On December 1, 1913, Crete was officially incorporated into the Greek state. Just a month ago, Sultan Mehmet V gave up all sovereignty over the island.
Most historians believe that since the Cretans joined the Greek War of Independence on June 14, 1821, the separation of Crete from the Ottoman Empire was a violent struggle that lasted for nearly a century and cost a lot of money.
However, on Sunday, December 1, 1913, in the presence of King Constantine and Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos, in the festive atmosphere of sunny Chania , Officially announced the establishment of a trade union.
On that day, white and blue and Byzantine flags were hoisted throughout the city and the entire island. Incredibly, this is the first time a Greek king has landed on Crete since he ruled the Byzantine emperor Nicky Phoros Focas from 963 to 969 and kicked the Greeks out of Crete.
According to a reporter from the Athens newspaper Estia from Chania, the celebrations culminated at 11:50 in the morning of Tuesday when the veteran fighters Anagnostis Mantakas (94) and Hatzimichalis Giannaris (88) raised the Greek flag at the fortress of Firkas. Meanwhile, 101 cannons were fired by Greek warships in celebration.
Crete entered the hands of the Ottoman Empire on October 4, 1669, when their army entered Chandakas (now Heraklion), ending the 465-year Venetian rule, which lasted 1204-1669.
