A Different Kind of Occupation
While most of mainland Greece endured centuries of Ottoman rule, the Ionian Islands experienced a markedly different fate. From the 14th to the late 18th century, they came under the control of the Republic of Venice—a maritime empire that governed not through conquest alone but through commerce, diplomacy, and cultural assimilation. This distinct path profoundly shaped the region’s identity, leaving behind a legacy still visible in architecture, language, and political tradition.
The Venetians first gained control of Corfu in 1386, followed gradually by Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Lefkada, and eventually Kythera. Unlike the often brutal land-based Ottoman administration on the mainland, Venetian governance of the islands emphasized maritime security, local autonomy, and integration into the broader network of Venetian trade.
Religious policy was one of the most striking features of this occupation. Though Catholicism was officially promoted, the Venetians permitted the continued operation of the Orthodox Church, especially from the 16th century onward. Local Orthodox clergy were generally tolerated, as long as they did not challenge Venetian authority. This policy of pragmatic tolerance helped avoid large-scale revolts and ensured cooperation from the Greek population.
In terms of administration, the Venetians established local councils and appointed provveditori (governors), often balancing their power with influential Greek notables. This created a hybrid political culture—neither fully Venetian nor traditionally Greek—where Ionian elites could participate in governance, albeit under colonial oversight.
The influence of Venetian rule also extended into language, architecture, music, and law. Italian words entered the local dialects, urban planning reflected Venetian tastes, and the legal system incorporated elements of Roman and Venetian codes. Education flourished, particularly in Corfu, and many Greek scholars who would later contribute to the Enlightenment received their early training under Venetian patronage.
Venetian rule ended with the arrival of Napoleon’s forces in 1797, but the Ionian Islands had already absorbed a distinct Western orientation. Compared to Ottoman rule, Venetian governance was often seen—particularly in retrospect—as more “enlightened,” although it remained, fundamentally, a foreign occupation driven by imperial interests.
Today, the Ionian Islands preserve not only the aesthetic remnants of Venetian influence—arcaded squares, bell towers, and loggias—but also a political and cultural memory of an occupation defined more by diplomacy than repression, and more by negotiation than assimilation.
Image: Wikimedia Commons – File:Corfu Old Fortress.jpg
