Siege of Candia

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Siege of Candia
partof= the Cretan War (Sixth Turkish-Venetian War)


caption=The city of Candia with its fortifications, 1651
date=1 May 1648 – 4 September 1669
place=Heraklion, Crete
territory=Crete ceded to Ottomans
result=Ottoman victory
combatant1=
combatant2=
commander1=Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed
commander2=Francesco Morosini
strength1=unknown
strength2=unknown
casualties1=ca. 120,000Fact|date=October 2007
casualties2=ca. 30,000Fact|date=October 2007The Siege of Candia (modern Heraklion, Crete) was a military conflict in which Ottoman forces besieged the Venetian-ruled city and were ultimately victorious. Lasting from 1648 to 1669, it was possibly the longest siege in history.

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.

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.

In response, 60,000 Ottoman troops led by Yussuf 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.

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 and disrupting the Venetian sea trade. For the next 16 years, the Turks bombarded the city without being able to gain entry.

Being a sea power, the Venetians sought to blockade the Dardanelles to prevent the Turks from resupplying their troops on Crete. This led 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.

On November 7 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.

In 1666, an expedition to regain Chania 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 had the same fate. On 24 July and during that attempt, "La Thérèse", a 900 ton French warship armed with 58 canons that was the vice-flagship of the fleet, sank off Candia due to an accidental explosion of the powder-keg. The accident had a devastating effect on the morale of the city's defenders.

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 on 27 September 1669.

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.

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.

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.
* Philippe de Vendôme, the nephew of the duke of Beaufort
* Vincenzo Rospigliosi, admiral of the fleet and Pope Clement's nephew.
* Charles de Sévigné.

ee also

* Naval battles of the Cretan Wars
* History of the Republic of Venice
* History of the Ottoman Navy
* Ottoman wars in Europe

References

* [http://www.hellenicbookservice.com/Kriti/cretan_history.htm#1217-1669 A Very Brief History of Crete] , Stelios Jackson
* [http://www.hri.org/infoxenios/english/crete/history.html Crete: History and culture] , Turkish Occupation (1669 - 1898)
* [http://www.msc.gr/veniva/uk/main/p2.htm The War for Candia] , by the VENIVA consortium.
* [http://www.veneto.org/history/serenissima3.htm#1645 Venice Republic: Renaissance] , 1645-69 The war of Candia, by Marco Antonio Bragadin.
* [http://www.holiday-malta.com/resort/malta/history/knightsofmalta3.htm Knights of Malta - Order of St John] .