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N monastery to the ground did not deter the revolutionaries.

It was early November 1866 when around 1000 people had
taken refuge in the monastery; 325 men, and not all of them
armed; the rest were civilians, women and children from
nearby villages. The Ottomans sent an army of 6000 foot
soldiers, 200 horsemen, 30 cannons and a corps of 1200
Albanian fighters. At dawn on the 8th of November, they
stood before the monastery walls. That same night, two
additional heavy artillery cannons were brought in to take
down the resistance of the besieged, who had sent messages for
reinforcements that however never made it in time. That night,
everyone participated in the Holy Communion for the last
time. The next day, the cannons broke through the walls. The
defenders fought valiantly, giving it their all. In the meantime,
the Abbott had ordered the women and children to run to
the gunpowder storage room, and to blow it up once many
Near the village of Amnatos, approximately enemies were nearby. That night, most civilians were in the
23 km from Rethymnon and 500 metres gunpowder room, while hundreds of Ottomans were trying
above sea level, is nestled a monastery whose to break down the doors. Constantinos Giaboudakis warned
name became known around the world 150 those who wanted to leave to save their lives, crossed himself
years ago. It is the Arkadi Monastery, where and aimed his pistol at the barrels filled with gunpowder.
around 1000 Cretans, mainly women and The explosion was frightening, as was the fire that turned the
children, blew up barrels of gunpowder, civilians and their enemies into ashes. The battle continued
choosing to sacrifice themselves rather for a while, and only came to an end after the Ottomans
than surrender to the Ottomans who were guaranteed the life of those still fighting. These guarantees were
attacking the monastery by the thousands. not kept, as most prisoners were beheaded the next day. The
The fortified monastery took advantage of tragic tally: almost 1000 Cretans and 1500 Ottomans.
its position and strong defenses throughout The international outcry that followed further highlighted
the Ottoman occupation, offering sanctuary the great interest foreigners and philhellenes had expressed in
to Cretan rebels while also playing a major the Cretan Revolt. Newspapers published headlines to rally
role in the issue of unification with mainland support, as volunteers and resources from abroad were sent to
Greece. support the Cretans. Speaking to America and commenting
The Cretan Revolt of 1866 has been dubbed that Crete is Greece, Victor Hugo wrote: “In the 18th century,
a “second 1821”; it began in August 1866 France liberated America. Liberate Crete and we consider your
and the Arkadi Monastery became the debt repaid. Supporting Greece is like repaying France”.
headquarters of the revolutionaries. In With great impact on public opinion, the holocaust of the
fact, the Abbott of the monastery, Gavriil Arkadi Monastery and the barbarities committed by the
Marinakis, was elected Chairman of the Ottomans forced the Sultan to draft a kind of constitution that
Revolutionary Committee of Rethymno. granted a semi-autonomous status for Crete and made Greek
Ottoman threats of attacking and razing the equal to the Turkish language. But the desire for unification

THETIMELINE

Byzantine
Emperor Church of Saint
Arkadios rebuilds Constantine is
12th the monastery. 14th built.
cent. Ο Βυζαντινός cent. Ανεγείρεται ο
αυτοκράτορας ναός του Αγίου
Αρκάδιος Κωνσταντίνου.
xτίζει ξανά το
μοναστήρι.

116 GREC14N SPRING 2019