandals near Corsica 468 Cape Bon - Vandals defeat East and West Romans 551 - East Roman Byzantines under Artabanes... Map of the Venetian Republic, circa 1000 CE. The republic is in dark red, borders in light red. ... The Ottoman Turks were the ethnic subdivision of the Turkish people who dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. ... Heraklion or Iraklion (Greek: Ηράκλειο Italian: Candia), is the largest city and the capital of Crete. ... For the famous World War II battle, see: Battle of Crete For other uses, see Crete (disambiguation). ...

Other Participants

• Knights of Malta fought at the Siege of Candia (in Crete) in 1668. In fact, by raiding a Turkish convoy en route from Alexandria to Constantinople in 1644 and capturing part of the sultan's harem, they could be said to have precipitated the crisis.
• Francois de Beaufort, who died there.
• Philippe de Montault-Bénac, marshal under the duke of Beaufort.
• Vincenzo Rospigliosi, admiral of the fleet and Pope Clement's nephew.
• Charles de Sévigné.

The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Knights of Malta, Knights of Rhodes, and Chevaliers of Malta) is an organization that began as an Amalfitan hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080 to provide care for poor and sick... // Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ... François de Vendôme, the Duc de Beaufort (January 16, 1616 - 25 June 1669) was the illegitimate grandson of Henri IV of France. ... François de Vendôme, the Duc de Beaufort (January 16, 1616 - 25 June 1669) was the illegitimate grandson of Henri IV of France. ... Clement IX, né Giulio Rospigliosi (January 28, 1600 - December 9, 1669) was pope from 1667 to 1669. ... Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné (February 5, 1626 – April 17, 1696), French letter-writer, was born at Paris. ...

References

• A Very Brief History of Crete, Stelios Jackson
• Crete: History and culture, Turkish Occupation (1669 - 1898)
• The War for Candia, by the VENIVA consortium.
• Venice Republic: Renaissance, 1645-69 The war of Candia, by Marco Antonio Bragadin.
• Knights of Malta - Order of St John.