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Naxos has been inhabited without interruption
from the 4th millennium BC to the present. In
ancient times Naxos was the largest and the most
fertile island in Cyclades, known for its wine
and the worship of Dionysos.
As first inhabitants are mentioned people from
Thrace. Then Kares, Cretans and Iones came. Kares
came around 11th ct B.C., when also the island
was named Naxos, form their leader Naxos. (During
the Middle Age it was called Naxia and the Axia
(Worth)).
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Around 536 - 535 B.C., because
of civil war between aristocrats and democrats,
Peisistratos - tyrant of Athens - enforced in
Naxos tyrant Lygdamis. Naxos then reached to the
acme of its glory and it dominated Andros and
Paros. For a lot of years dominated sea and had
an army of almost 8000 men. When Spartans got
rid of Lygdamis, the government was in the hands
of the rich landholders of the island. A new insurrection
had as a result the interference of the tyrant
of Militos Aristagoras, giving to Persians the
handle. The failure of their campaign against
Naxos caused the rebellion in Ionia, causing the
start of the Persian War.
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In 490 B.C. the Persian generals
Datis and Artafernis with 600 triremes burnt the
churches and the town of Naxos. After the end
of the Persian War, Naxos became member of the
Athenian alliance. A rebellion against the alliance
had no success. In 453 it was occupied by Athenians.
At the beginning Naxos paid to the Athenians a
6 talent tax and later 15 talents. In 338 B.C.,
after the battle of Chaironeia, it was conquered
by the Macedonians and later in the occupation
of Ptolemaios, who also imported the Egyptian
god worship. In the years of the Roman civil wars,
Naxos was under the authority of Rhodes. At the
same time, it was a place for the political exiles
of Rome.
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In Roman times Naxos belonged
in the prefecture of the Islands. The commander
was proconsul and was situated in Rhodos.After the
abolition of the Byzantine Empire from the Crusaders
(1204), Naxos was conquered after figths that lasted
5 weeks in Marcos Sanoudos, who became Duke of Naxos
and of the Aegean Sea. He built at the highest place
of the town, above the greek houses, a palace wit
12 towers, made the port in such a way in order
to be suitable for naval yard. He also built a cathedral
for the Latin Archbishop; he distributed the best
fields to his followers and conquered also the islands
of Antiparos, Sifnos, Kimolos, Milos, Folegandros,
Ios and Santorini, joining them to his ducat.
Twenty dukes from the house of Sanoudos, Dalekatseri
and Krispon ruled successively in Duke Throne of
Naxos until 1537. Then, with no obvious cause, Chairedin
Barbarosa came to Naxos and John Krispos (12th Duke)
gave him the keys of the gates. Turks held Krispos
in the ship and raided the town and the palace.
He gave his freedom back in exchange for a yearly
5000 golden coins tax.
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In 1564, Duke John died and
his son Iakovos took the throne, but he was forced
by the Turks to leave and in 1566 the Duke of Naxos
went to the rich Israeli Joseph Nazi, who was the
choice of Sultan Selim. This duke rules, having
Spaniard Francisco Koronelo as inspector. After
the death of Nazi and Koronelo, Naxos became part
of Turkey until 1821, with a break between years
1770 - 1774, when among with other islands of Cyclades
was in the hands of Russians. The time of the Venice
- Turkey war the Venice fleet took Aegean, having
as a consequence Naxians to pay double taxes (in
Venice and in Turkey). This lasted until 1699, when
Turks by conquerinf Crete became the only leaders
in Aegean.
The
taxes in Turks were 6000 grosia in 1676 and 10500
in 1700. Naxos had a Turkish commander and six co-commanders,
who were elected every year from the inhabitants.
On the 21st October 1675 Naxos town was raided by
pirate Ougo d' Kreveler. Three years later (26th
August 1678) d' Kreveler, with a lot of French and
Maniates pirates came to Naxos and captured the
commander and his brother Ali Tselempi. They capture
also and other Turks, men , women and children and
they caused a lot of damage. Naxos suffered a lot,
because Turks assumed that the capture of the commander
was done after a deal with Naxians. In
1826 the Austrian admiral Paulugi, attacked with
his fleet against Naxos and 700 men conquered
the town. According to them the cause was that
the residents of Naxos, Kasos and Crete, equipped
pirate boats and robbed Austrian cargo ships.
Paulugi left three days later after taking a signed
paper of obedience from Cretans, while Naxians
were safe in the highest mountain of the island.
In May 1941 Naxos was occupied
by the Italians and in October 1943 by Germans.
It was freed on the 15th October 1944.
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4th millennium BC
Neolithic settlements.
