Society, Administration And Identities In Latin Greece 127
Zante (1484) were peaceably annexed during the second half of the 15th
century, with Cyprus, which had been ruled by the Lusignan dynasty for three
centuries, following shortly afterwards (1489).
In addition, between the second half of the 15th and the early 18th centu-
ries, the Venetian Stato da Mar experienced significant territorial upheavals
as a consequence of the seven Veneto-Ottomans wars. These wars led to suc-
cessive losses for Venice—Euboea (1470), then its Peloponnesian bases (1503,
1540), Cyprus (1571), Crete (1669), the Peloponnese for a second time and
Tenos (1715)—though these were offset by the expansion of Venetian rule to
the Ionian Islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca (1500), as well as Lefkada (1684).
The treaty of Passarowitz in 1718 restricted the Venetian state to the Ionian
Islands and their mainland appendages (Vouthrotos, Parga, Preveza, Vonitsa).
Subsequently, Venice continued to rule her much-reduced Greek territories
until she was dissolved by Napoleon’s forces in 1797. In the same year, French
troops disembarked on the Ionian Islands, thereby bringing to an end many
centuries of Venetian rule over Greek regions.22
In the Greek-Venetian East the administration was divided into two lev-
els, Venetian and local. Senior posts were held by Venetian nobles appointed
by the metropolis for terms of service lasting just a few years. Their areas of
competence were laid out in special texts handed to them on their departure
(capitularia/commisiones), while on completion of their term they would sub-
mit reports (relazioni) to the Senate in Venice. In large regions, political and
military power was wielded by a triumvirate (Regimen); in smaller regions, a
single official was charged with their administration. In the former case, the
head of the administration, whose title varied from region to region (duca
in Candia and rettori in Rethymnon and Canea, baillo on Corfu and Euboea,
locotenente on Cyprus, provveditor on Zakynthos and Cephalonia), was flanked
by two advisers (consiliarii). A particularly significant place in the administra-
tive hierarchy was occupied by the heads of the economic services and local
secretariats.
Offices with supervisory competencies were also introduced (provvedi-
tore general on Crete, provveditore general da mar/di Levante, sindici, avo-
gadori, inquisitori in Levante). However, lower-level posts existed as well,
held by locals who were members of the highest social tiers and of the local
communities.23 Meanwhile, the social system which evolved in the Greek-
22 For an overview, see Kostas G. Tsiknakis, “Ο ελληνικός χώρος στη διάρκεια της βενετοκρατίας”
[“Greek Lands during Venetian Rule”], in Βενετοκρατούμενη Ελλάδα, 1:21–67.
23 In brief, see Michela Dal Borgo, “Ανώτεροι αξιωματούχοι στη βενετική Ρωμανία (σχεδιάγρα μμα)”
[“High-Ranking Officials in Venetian Romania (an Outline)”], in Βενετοκρατούμενη Ελλάδα,