Location information

Listed 12 sub titles with search on: History for destination: "KEFALLONIA Island IONIAN ISLANDS".

History (12)

Official pages

Myth and Prehistory
  The island takes its name from the mythical hero Kefalos, who arrived there disconsolate after killing his wife by mistake. The island was his reward for aiding the king Amfitryon in his struggle against the mythical Tileboans and Tafians. Excavation finds around Fiskardo have led to the conclusion that the island was inhabited since Paleolithic times. The island had already developed an important civilization by the time of the Trojan War. This is clear from Homer's comments in the Odyssey.
The Ancient World
  In this period the island was divided into four cities: Sami, Pali, Krani and Pronnoi. They defended against the Persian invasions together with other Greeks during the Spartan Wars. They became divided during the Peloponnesian War. Pali supported the Corinthians while Krani allied itself with Athens. The island was conquered by the Romans in 187 BC. At the beginning of the 2nd century AD, Hadrian gave Kefalonia to Athens.
Venetians
  During the Byzantine years, Kefalonia headed the broader administrative region of Kefalonia. All this time, up to the Venetian conquest in 1500, Kefalonia suffered from barbarian and pirate raids and a succession of conquerors. After the conquest of the island by the Venetians, it became a famous transit and commercial station and enjoyed a period of prosperity.
The French and the Ionian State
  After the defeat of the Venetians and dissolution of the Venetian Republic, the islands were decisively taken over by the French, under the Treaty of Kamboformio in 1797. The people of Kefalonia welcomed the new government with relief. Then the defeat and destruction of the French fleet by the united Russo-Turkish fleet temporarily interrupted French dominance over the island. With the Treaty of 1800 the «Ionian Republic» was established as an autonomous region under the suzerainty of the Sultan. There followed the second French period, with the cession of the islands to Napoleon by the Russian czar. This didn't last long as the British occupied the islands two years later.
The English
  Together with the other Ionian Islands, Kefalonia also actively participated in organizing and conducting the Greek revolution of 1821, culminating with the participation of Kefalonian revolutionaries in the battle of Lala which was crucial for the revolution. The British rulers didn't look gladly on the people's participation in the events. The period is nevertheless characterized by a series of public benefit projects on the island, such as the bridge uniting Argostoli with the land across the strait and the justice building at Lixouri.
Incorporation and more recent times
  On the 21st of May 1864 the British formally proceeded with ceding the Ionian Islands to Greece. It was only a short while after the enthronement of the Danish prince as George I of Greece, who had been favored by British politicians in Athens. The act was largely the result of the intense pressure exercised by the people Already, during the British period, a movement aiming towards union had evolved in Kefalonia, whose main exponent was the Radical party. This had been preceded by free elections on the islands in 1850 and the parliament formed had declared with its vote the will of the people for union of the Ionian Islands with mainland Greece. Between the 15/27th of February 1862 the Kefalonian Radical Elias Iakovatos was unanimously elected as head of the Ionian parliament. On April 7th of 1864 the Greek representative Theofilos Zaimis arrived in Corfu and the British Commissioner handed authority over to him.