Venetian Cyprus
Cyprus, 1489–1571. Draft, not yet reviewed
The island of Cyprus was an overseas possession of the Venetians from 1489, when the independent Kingdom of Cyprus ended, until 1571, when the island was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. Under Caterina, who ruled Cyprus from 1474 to 1489, the island was controlled by Venetian merchants, and on March 14, 1489, she was forced to abdicate and cede the administration of the country to the Republic of Venice. The Venetians saw Cyprus primarily as a military base. Famagusta and Nicosia were ringed with massive earthworks, cased with stone.
Seat of power: Nicosia
No rulers documented for this era yet.
Culture
- Venetian Cyprus was composed primarily of Greek Orthodox peasants, who were oppressed by the Latin ruling class (related to the former Lusignan kings).
- It was estimated to include some fifty thousand serfs.
- Venice favored Catholicism, leading to an increase in Catholic followers, which caused some friction with the local Greek Orthodox clergy.
Picture
The Walls of Nicosia, also known as the Venetian Walls, are a series of defensive walls which surround Nicosia, the capital city of Cyprus.
Image: Nicosia029, CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.