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Byzantine Recapture of Crete
In 961 CE, Byzantine general Nikephoros Phokas led an expedition to capture Arab-ruled Crete and its capital Chandax (modern Heraklion), ending about…
Timeline
- 960–961Crete · CreteNikephoros Phokas assembled a large combined naval and land force in Constantinople and, after lengthy preparations for a siege, landed on Crete in early 961, cutting the Arab garrison off from the outside world.
- 961Chandax · CreteByzantine forces besieged the fortified stronghold of Chandax using siege engines and tunneling tactics, eventually breaching the defenses, annihilating the garrison, and capturing the Arab emir Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Qurti.
- 961–962Crete · CreteByzantium rebuilt administrative and ecclesiastical systems on the island, restoring Christian rule; Cretan piracy was eradicated and Aegean shipping security greatly improved.
Sources
- Byzantium and Its Army, 284-1081 — Warren Treadgold (1995)
- The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium — Alexander Kazhdan (ed.) (1991)