INTRODUCTION

Blue jeans and banks: a very

medieval stor

The Republic of Genoa was an Italian merchant republic

that existed from 1005 to 1797. Genoa was originally a
city-state in northwestern Italy, but it would expand to
build a naval empire that would include several cities on
the Levantine coast during the Crusades, parts of the
Crimea, and several cities on the island of Cyprus
(1372-1409). Due to its geographic location and
excellent harbor, Genoa was an important center for
European crusaders. As a result, Genoa’s merchants
began selling a variety of different goods to these new
trading ports, including: wine, olive oil, and wool. It is not
known that modern blue jeans owe their name to blue
wool cloth created in Genoa. The cloth became popular
among sailors at the time due to its durability, and has
continued into modern time. The durability is connected
to the use of alum in the dying of cloths. The growth of
Genoa caused the con ict with rival maritime republics,
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most especially Venice and resulted in the Venetian-
Genoese Wars which lasted from 1236 to 1381.

In 1256 in Acre, Palestine a war breaks out between

Genoese on one side, Venetians and Pisans on the other.
Two years later Genoa loses the base for its businesses.
Then it began negotiations with Emperor Michael
Paleologo, who aimed to restore the Roman Empire in its
true seat, Constantinople. Genoa sends ambassadors to
the Emperor and signs a bene cial treaty of alliance:
Genoa offers his military and naval collaboration to
recapture Constantinople, while Emperor Michael
Paleologo promises in exchange for his Ligurian allies
the district occupied by the Venetians in the capital, the
possession of Smyrna and the passage through the
straits towards the Black Sea. In 1261 the Genoese were
granted the alum mines of Phocaea by the Byzantine
Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologo. The mines helped
establish Genoa’s clothing industry.

In July 1261, before the arrival of the Genoese ships,

Michael Paleologo recaptured Constantinople but kept
his commitments towards the Genoese, who destroy the
Venetian palace with festive brutality. The treaty opens a
new episode of the Genoese expansion in the East: in
1267 Genoa settled in Pera, created new colonies in
Crimea, at the mouth of the Danube and the Don,
guaranteed the opening of the Black Sea. For almost a
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 century they traded with the Mongols. However, in 1346

the Mongols besiege Caffa, their main colony in the
Black Sea. It is the start of the Black Death in Europe.

Genoa took no part in the Fourth Crusade, which

temporarily resolved the Byzantine Empire, but her sons,
the Zaccaria and the Gattilusi, later on became petty
sovereigns in the Aegean; the long administration of
Chios by the Genoese society of the Giustiniani is one of
the earliest examples of the government of a colonial
dependency by a Chartered Company, the Maona. In
the 13th and 14th century the Mongols controlled a vast
area of Eurasia, from the shores of the Baltic Sea to the
Crimean Peninsula and to the Lake of Aral in Central
Asia. The stability of this empire made Caffa, then a
Genoese colony, the terminal of an important silk route. In
addition to the Chinese products, the Mongols sold furs
and slaves to the Genoese. In 1346 there were undesired
travelers from Caffa to Constantinople: rats bearing the
eas at the origin of the Black Death, the epidemic which
reduced the population of Europe by roughly one-third.
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INTRODUCTION

The Prototyp
Vincent Boland, 2009

On the 2nd of March 1408, eight mean were called by

the Signoria di Genova to gather in the great hall of the
Casa di San Giorgio, a trading house on the main street
in Genoa, a few meters from where the waters of the
Ligurian Sea lap the Italian shore. Merchants and rich
and powerful representatives of the city’s most in uential
families met to discuss a matter of the utmost gravity. La
Superba, our Repubblica, had fallen on hard times. After
years of war with the despicable Venetians and a
crushing defeat at the battle of Chioggia in 1381, after
which all our dreams to commerce in the Adriatic Sea
were for ever lost, La Superba was effectively bankrupt.
The task of the eight bankers was to rescue her. A few
months earlier, towards the end of 1407, the Signoria di
Genova has authorized the Casa di San Giorgio to carry
out this job. It would be accomplished by creating a bank
that would facilitate the repayment of Genoa’s debts in
return for interest at 7 per cent and the right to collect
taxes and customs owed to the city. The purpose of the

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meeting that spring day was to declare the Banco di San
Giorgio open for business.

The Banco di San Giorgio would, in time, become as

powerful as the republic that created it – more powerful,
according to Niccolò Machiavelli. It would survive for
nearly 400 years. It would become the world’s rst
modern, public bank, not just a forerunner of the Bank of
England but its prototype. From the 15th to the 18th
century its coffers were lled with the riches of Genoese
capitalists all over Europe. Christopher Columbus,
Genoa’s most illustrious son, would be a customer.
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 INTRODUCTION

Emmissary of the Empire, 126

Isaakios Doukas, advisor of the Emperor of the Romans Michael
Palaeologo, Nymphaio, 1261

“Once when Jacob was cooking lentils, Esau came in

from the eld, and he was exhausted.  And Esau said to
Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am
exhausted”. Jacob answered: “Sell me your birthright
rst.”  Esau said, “I am about to die of hunger! Of what
use is a birthright to me now, give me to eat please.” But
Jacob insisted: “Swear to me now.” So, Esau swore to
Jacob and sold his birthright. Then Jacob gave Esau
bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank but when he rose
and went his way his birthright was gone for good.
Genesis 25:29-34 

Being an eyewitness of all the events, I decided to write

down my account how we tried to recapture the Queen
City from the Francs, who reside it for 57 years now,
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 destroying it every day a bit more. Because we will be

judged for our actions when the time comes and
because it is important to inform the successors to live
prudently and learn from the mistakes of the past and not
allow themselves to plunge in a sea of extortions and
lies, as we did, and pay for the mistakes of others. It was
the lack of naval forces that dictated to address the
Genoese, exactly because they were the arch-rival of the
Venetians and already engaged in a war with them. On
March 13, 1261, we signed a trade and defense
agreement with them, whereby Genoa agreed to ally with
my nephew, Michael Palaeologus and Emperor of the
Romans in the event of war and to provide a eet of up to
fty ships during the projected siege to recapture
Constantinople. In addition, the treaty stipulated the
permission for horses and weapons to be purchased by
us from the Genoese territories, and for Genoese
subjects to enter Nicaean service. In exchange, the
Genoese would receive tax and custom concessions
throughout our lands, including their own trading quarter
in Pera, on the coast of the Golden Horn opposite
Constantinople, as well as other ports within the lands of
the Empire.

Michael had to guarantee their protection and that he will

not allow anyone in the Empire to take arms against them
and will expel any pirate from its state and punish anyone
who does something wrong against them. He rati ed all
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the rights and privileges which the Genoese enjoyed in
Constantinople before the Crusaders conquered it and if
with God's help, he was to recapture it, he will give them
the palaces they had before the impious conquest, which
occurred in the accursed year of 1204. As Genoa did
not participated this horrible conquest, it would get also
the church of St. Mary with the commercial galleries and
the cemetery and the plot where now the Venetians built
fortress, as long as Genoa immediately sends navy aid to
us with numerous galleys and men.

As the fate of our Empire laid in our hands, we had to

make more concessions and Michael granted the
Genosese the city of Smyrna with ownership and
jurisdiction and its port and whatever belongs to it for
eternal use with the exception of the privileges and rights
of the Orthodox diocese of the city and the possessions
of the nobles. He also decided to donate them annually
500 golden coins and when he sent me to Genoa to ratify
the Treaty with those crusader-merchants, he sent two
gold-plated fabrics to the Archbishopric of Genoa and
gold-plated fabrics for the bishop and in the memory of
the former Emperor Manuel. As the fate of our Empire
laid in our hands, we had to make more concessions and
Michael granted the Genosese the city of Smyrna with
ownership and jurisdiction and its port and whatever
belongs to it for eternal use with the exception of the
privileges and rights of the Orthodox diocese of the city

and the possessions of the nobles. He also decided to

donate them annually 500 golden coins and when he
sent me to Genoa to ratify the Treaty with those crusader-
merchants, he sent two gold-plated fabrics to the
Archbishopric of Genoa and gold-plated fabrics for the
bishop and in the memory of the former Emperor Manuel.
Michael was not willing to concede to them all those
privileges, but they knew well that we were in an urge to
move and they have literally extorted the conditions
reminding Michael about the treaty they have signed with
Emperor Manuel Komnenos in 1155, insisting that it was
due to their alliance that Emperor Michael controlled the
Venetians for the next 20 years, but forgot to mention that
they did not risk ghting alongside Manuel against Sicily
for fear of upsetting the German Emperor Barbarossa.

Michael heavy heartedly agreed that he will not impede

Genoese ships to export from the empire any
commodities or grain, nor impose any customs duties,
unless one is a debtor or guilty of a crime and will be
sent to Genoa to be tried by the courts there. He will not
impose any taxes or other payment or bene t rights on
the Empire or in the countries which he might re-capture,
but only those that were already agreed with Emperor
Manuel in 1155 and that he will not allow other Francs to
trade in the Black Sea except for the Genoese. He nally
promised to release all those Genoese who had been
convicted of crimes and were held in the Empire's
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prisons and to allow them to return to their homeland. All

he had sworn with an oath and rati ed for himself and his
successors.

For their part, the Genoese promised that by signing this

treaty, lasting peace between the Genoese and the
Emperor and his successors will prevail. They promised
to protect the interests and rights that the Emperor's
envoys and his subjects wanted to gain in Genoa and
that the merchants of the Empire would enjoy freedom
and would be able to export weapons and horses from
Genoa free of duty or other taxes and would further enjoy
all the protection that is appropriate to the traders, to the
shipwrecked or to the individual persons. And that
Genoa would not allow a eet army to be equipped in
Genoa to invade any part of the Empire. All Genoese are
free to serve the Emperor by providing galleys of
weapons and horses. Those who reside in the Empire are
obliged to defend it but cannot be prevented or have
their goods con scated, if they desire to leave. If a
Genoese commander and his ship is located in any port
if the Empire is invited by the imperial commander to
send men and food to an enemy-threatened fortress and
to provide protection as long as it is needed, he has to
do so, otherwise he would be punished by Genoa itself
like as if he would be traitor of his own fatherland. Genoa
will send from one to 50 galleys to be paid by the
Emperor. The maintenance costs are set as follows:

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each galley will give 90 centenaria toasted bread per
month, which expressed in the measurements of the
Empire count 14.400 liters. They also promise to supply
with 10 modia of beans which corresponds to 80 liters,
with 6 centenaria salted meat which corresponds to 960
Greek liters, 100 liters of Greek cheese; 240 liters of
Nymphaean wine from Nicaea in Bythinia.

Genoa is obliged to prepare every galley with the

necessary equipment and armament to sail. The salaries
of the galley crew are to be paid in the imperial 20-carat
golden coin. The galley captain receives 6 ½ golden
coins; the 4 boatswains receive 13, that is to say 3
golden coins and 6 carats each one of them. The 40
sailors of the gallery receive 100, that is to say 2 golden
coins and ½ carats each. The galley baker receives 1
golden coin and 18 carats. The 108 oarsmen of each
galley receive 189, that is to say 1 golden coin and 18
carats each one of them. All the salaries and the supplies
shall be paid by the Emperor, starting with the departure
of the ship from the port of Genoa. The Republic has
agreed to prepare every ship with the necessary
equipment and arms so that it can sail out of its port
when needed. The Emperor may use the Genoese ships
against any enemy with the exception of the Church of
Rome and the states and baronies with whom Genoa has
a peace treaty. The names of those allies will be
recorded in writing as soon as the treaty is signed and

 rati ed. These allies are, The Pope in Rome, the German
Emperor Fredericus Hohenstaufen, the Kings of France,
Castille, England, Sicily, Aragon, Armenia, Cyprus and
Jerusalem, the Duke of Provence, Philippe Montferrat,
Seigner of Tyros, and all his successors in Cyprus,
Jerusalem and Syria, the Knights Hospitallers of Saint
John of Jerusalem and all the religious orders, the city of
Ptolemais, the King of Tunis, the Sultans of Babylon,
Damascus, Aleppo, Antioch, the Marquis of Monferrat
and all the Lombards, the city of Pisa and Guillaume
Villehardouin, prince of Achaia and all his ancestors.

It is forbidden to any Genoese who imports or exports

goods to deceive or infringe on the rights of the Roman
Empire and this will be certi ed by the Genoese
consulates of the Empire. The Genoese traders will be
able to export from the state all goods freely, but gold
and silver; however, they can export the hyperpyra, the
Empire’s golden coins and Turkish coins. The envoys
and commissioners are entitled to have a commercial
arcade in Chios, Mytilene, Smyrna, Ainos, Kassandra
and God willing also in Constantinople, Crete and
Euboea. Genoese merchants must declare all goods
brought to Genoa from other countries and pay the
appropriate taxes. The merchandise brought by Greek
merchants from the empire or goods of other nations
must be deposited in special warehouses and its origin
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should be examined, so to de ne which merchandise is

subjected to taxes and which is not.

The Treaty has been signed in Nicaea in the palace of

the Palaiologoi on the 13th of March 1261 by the
emissaries of the Republic of Genoa Guillermo Visconti
and Barnerio Giudice and the legal representative of the
Republic of Genoa, Fulco Zaccaria. On the 28th of April
the Treaty has been rati ed by the Emperor and was
sealed by his imperial golden stamp, the Bulla d’Oro in
front of the notary Giacopo Mazucchi. The rati cation by
the Republic of Genoa has taken place on the 10th of
June 1261 by Fulco Zaccaria, and the emissaries of the
Emperor, myself, the archdeacon Leon and Theodoros
Kryvitsiotis. After the rati cation of the Treaty by the
Republic of Genoa, a otilla of 10 galleys and another 6
ships has been gathered under the command of Martino
Boccanigra to sail to the Emperor and help him recapture
the city. Just a month later, it was God’s will that Michael
succeeded to recapture the Queen of Cities without the
help of the Genoese, but to whom now he and his
successors were eternally bound by that Treaty. And
despite the victory he felt like Esau who sold his birthright
for a lentil stew…

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INTRODUCTION

Black Death, 134

Gabriele de Mussi, Caffà, 1346

Oh God! See how the heathen Tartar races, pouring

together from all sides, suddenly invested the city of
Caffa and besieged the trapped Christians there for
almost three years. There, hemmed in by an immense
army, they could hardly draw breath, although food could
be shipped in, which offered them some hope. But
behold, the whole army was affected by a disease which
overran the Tartars and killed thousands upon thousands
every day. It was as though arrows were raining down
from heaven to strike and crush the Tartars’ arrogance.
All medical advice and attention were useless; the Tartars
died as soon as the signs of disease appeared on their
bodies: swellings in the armpit or groin caused by
coagulating humours, followed by a putrid fever.

The dying Tartars, stunned and stupe ed by the

immensity of the disaster brought about by the disease,

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and realizing that they had no hope of escape, lost

interest in the siege. But they ordered corpses to be
catapulted into the city in the hope that the intolerable
stench would kill everyone inside. What seemed like
mountains of dead were thrown into the city, and the
Christians could not hide or ee or escape from them,
although they dumped as many of the bodies as they
could in the sea. And soon the rotting corpses tainted the
air and poisoned the water supply, and the stench was
so overwhelming that hardly one in several thousand was
in a position to ee the remains of the Tartar army.
Moreover, one infected man could carry the poison to
others, and infect people and places with the disease by
look alone. No one knew, or could discover, a means of
defense.

As it happened, among those who escaped from Caffa

by boat were a few sailors who had been infected with
the poisonous disease. Some boats were bound for
Genoa, others went to Venice and to other Christian
areas. When the sailors reached these places and mixed
with the people there, it was as if they had brought evil
spirits with them: every city, every settlement, every
place was poisoned by the contagious pestilence, and
their inhabitants, both men and women, died suddenly.
And when one person had contracted the illness, he
poisoned his whole family even as he fell and died, so
that those preparing to bury his body were seized by

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death in the same way. Thus, death entered through the
windows, and as cities and towns were depopulated their
inhabitants mourned their dead neighbors.

Thus, almost everyone who had been in the East, or in

the regions to the south and north, fell victim to sudden
death after contracting this pestilential disease, as if
struck by a lethal arrow which raised a tumor on their
bodies. The scale of the mortality and the form which it
took persuaded those who lived, weeping and lamenting,
—the Chinese, Indians, Persians, Medes, Kurds,
Armenians, Cilicians, Georgians, Mesopotamians,
Nubians, Ethiopians, Turks, Egyptians, Arabs, Saracens
and Greeks, for almost all the East has been affected—
that the last judgement had come.

 The Golden Seal,1042

A.D
Listed as world heritage monument in 1990 mainly because of
its set of mosaics deriving from the ‘second golden age of
Byzantine art', Nea Moni, the New Monastery, has been built
by the masters of the imperial school of art in Constantinople
during the ages of mightiness and prosperity. The mosaics
mixed the early Renaissance art, that came from the Greek
regions of Asia Minor, with the priestly byzantine art create
this monumental byzantine painting of the Macedonian
dynasty re ecting the light with its powerful and bold
compositions. The Monastery was founded in the middle of
the 11th century by the Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos
(Gladiator). In 1049, the temple was inaugurated and the
works nished after his death during the reign of Empress
Theodora (1055-1056).
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Nea Moni has always provided shelter to people from all

over the world. During the Genoese dominion
(1346-1566) the monastery received visitors and
travelers, who were greatly attracted to this aesthetical
miracle; to pilgrims and faithful, who came to worship
Virgin Mary. Still today it attracts signi cant visitors from
all over the world. They come to enjoy a masterpiece,
representative of the 11th century Byzantine Art, an art
which rediscovers the motion and plasticity of Classical
Greece.

In 1822, during the Greek War of Independence in 1822

the Monastery was burned and plundered by the
Ottoman troops. In 1881 a strong earthquake destroyed
the buildings of the complex. Many alterations that the
Monastery has suffered through the ages have
concealed its original image, so that its tangible structure
has not reached our days intact. Restored to its former
glory, Nea Moni is again today a heritage symbol and a
landmark connected to national struggles for freedom
and the island’s dramatic fate.

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The Golden Seal, 1042 A.D

The Prophecy
Constantine IX, Emperor of the Romans, Constantinople, in the year
of the Lord 1042

You shall immediately to dispatch a messenger to the

island of Chios with my order to general Zyvos. He shall
leave with the rst available ship from the Queen City to
bring the order to Chios the soonest. Thus, he shall not
use a commercial ship, but should embark a quick
sailing dromon, which has 100 oars and 200 oarsmen in
service. The messenger shall be very skilled in military

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 matters and armed to the teeth. He will carry namely an

of cial decree, which I have signed with my name in the
imperial red ink and stamped with the imperial golden
seal. The message is this: I have decided to found a
Monastery in honor of Maria, the mother of our Savior, in
the island of Chios.

The messenger shall meet the three holy men, who

prophesied, to me, while I was in exile in the nearby
island of Mytilene, that I would ascend the throne. These
pious brothers have asked me to build a Monastery,
should the prophecy be ful lled. Now I am committed to
ful ll my part of the promise to the monks, Nikitas, John
and Joseph. As for expenses, do not worry, because
gold is owing from the public treasury, like a stream
slushing up from bounteous springs. Thus, I will grant it
income from public funds, the produce of estates and
even the proceeds of direct taxation.

The Imperial Treasury shall exclude the Monastery from

all taxes, I speci cally underline this. The State Treasury
shall pay for materials and highly skilled architects and
masters of the mosaics and other knowledgeable
artisans from the Imperial Workshops and have them
sent to Chios to build the Monastery.

This it is my wish and order with God’s grace.

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The Golden Seal,1042 A.D

Zoe, the Purple Born

Andronikos, Grand Treasurer of the Emperor Constantine, in the year
of the Lord 1042

The imperial dispatcher has just brought the order of the

Emperor. According to this I need to send armed
messengers to the island of Chios to bring the news
about the founding of a Monastery! And so, it will be.
Chios is one of the important islands of our Empire, lying
between Constantinople and Alexandria. This is very
convenient for the commercial ships and the dromons,
our military ships.

But I can’t help to con ne to you my hidden thoughts,

that I have heard some rumors in the Imperial Court: that
an imposter monk was sent to Mytilene to Emperor
Constantine, then in exile from the Court, to prophecy his
ascend to the throne. Now it seems that the Emperor has
decided to handsomely support this Monastery, which is
not yet built. I was ordered to exclude it from all taxation
whatsoever, also from important taxes like the food and

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animal taxes, the taxes for the shipbuilding and the roads
and the military expenses, the donations to the tax
collectors, house taxes and commercial taxes of any kind
and all of the duties that are imposed to the populace.
My secret thought is this: the money for the soldiers and
the revenues devoted to the army will be diverted quite
unnecessarily and put aside for other uses…

From the other side, there is enough money for now. It is

a common secret that Emperor Basil, God bless his soul,
left us the biggest treasury ever existed on earth!
Imagine, that the Imperial Treasury could not
accommodate all the gold he collected, and it was
necessary to dig tunnels in the earth to store it. He spent
his life on a horse ghting, eating the same food as
soldiers did. He married no one but his Empire. With his
Solidarity Law in the year of the Lord 1002, he obliged
the nobility to pay the taxes of the small farmers, who
were not able to pay for themselves. And he saved all the
money from the foreigner vassals directly into the
Treasury. That is why we enjoy today this prosperity.

His niece, Empress Zoe, is a purple born princess, born

when her father, Emperor Constantine, was reigning
together with his brother Emperor Basil, who was seldom
in the city and was happy to leave all of this to his brother
while he was with the army in the eld.  Zoe lived
unmarried for 47 years in the palace.  When Basil died
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her father ruled for three years on his own.  Alas, he had
no sons to succeed him and this changed the fate of
Zoe, who married already twice, before she wed
Constantine Monomachos, who is now the Emperor.
Today she is 64 years old and he is just 42! Despite her
age, she is still stunningly beautiful, her golden hair
complemented a complexion white as marble. May be
her beauty is helped by her knowledge in cosmetics and
chemistry and she keeps a laboratory in the Sacred
Palace for this. Despite being the Empress, she never
challenges her people with extravagances and useless
spending of money. Thus, long live the Emperor and the
Empress with God’s grace.

The Golden Seal,1042 A.D

The Imperial Guar

Thormod, Imperial Guard of the Varangs, 1044

Dear Inegeld,

I hope my letter nds you well and that the money I you
will receive by my messenger is enough for you and
Urmulf to reach the Queen City. I have not sent too much,
as you should nor raise any suspicion of wealth, better
endure some hardships and arrive safe here. You will not
regret to join the Imperial Guard and I cannot think of a
better life for my brother’s sons. The services of brave
man from the North are very much appreciated here.
Maybe you should know, that it was Emperor Basil II the
Macedon, who established us, Varangs, from the Nordic
lands as his personal guard.

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Emperor Constantine Monomachos continues to employ

us and entrusts us with his personal safely. I must admit
that it is a marvel of beauty that Mother Nature gifted on
this man, so justly proportioned, that there is no one in
our time to compare with him. To this symmetry nature
added a robust vigor, as though she were laying rm
foundations for a beautiful house. His head she made
ruddy as the sun and his skin was of the purest white all
over, with exquisite accuracy. His wife, Empress Zoë,
was already wife of two Emperors before her marriage to
him, is much older than he is. However, there were few
signs of age in her; in fact, if you marked well the perfect
harmony of her limbs, not knowing who she was, you
would have said that here is a young woman, for no part
of her skin is wrinkled, but all sooth and taunt, with not
furrows anywhere, her golden hair, and her whole body is
radiant with the whiteness of her skin.

I assure you, my dear boys, that you can make a living

here, because, we the Varangs, are very useful to the
Emperors: last year we defeated the Rus, who attacked
the Queen City with 10.000 men. We burned their ships
and caused the remains of their army ee to Varna,
where they were nally caught by us. In the end they
signed a peace treaty. The Rus call themselves
Christians because their sovereign, Vladimir, was
baptized and married the sister of Emperor Basil,
Princess Anna, but they have an eye on our wealth and
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lands. In all, what I can say to you is that we here are
surrounded by enemies and the only way to keep them
where they are, is a powerful army and navy. And this
situation makes us precious and indispensable.

The Golden Seal,1042 A.D

Queen of the Seas

Nikephoros, Master of the Imperial Equerry, 1044

My mission is to execute the imperial order and sail to

Chios, which lies precisely in the middle of our Empire:
half way from the Queen City and half way from
Alexandria to the south. Through its position Chios is
connecting the Black Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
After we built the Seaward Castle and the new harbor,
many noblemen and of cials from the Queen City moved
to Chios, homeland to many unique and expensive
merchandise and monopolies: besides the cultivation of
mastic, wine and cloths also husbandry with the famous
Chian sheep ourish, let alone the naval and bank affairs,
which have no match to anything else!

Much is heard about the Chian bankers, who practice

advanced banking in the Forum. As mariners, the Chians
send all those expensive products to the whole world.
As bankers they exchange and put into circulation new
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coins of gold and silver and exchange with our coin, the
hyperpyron. They receive money payable in
Constantinople, Smyrna, Phocaea and elsewhere, for
which they have issued letters of credit repaid by their
representatives there. To clear the mutual accounts, the
bankers go to a certain city at regular intervals and
include their receivables and debts. With these credit
mechanisms they secure the movement of capital without
the use of money, it is ingenious, isn’t it?

The Chian bankers accept interest-free deposits and

interest-bearing deposits and make payments for their
clients' accounts and transfers from one account to
another, the “bank checks” as they call them, which
allows them to circulate money in any city without being
there! What can be more pro table than that? Thus, I
gladly I execute the Emperor’s order and sail to Chios, -
and who knows, maybe I nd my match there. It’s high
time I started to think about marriage!
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The Golden Seal,1042 A.D

The man from Caesare

In the year of the Lord 1046

My family was rooted in Caesarea, the birthplace of St

Basil, who set the rules for the monks, God bless his
soul. I am of humble origin; my ancestors are peasants.
But the Lord, who seemed to have chosen another
itinerary for me, has blessed me with artistic skills. When
I was nine years of age and illiterate, a man of letters saw
my drawing in the stable and persuaded my father to
send me to a local workshop in a close by monastery to
learn to draw and paint. My poor father, was so
exhausted with taxes and having still so many mouths to
feed, that he rejoiced at the prospect of having me sent
to the monks to follow a pious way and ll my belly. How
lucky I was! I learnt to write and read and besides
painting and drawing they taught me to be a good
Christian. But mostly I excelled in inlaying small stones in
the mosaic compositions that adorned the churches and
the yards of the wealthy. Despite being young in years

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my compositions acquired me fame and I was quickly in
demand by the local aristocracy. Very soon I was able to
help my old father to catch a breath and my sisters to
marry. Until one day a noble man, who came from
Constantinople to meet the local governor got to know
my artworks in the monastery. So impressed was the
noble man, that wished to take me, a novice in the arts,
with him to the Imperial School in the Eternal City. My
mother shed many tears before my departure, but I got
drunk by this dream and was willing to exchange my
humble town for the big dream.

When I arrived in the Eternal City, the Polis as it is called,

they put me as an apprentice in the Imperial School for
the mosaics, where I realized that I did not know as much
as I thought I did. I was assigned to a Master of the
mosaics as his personal apprentice and worked hard
day and night to learn the illustrious art well, because
there were many suitors for the apprentice’s post and
only the nest men were kept at the Imperial School.
Some years later my Master was sent to supervise the
mosaic works for St. George of Manganas. It was the
personal request of Emperor Constantine, that only the
best artists were to work in that church. And what the
masters made there was incomparable and beyond the
language of the mortals and whereas heaven itself is
gilded with stars only at intervals, there gold was spread
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continuously over the whole surface, as if owing from its

center from a bounteous spring.

After this marvel was completed the Emperor

Constantine founded the Monastery of Nea Moni in 1042
and the artists of the Imperial Workshop, arrived in Chios,
summoned to repeat the great task as it was the
Emperor’s will. We will not chisel our names on the art
works, as it is God that is guiding our hands to glorify his
wisdom. We will not be remembered for the deeds of our
mortal lives. But our masterpieces will stand for the
centuries to come narrating the glory of the Empire. The
art of mosaics will withstand any changes and fortunes:
as they are made in the re, they are destined for the
eternity. But let me be your guide and start with the
prophecy:

Three monks, Niketas, Ioannis and Iossif, who lived then

at a place near by the future monastery, saw every night
from their cells light emerging out of a myrsina tree. One
night they felt that they had to follow the sign and solve
the mystery. They walked in the darkness towards the
light, where suddenly they looked with amazement at an
icon shimmering through the branches of the myrsina
tree. It was an icon of Virgin Mary with her arms wide
open, but void of young Jesus… The monks took the
precious icon to the mountain of Provatas, where they
lived. Soon enough they decided to build a small chapel

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at the place where the icon was found. That small chapel
has evolved to the masterpiece that lies in front of your
eyes today. After a while the monks thought that the small
chapel was not enough to shelter such a miraculously
discovered icon. They decided to address the General
Constantine Monomachos, who was at that time in exile.
The Lord’s angel guided our monks to Monomachos in
the island of Lesvos, not far from Chios. They predicted
to him, that he was meant to climb to the throne real
soon. Deeply moved the future Emperor promised, that if
their prophecy comes true, he would grant them anything
they wished for. Truly enough, two years later in 1042,
Constantine Monomachos acceded to the throne.
Arriving in the Polis, the three monks reminded the
Emperor of his promise and he willingly issued a decree
sealed by his golden bulla, to build the Monastery and
granted it many privileges. He even ordered his best
architects and artists to travel to Chios to supervise the
construction works. The construction lasted for twelve
years. However, Emperor Constantine never lived to see
its full glory, he died before the works were completed.
But let me guide you into the Monastery and share with
you the divine moments of inspiration by our Lord, that
led my hand and the hands of many others to complete
the works entrusted to us.

The Golden Seal,1042 A.D

Vestibule
Exonarthex

You are now at the place where the mortal remains of the
Monastery’s founders used to be kept. It is a simple
rectangular space divided in equal parts, decorated with
small arches and pillars. Two washing basins that have
reached our days prove that the space you have just
entered was used for ritual washing and baptisms. The
southern wall of the exonarthex was decorated with
inscriptions and portraits of the founders. Directing your
sight to the oor you may observe ve marble trays. The
central tray is distinctly different from the others in size
and colour. These trays “hosted” ve “altar breads” as
offers to God and Virgin Mary.

Hall Before the Main Church

Esonarthex

A few steps further you may enter the room that used to
receive pilgrims, visitors and the faithful. You easily nd

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out, that also this is a rectangular space, divided in three
equal parts, exactly as the exonarthex. Up to the middle
of the walls you may observe the marble decoration.
From the middle upwards to the top the decorative
medium is replaced by mosaics. Your rst example of the
quality of the Imperial School are here these mosaics.
The mosaics you are looking at offer a rst taste of our
art. They are the introduction to our story. Take a closer
look at the wall at your right with the scene of Christ’s
betrayal. He is praying in the garden of Gethsemane,
when archpriests and slaves came to arrest him.

Did you notice that Jesus’ follower, Peter, is trying to

protect his Master from being arrested? Peter draws a
knife to cut the ear of the slave Malchus.

The wall with the arch depicts the Pentecost and the
Ascension. Walking to the left you will feel the hand of
Virgin Mary caress you from the top. You can’t see her
face, but she is still there with the Protector Saints:
Theodor the Victorious, Sergius, Bacchus, Eustratios,
Auxentios, Eugene, Mardarios and Orestes.

Mary, the Mother of God, is the most cherished gures in

our Christian art. We never paint her alone. When Christ,
her son, is absent, she usually appears with the holy
persons, the Saints. They show her admiration and
respect and often enough they are there to protect her.
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Take a closer look at the scene of the ritual washing, the

Niptiras. Christ is preparing himself for the ritual. He is
then washing tenderly the feet of his followers. This act of
humility is an attitude to show respect for others and
respect for life.

The Golden Seal,1042 A.D

The Catholicon

The Dom
Emperor Constantine gave us permission to build freely.
We could choose a pattern from any church in the entire
Polis, apart from the one of Haghia Sophia, the most
famous Church in all Christianity. St. George of Mangana
set a pattern to build Nea Moni. The architect, who built
this masterpiece, came together with his crew directly
from Constantinople. We all settled in a village nearby, to
be able to freely move back and forth to the construction
site. The reason the architect chose to build an octagonal
cupola, was a practical one. He had to make sure that
the octagonal dome was well supported. I am proud to
say, that the idea of a united rectangular space
supporting a heavy dome is a distinct feature of the
monuments of Κωσνταντινούπολις, the Queen City, the
Polis as we call it. The combination of marbles, small and
large pillars, multiple arches and mosaics testimony the
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 skills of artists only the Imperial School in Polis can train.

This is visible even by the untrained eye!

If you would rise your head upwards, to the top of the

church, you will see the majestic dome, which is
supported by the rectangular base at the feet of the
Catholicon. Turn a circle around yourself to nd out that
the Church is divided in eight equal parts, building an
octagon on a square basis. Have you noticed that the
two preceding entrances are dark rooms? On the
contrary the light of the sun shines through all the
windows of the dome. Why is this so? The illumination of
the space in the heart of the main church is not just an
architectural need for light. The illumination of the main
church is also a symbol of our faith: the space where the
faithful at last unite with God is ‘en-lightened’, while the
rest of this world is a dark and painful space.

Baptis
Christ is being baptized and his “godfather” is Saint
John, the Evangelist, because he was the rst man on
Earth to preach, that the Messiah has at last come to this
world. Christ’s godfather appears in our scene
symbolically taller, larger, and more impressive than the
other characters. His dress testi es his mission as
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 prophet and so I made him the most important gure in

the scene besides Jesus. A dove is ying towards Jesus’
head accompanied by a shaft of light. At his right two
angels richly dressed attend the ceremony. They look like
guests invited by the hosts. The boy, which sheds the
water out of the pot in the river, represents River Jordan.
Can you guess what roles do other characters play?

Trans guratio
The blue background you are looking at dominates the
picture. Our art is a symbolic art. This blue background
that surrounds the image of Jesus has a very special
meaning: it stands for his divine quality. Therefore, we
call it “the glory”. Jesus, dressed in white, impresses, as
you see, the persons in the scene, through the revelation
of his divine quality. The Apostles Peter, John and Jakob
as well as the prophets Eliah and Moses, look at Jesus
with admiration, almost wonder-struck! Jesus was very
fond of John; we all know that. That is why I chose John
to be closer to Jesus than the other characters. John
bends with awe in front of Jesus, rising his hand to him.
This is the rst time I decided to depict John making a
clear move towards Jesus. I have tried to establish a
special visible link between John and Jesus. I hope you
can see this.
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 Cruci xio
Mary stands on her feet, mourning for her dead child,
you can still feel the sorrow and the pain by looking at
Mary’s hands: they are crossed on her chest. She must
feel helpless, unable to react, devasted… Her sisters,
Mary Magdalene and Mary Clopa, are there to support
her. The show deep compassion, but are they able to
console a mother who lost a child? Take a closer look at
Mary Magdalene. Her hands are covered in her dress.

John, of whom Jesus was so fond of, stands there

unshaved. John wants us to know, how endlessly
abandoned he feels without Jesus. John is the youngest
Apostle; therefore, he usually appears without a beard.
Striving to make understood that the death of Jesus has
aged John within a night, I decided to let him appear
unshaved as a new element of deep, unspeakable
sorrow.

The crown is the aura of the holy persons. To represent

the simple folk, I chose to depict a soldier in the scene,
who also mourns the death of Jesus. I have also included
high ranking followers of Jesus in the scene, as we know
that Jesus had followers also among them.
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 Deposition from the Cros

Mary holds Jesus’ hand kissing it. A mother takes
farewell from her only son, who died in martyrdom. Is it
possible to describe the grief, the sorrow, the pain? Here
is John again. If you observe him carefully you will see
John stands unchanged as in the previous scene. John,
a duplicate of himself? Have I run out of inspiration? The
truth is painful. John is still, exactly because his senses
are still, the time has stopped for him. So great is his
sorrow…
There is a very active person in the scene. You can’t see
what he is doing, but I can tell you: he is removing the
nails from Christ’s feet. Have you heard of him before?
His name is Nicodemus.

Triumph over Deat

No doubt that I am a religious person. My talents are
there to glorify our Lord and Christianity. But I am also a
proud citizen of the Eternal City, the Polis, the mightiest
and richest city ever, the impregnable city. Thus, the
gure of the Emperor is central to my composition. A
large, magni cent gure, whose dresses vividly move in
the centre of the picture. He holds a double cross, which
is the symbol of triumph. Do you recognize now the
Emperor over Life and Death?
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Although my Master of the Mosaics taught me to depict

our Lord, Jesus Christ, only frontally, I took the liberty to
let Jesus bless the virtuous people saved by him with a
gracious movement. This is my legacy for the future
generations.

Holy Bem
Our Holy Mother rarely appears without her infant. But
look, here: she is alone. She stands on her feet, her
arms are wide open. What is she doing? She intervenes
here to God for forgiveness. She implores God to forgive
the whole world. Not very close and not so far from our
Holy Mother I created two beautiful young men. They
protect her Ladyship, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother
of God. May be some faithful ask themselves “for how
long will they protect her”? The answer is simple. They
will protect her for ever. Space and dates are not
important in our art, for our Empire was, is and will
always be. It is an Empire for the eternity. It is an art for
the eternity.
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 The Cister
Apart from the church I am personally impressed by the
cistern, another masterpiece of the architects: internally,
eight columns lined up in two parallel rows divide the
space in fteen equal square apartments, which are
covered by blind hemispherical domes. The domes are
made of arches that rest on the arrays of columns, made
of grey marble, with decorated capitals. Not every
column has the same dimensions, but with the help of
their pedestals they all eventually reach the same height.
This admirable space accommodates fresh water as
much as 600 sea water metra altogether! The number is
much higher than that of other tanks in other monasteries
in our Empire, with the exception of the Polis, the Queen
City.

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 The Settlers, 1043 A.D.

Avgonima is a medieval village located on a rocky hill just 16

kilometers from the city of Chios. Together with the
neighboring Anavatos, is the oldest forti ed village, and
according to the tradition it was created by the workers who
built the majestic monastery of Nea Moni in the 11th century
and then remained in Chios. The houses are built of stone with
small windows, mainly aiming to be protected from pirate
raids. Avgonima is built as a forti ed settlement: in the center
of the village with the square around are small residences
arranged, their outer side is forming the protective wall.
Outside of the wall is formed a second built zone. At the
edges of the village there are individual buildings of a fortress
character that are evidenced by the small openings on the
upper side of the outside walls with respect to the settlement.
The streets of the settlement are spacious with a small height
of side houses. The road that leads from the entrance of the
village to the central square is the largest and wider road in
the settlement and connects the road network with the village
center.

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The Settlers, 1043 A.D.

The Colon
Alexios Dalassinos, Chios, in the year of the Lord 1116

Ahh, a hundred years have already passed since my

great-grandfather came from Constantinople to this
island. He was not a native of the Eternal City. His family
was rooted in Dalassa, close to Caesarea, the birthplace
of St Basil, who set the rules for the monks, God bless his
soul. But my father was talented in arts. So, his master
talked to his father and he was sent to a monastery,
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where in its local workshop he learned to paint and inlay

the small stones for the mosaics to be seen in the
churches and the yards of the wealthy. Despite being
young in years his compositions acquired him fame and
he was great in demand by the local aristocracy. Until
one day a noble duke, who came from Constantinople to
meet the local governor got to know his artworks. So
impressed was the noble man, that wished to take the
young artist with him to the Imperial School in the Eternal
City. His mother shed many tears before his departure,
but he was drunk with his art and willing to leave.

When he arrived in Constantinople, he realized that he

knew not much. He was assigned to a master of the
mosaics as an apprentice and worked hard day and
night to learn the illustrious art well because there were
many suitors for the apprentices’ post, and only the nest
men were kept at the Imperial School. After some years
his master was sent to supervise the mosaic works for St.
George of Manganas. My father told me that what the
masters made there was incomparable and had no
match on earth. The heaven itself is gilded with stars only
at intervals, but in the church id St George gold was
spread continuously over the whole surface, as if owing
from its center from a bounteous spring. After this marvel
was completed Emperor Constantine founded the
Monastery of Nea Moni in 1042 and the artists of the
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Imperial School, arrived in Chios, my great-grandfather, a
young man by then, was one of those artists.

Avgonima, the village, where my father was born in the

year of the Lord 1056, was created by the workers who
built Nea Moni and then remained in Chios for more than
ten years to build the whole complex. It was surrounded
by woods at the top of the mountain and was built in a
solid way with stone masonry and thick walls. The
settlement is located in the centre of the island of Chios
and is built on a small natural smooth hill on the foot of
the mountain with a view towards the sea. It is part of
nature, but dif cult to be seen from the long distance.
The houses are built of stone and with small windows that
were used to protect themselves from pirate raids. The
village overlooks the pine forest and the endless blue of
the Aegean Sea.

My late father, Nikolaos, was not artistically inclined, thus

he was sent to Chios to become a sailor, a usual
profession at those times under the reign of Emperor
Ioannis Komnenos, the Good Sire, as he was called by
the people. However, during his sailing time, he proved
to be talented in commerce and thus is how I have
become a merchant myself. However nowadays the
sailing and mercantile activities are connected with many
risks as many enemies look into our direction, the
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 Venetians, the Crusaders and the Normans, not to

mentions the Arabs and the Seljuks. Chios, famous for its
mastic products, is a frequent target of pirates; thus, the
village of my ancestors has become a small fortress
itself.

The Settlers, 1043 A.D.

The Master of the Mosaic

Being an apprentice of the Master of the mosaics, my

great-grandfather heard him talk with the architect about
the Church design and other interesting things. They
discussed that two of the founders of the Monastery,
John and Nikitas were not simple monks from a remote
part of our Empire, but very cultivated persons and
familiar with the Byzantine ceremonies at the Court in
Constantinople. The architect has complained many
times that they often interfered with his work as they “too
closely with the court life in the capital”. The Master of
the mosaics on the other hand, knew that John and
Nikitas have visited St. George of Manganas in
Costantinople and were so much impressed by this
heavenly kingdom that they wished no other design for
Nea Moni. And because of that, he told the architect,
they selected him to design the mosaic composition of
Nea Moni. Thus, he was more inclined to please him than
the architect. For the master of the mosaics, who has
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known them, these builders of the church of Nea Moni

were not provincial monks but worldly courtiers and as
such very well versed in the sophisticated arts of attery
and ingratiation that won them imperial largess.

Nea Moni was the Emperor’s personal wish made known

to all by the imperial edicts of 1046 and 1048, by which
they were granted imperial residencies in Constantinople
by the Emperor and an allowance to go with them. This
enabled them to launch themselves into the inner circle
of court life, where they attracted the lavish patronage of
the Emperor. In this way they also gained access to the
inner circle of the Patriarchate and rumors said that they
were exerting a sinister in uence on the Patriarch,
Michael Keroularios. It seemed that over the years their
activities and in uence aroused much enmity at the
Court. After the death in 1055 of the Emperor
Constantine Monomachos, who was their protector they
were accused of impiety and pagan divination. They
were sent into exile and the extensive property of Nea
Moni was con scated. But a few years later Emperor
Isaac Komnenos restored Nea Moni and the charges
against them were dropped.
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 Crusader
Merchants,1346
The castle of Chios was constructed in the medieval period
with its rst construction phase having started in the 10th
century by the Byzantine Emperors. The structures surviving
to this day are part of later construction and expansion dated
to the time when the Genoese, who maintained commercial
concerns, ruled the island during the 14th to the 16th century.
The construction of the castle started in 1328 by the Genoese
lord of the island Martino Zaccaria. In 1329 it was captured by
the Byzantines but the Genoese turned in 1346 ruling over the
island until 1556. During this period, the island was
administrated by Maona, a commercial company. Since 1362,
the heads of the company belonged to a nobility union, with
commercial interests, the Giustinianis. In 1556 the forces of
the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman occupied the island. In 1694,
the Venetians captured the island for a brief period of 6
months. Then the Turks came back and ruled until 1912, when
was liberated Chios and became part of Greece.
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Crusader Merchants,1346

Turn of Fat
Giovanni di Murta, Doge of the Republic of Genova, 1345

If anyone knows the story, how La Superba, the Republic

of Genova prevented a serious loss, then it is me. I was a
banker by trade before my accession to the of ce of the
Doge. And one thing I knew very well: how to make and
secure money. This way or another. My rst task as Doge
was successful as I managed to pacify the Republic that
was torn apart by the con icts of the nobility. Where there
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 is anything to split, there is always a con ict. In this

particular case the Grimaldi clan tried to seize the City,
but under the command of Admiral Vignoso and his
galley eet they did not stand a chance. The public debt
of the Republic to the ship owners this expedition has
reached 1.7000.000 golden orins. However, the money
to pay back Vignoso and the shipowners, was not
collected on time.

Thus, two options were possible: not to pay at all and

confront another revolt, or to entrust the Admiral with a
valuable possession for a mutual bene t, the most
important island of the Aegean Archipelago. Actually,
one does not have to be a banker to understand the
perspectives. Not only is this island the ideal destination
for anchoring the ship between Constantinople and
Alexandria, but is also located opposite of Phocaea,
where we possess the alum mines by the Imperial
Decree of 1261 by the Emperor of the Romans Michael
Palaiologos. Currently the island is under the Romans,
but they have a weak navy and thus I am not so much
concerned with them. You see mastic from Chios and
alum from Phocaea are one of the most expensive
products in the global trade. And these monopolies
belong to us. Because we are the only ones capable to
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 clean the Aegean Sea from piracy and enemies. For a
capable Admiral as Vignoso is, it could not have been
that dif cult to reconquer Phocaea, and indeed the man
did so. But the favor is for free. So, I have suggested to
compensate the cost of the expedition by entrusting
those 29 investors to govern Chios under the Roman ag
and a Genoese purse. After all money does not stink.
“Pecunia non olet” said Vespasian when he imposed the
urin tax!
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Crusader Merchants,1346

Maona di Sci
Simone Vignoso Admiral of the Fleet, 1346

When La Superba, the Republic of Genoa, called us to

help re-establish the order, 29 noble citizens offered their
help. The plan of the Doge was one of mutual interest,
and cunning, as only a banker can make up one. It
practically meant to collect all the proceeds from Chios
and Phocaea and control the Aegean Sea. The Aegean
is the priceless maritime corridor that allows us to control
the merchant route from the Black Sea to the
Mediterranean. After we have cleared all money issues
among the 29 nobles, 12 of us set up a company and
established ourselves in Chios. From there we can
control the commerce and our business in person. Not
the we intend to lose contact with La Superba, it’s our
fatherland after all. Chios is an investment and its shall
be dealt with as such.

The circumstances were very favorable in 1346. The

Roman Emperor in Constantinople is disputed by another
one who was crowned Emperor in Adrianople, very
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 convenient the civil war for our case. I devised a plan to

cover my intentions: I sent three galleys to Chios with a
message for the local nobility that Umberto of France
intends to conquest the island, because he needs it as a
base for his struggle against the Turks, I asked them to
allow me take over the military command until this
danger is blown away, but they replied that they can
defend themselves. In June I reached Chios with my
eet and I have sent ambassadors requesting to anchor
my ships in the harbor and prepare for a siege in the
case Umberto appears. But instead to discuss the
matter, they attacked us. Then I have laid siege on the
island for three months. Hunger and thirst led the local
nobility to surrender. The treaty has been signed in the
Church of San Niccolò in September 1346 and we
promised not to touch the privileges of the nobility. On
the 20th of September Phocaea with its lands and its
alum mines is surrendered to us. With Chios and
Phocaea in our hands and with the port of Smyrna in
Christian hands a new era is on the march.

Forneto, Oliverio, Arangio, Recanelli, Banca, Longo,

Garibaldi, Negri, da Canetto, Adorno and Campai shared
received each one 1000 shares of the Maona, the new
company. The seat of the company was in the Castle of
Chios in the Giustiniani Palace and I have been selected
as general manager of the company until the public debt
of the Republic is paid to us. There is a legend there, that
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a nephew of the Roman Emperor Justinian, from the

dynasty of the Herakleids, has built the palace. It does
not matter if it is true, it’s very practical for our cause: On
the 14th of November 1372 we formed an albergo, a
union, and we all have adopted this illustrious name as
our last name and selected a common emblem: a
double-headed eagle in purple background like the one
of the Emperor of the Romans. On the breast of the eagle
is painted the light blue coats of arms of the Herakleids.

Crusader Merchants,1346

The Bran
Lanfranco Drizzacorne, Shareholder of Maona Nuova, Chios 1362

By being the only member of the Maona Nuova, born

from the Maona Vecchia, and the only one who resides in
Chios, I can narrate the story exactly as it happened: we
founded the rst company, the Maona, right away in 1346
to exploit areas or monopoly privileges by 29 creditors of
Genoa. As you know, the members of the company
provided the funds for 29 galleys with a future revenue
from the areas to be conquered as collateral for the debt
incurred with the government of Genoa. But despite the
success with the naval campaign, they could not pay the
debt. In the mean tine, La Superba, our Republic,
started another military campaign in Asia Minore to
strengthen the position of Genoa and they conquered
Chios. The treaty of 1347 granted the Maona company
the rights to Chios and Phocaea for twenty years until the
loan could be repaid. La Superba kept the sovereignty,
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 judicial power and the right to buy back the shares of the
creditors who funded the expedition.

Admiral Vignoso died in 1358, he was a good Podesta,

and under his governance Chios and the company
ourished. With the new treaty in 1362 the government of
Genoa accepted that the Maona company has the right
to rent Chios and Phocaea for twelve years to twelves
leaseholders with equal shares. We formed an inn, the
“Albergho degli Giustiniani “. What a better “family name
to invest”, than that of the most glorious of all Roman
Emperors, Justinian? This is our promise to the client for
the delivery of trust and superb quality. Just like
Justinian’s masterpieces and works of art. The
leaseholders were organized into a new corporation
called the new Maona. After 1364 they all adopted the
surname Giustiniani after the noble Genoese family. Only
one of the twelve partners, Gabriele Adorno, declined to
merge that illustrious name in a joint designation, but
Adorno’s family comes from Allemania, and he is utterly
convinced of himself and his family status, - è un vero
Tedescho lui! But never mind the barbarians! We
decided that the members of the Maona Nuova shall
have equal participation to the liabilities, pro ts and
losses of the company. The share capital comprised of
1.200 shares with a nominal value of 120.000 liras, 100 of
them to each member of the company. The members
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 have the right to transfer their shares to persons outside
the company.

Our annual income from the mastic rises to 200.000

golden coins. We pay an annual tax to the Emperor in
Constantinople 120.000 golden ducats. And this, if you
only think that the income of the King of France is just
seven times more! The income of the Emperor is one
million golden coins, that is to say our island contributes
to the Imperial Treasury with one fth thanks to the mastic
production, the citrus fruits and the other cultivations, the
leather goods and the silks and the wools we produce.
We trade with all over the world, but our fame creates
many suitors that wish to conquest our island and exploit
all the bene ts. We are favorably located on the road
between Constantinople and Alexandria, meaning that
we control the Aegean Sea and the commerce coming
from the Black Sea: the most convenient place to anchor
the ships and provide for fresh supplies. We possess the
knowledge to select the best mastic trees and make new
generations out of the best ones. And today we reap the
bene ts of the most fruitful trees.
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Crusader Merchants,1346

The English Merchan

Anthony Gresham, London, 1567

I was fortunate enough to have been born in Chios on

1502, where my father kept an agency for exports to
England both in Chios and in Crete. I have followed his
path and became a merchant myself, but it was not
before 1533, that I have acquired my civil rights in
England. I inherited my father’s agency and, bless the
Lord, with hard work in 1549 I became the commercial
representative of the Duke of Norfolk in Chios, who was
the uncle of two of the wives of King Henry VIII,
namely Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard both of
whom were beheaded. Thomas Howard has fallen from
favor in 1546, and was stripped of the dukedom and
imprisoned in the Tower of London, avoiding execution
when King Henry died on 28 January 1547. And then
Queen Mary has reinstalled the Catholics. From 1549
onwards I have represented the Duke, who served the
needs of the English Court with luxury items from Chios
and the East until the Turkish admiral Piyale Pasha took

the island from the Genoese, who ruled in Chios for more
than ten generations.

The Lord of Chios was Benedetto Zaccaria innovated the

cultivation of the mastic trees, agriculture and viticulture
and contributed decisively to the development of Chios.
The liberation of the parishes was another major
innovation and by 1304 people were no longer being
sold as an integral part of the land. It is like our Great
Charter of the Liberties imposed on King John in 1215 by
the people. The settlers could own 1/3 of their farmland
and 2/3 remained the landowner. This measure has
brought general prosperity to the island. The settlers
became subordinate to increased taxation, but also to a
higher social class. The most intensive cultivation of
mastic involves men and women, as well as many
varieties of wine, like the Ariousios, Kontitos, Homer wine,
Evanthis, Talitis, olives, gs, almonds, citrus, anise,
cotton and other gourmet merchandize. Textiles, dyeing,
carpet making, silk-making received great development,
pottery and knitting. Excellent silk weavers were the
Jews, as well as the sought-after Chian soap. Such was
the consumption that within the Castle was founded a
special place to sell and buy the soap, the Piazza della
Saponaria.

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 As my late father has told me, in the times of the Roman
Emperors considerable shipbuilding ourished in Chios,
but this art revived under Lord Zaccaria that much that
built a remarkable commercial and war eet built in the
yards. Lord Zaccaria also reinvigorated tanning with top
quality skins and high-quality metallurgy and encouraged
the production of all kinds of goods and products and
sought to cover local consumption with Chia products
like footwear, clothing, household goods and tools. And
this is how my father, bless his soul, came from England
to Chios seeking to make fortune, as in his time our
country was poor and the counties in the East were rich
and prosperous.

As long Chios was under the Genoese dominion,

business went well. The rst clouds started, when the
Knights Hospitallers lost the island of Rhodes to the
Sultan of the Turks, Suleiman. This made him control the
commercial routes of the South Aegean, which was a
very unfortunate fact for the Genoese in Chios. Year after
year, rst Suleiman and then his son Selim were raising
their demands and the tribute the Genoese had to pay
has impacted the nances of their government. I dare
say, that because of the tribute, about 12.000 golden
ducats yearly, the constantly rising expenses for the
defense and the cost of the maintenance of the ships
and the losses from piracy, the Genoese were driven to
bankruptcy. It was not out of bravery that the Turks came
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 to Chios in 1566, because a year before, they failed
miserably to take the island of Malta from the Hospitallers
and it is said that such a great defeat they suffered, that
Piyale Pasha was ordered by Suleiman to enter the port
of Constantinople in the night, for the people of the city
no to see the remains of the once mighty eet getting into
the port.

I was in London to sell Chian cloths, mastic and wine and

alum, when a Venetian ship brought the devastating
news. My great uncle, Fra Nicholas Hussey, who fought
with the Hospitallers against Suleiman in Rhodes in 1522,
has informed me well: the blood was running like water in
the Street of the Knights when the Janissaries entered
the city. Thus, I was struck with the news, because my
assets and possessions, which must have been
con scated by now, is still in Chios, but my family,
-blessed is the name of the Lord-, has relocated to
London after the fall of Rhodes. I was uneasy and I was
proved to be right, and I saw the Turks getting mightier
and mightier under the reign of Suleiman, while in Europe
we conducted war one against the other. The Venetian
mariners said that bloodshed has been avoided in Chios
this time, but that the Genoese were sent as prisoners to
Kaffa in the Black Sea, after some heads were fallen. I
am too old to be fooled by a false interpretation and I
know well what happened to other places when the Turks
conquered them. And I am afraid that very soon horror
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will freeze the smile of the Venetian merchants that today
think how to feed on the corpse of Genoa.

 Shareholders, 1350

The mastic villages of Chios have been added to the

representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity of UNESCO. Pyrgi stands out from the other mastic
villages due to the original façade of the stone houses, which
mostly consist of stunning grey and white decorative motives
in geometrical and oral shapes. The roads are narrow and
covered with arches or vaults. In the middle of the village
there is a tower with a height of 18 meters. Around it, there are
walls with four towers in the corners. Like in the other
medieval villages of the island, the stone houses of Pyrgi are
built close to each other, forming a defensive wall. Narrow
stone-paved streets, churches, unique architecture and
balconies full of owers and sun-dried tomatoes, make up the
magical scenery of the village. According to some historians,
Christopher Columbus was the descendant of a Genoese
family from Pyrgi, others have shown that he was stationed in
Chios before he set off across the Atlantic and the locals can
point out his house.
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 Shareholders, 1350

Lucri Gratiae
Leonardo di Cornasca, Maona Shareholder, 1450

My son, we are merchants! We work for pro t, lucri

gratiae, what have you expected? To risk all the capital
and time invested and stay empty-handed? If it were not
for us, the nobility in Europe would not be having silk to
wear, alum to cure its wounds and mastic to clean its
teeth and heal their bodies. Let alone the luxuries like
soap, ne wool, spices and wines. And everyone, with
enough money to buy, can enjoy the same privileges.
This is commerce my beloved son! Tomorrow I will go to
the port to personally supervise an important
undertaking. I need to sign a cheque to be paid in
Florence by the Medici Bank, where I have an account. I
also need to supply the Sultan of Egypt with half a quintal
of mastic. I must rush to pack the produce in 3 coffers.
But rst I need to go to Casa del Mastice, which is the
central storage room and meet with the Of cial for the
Weighs and the Of cial for Sales. You see, mastic is our
monopoly and we don’t want the prices to fall, neither to
export without limits, nor exploit the earth as the ruthless
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 Venetians did before we came here to save this island.
“Prima siamo Veneziani, poi siamo Christiani” they dare
say! First Venetians and then Christians, it is how the call
themselves! Can you trust these people? Of course not!
It is common knowledge that these sharks have exploited
the land to the point that mastic production stopped and
that the people immigrated. We have learned from this
and we will keep the people in their villages. If not, who
will cultivate the precious mastic trees?

My dearest boy, to look after one’s commercial interest is

not easy at all, especially because each interest is
con icting with another one. With Chios being one of our
biggest investments, it would be right to do everything to
ensure both the capital and pro ts, wouldn’t it? Our joint
company, the Maona, decided to act as wholesaler, in
order to avoid any further risks. We contract individuals
and companies who sell the product in the lands of the
Pope and the Emperor, in Cipro, Rodi, Syria, Egypt,
Smyrna, Romania, Constantinopoli, Crimea, to the kings
of France and England to say the least. And the re-sellers
take their own risks. Usually, they pay us with foreign
exchange in Cipro and Genova. In addition to foreign
exchange, bonds, checks, bills, back-checks are also
used, and checking and current accounts are
maintained. Our annual income rises to 200.000 golden
coins. We pay an annual tax to the Emperor in
Constantinopoli 120.000 golden ducats. And this, if you
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only think that the income of the King of France is just

seven times more! The income of the Emperor is a
million golden coins, that is to say our island contributes
to the Imperial Treasury with one fth thanks to the mastic
production, the citrus fruits and the other cultivations, the
leather goods and the silks and the wools we produce.
We trade with all over the world, but our fame creates
many suitors that wish to conquest our island and exploit
all the bene ts.

We are favorably located on the road between

Constantinopoli and Alexandria, meaning that we control
the Aegean Sea and the commerce coming from the
Black Sea. Chios is the most convenient place to anchor
the ships and provide for fresh supplies. The secret for
our famous product is the cultivation of the mastic tree.
You see these precious mastic drops, tears we call them
here, derive from the tree trunk of the low height mastic
tree, through the suitable cutting of their barks. This
procedure cannot be done by primitive peasants, it
requires a lot of skills and love. The important issue here
is to know that these trees exist in all the Mare Nostrum,
but only here, in the Southern part of Chios, they produce
the invaluable resin. Why? Because our earth, the sun
and the winds and the lack of rain in the summer favor
this plant. If the rain meets the resin tears coming out of
the tree trunk, they are destroyed. The southern part of
our island, where the mastic tree grows, happens to be
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 so, because the northern pat is full of precious forests,
which weaken the winds and catch the humidity. We
possess the knowledge to select the best mastic trees
and make new generations out of the best ones since
ancient times. Today we reap the bene ts of the most
fruitful trees.

My dear son, we, the Giustiniani enjoy commercial

prosperity and wealth, because we have nearly the whole
carrying trade of the Levant in our hands. We cannot
achieve this without a despotic rule. Some accuse us of
being inhuman to the locals, an oligarchy of the worst
type. That we in ict cruel punishments for the smallest
offence like the cutting off of noses and ears and public
agellations and sufferers have to pay six denarii a
stroke, as a fee to the man who scourged them. No
citizen can sell anything eatable except at the price
regulated by the archons; no one can leave the island
without the special permission. I have to admit that all of
this is true. But it is under this very rule that the island of
Chios ourishes with a population of no less than
100,000, all engaged in trading with Asia Minor and
Europe. I cannot imagine another way to prosperity, can
you?
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Shareholders, 1350

The Monopol
Nicola Cybo, Land owner, Chios 1475

These Genoese merchants spread the word that they

have come to save the local nobility of Chios! Indeed,
this is the word they spread everywhere: that they love
and respect us and protect us from any danger. Still,
what they love is hidden in their pockets. And it never
crosses their minds to consider us their equals. That the
son of the foxy admiral Fulco Zaccaria married the sister
of our Emperor, means nothing to us! Two hundred years
ago Emperor Michael handed the lands of Phocaea by
his golden seal to those despicable heretics for nothing, -
in exchange for their assistant to recapture our capital.
Did they help? Of course not! These are merchant souls.
Crusader merchants, I should say. And not only is the
island of Chios lost to us natives, but also Phocaea and
its alum mines are gone to them as a privilege and
monopoly. Outrageous, isn’t it? But why to stick to one
monopoly, if you can have others too? And there he
came, admiral Benedetto Zaccaria with his eet to “save”
Chios from the Turks. It is his “duty” as the son in law of
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the Emperor. An Empire without a navy by the way…
Now, after two centuries of domination, they learned well
how not to miss a chance to sell our products
everywhere, because what is the use of the monopoly, if
you cannot sell? And they sell all over the word.
Toothpaste for the Kings in Europe, medicine for the
German Emperor, mastic for the Sultan’s harem, cures
and treatments, mastic oil and ointments, mastic as
ingredient for food. Anything that the heart wishes has
been made saleable by those Lords. And we, the locals,
sit here and watch how we are exploited. And for
consolation we have been granted Genoese citizenship!

They managed to persuade their heretic Pope to grant

them freedom to commerce with Egypt, while all the other
Christians shall follow the prohibitions imposed. And the
reason is a cunning one: because their state Genoa is in
civil war, -as if we care if they kill each other, and
because they protect Chios from the Turks. And we sit
here and look how they get rich in our lands! But no, this
is not the mistake of Emperor Michael. At least he
managed to recapture the Queen of the Cities from the
despicable Francs. It is the mistake of Emperor Basil,
where in the year of the Lord, he granted commercial
privileges to the shark-men, the Venetians! In those days
we used to be the glorious capital of the Naval Thema of
the Aegean Sea, we had a naval force, of which we could
be proud of and which kept us safe in sea and land. The

concessions of Emperor Basil to the Venetians are still

felt today, just look how they rule at sea, after captured
the Queen City in 1204. In exchange for this reduction in
customs tax, Emperor Basil required the Venetians to
help our Empire with their eet in the southern part of
Italy. Alas, as their kinship, the Genoese, they never
moved a nger when they were needed.
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 Shareholders, 1350

Brave New Worl

Capitano Michele Mestoussi, Pyrgi, 1491

I am a native of Pyrgi, but I am not a masticarius, a

mastic grower. You see, my passion for the sea, was too
big to allow me to pursuit a life among the walls of the
forti ed village. It was not without risk, that my father
sent me to a relative who was living close to the port of
Chios, and from there the path towards my vocation was
short. I started as a mariner in the merchant ships of La
Superba, the Republic of Genoa, and now I am a proud
captain of a commercial galley. You see the captain of a
merchant ship has little difference has from the captain of
a warship. For us, enemies and pirates are exactly the
same. You sail from one port knowing your allies, and
until you arrive to the next port, they have become
enemies and they attack your ship. And apart from them,
there are always the pirates to give you hard times.
Some hundred years ago, under the Lord Benedetto
Zaccaria, who married the sister of the Emperor of the
Romans, Michael Palaiologos, the island of Chios grew
very wealthy. Not only because Chios is having the
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monopoly of mastic and several others, but also because

it lies in the middle of all important commercial cross
roads. It is the best stopover between Constantinople, -
now in the hands of the accursed Turks- and Alexandria
and the central ring in the chain Cyprus-Chios-
Constantinople-Caffà, the colony of the Genova in the
Black Sea. From there I sailed many times to Trabzon
and the Azof Sea and to Tauris, the nal destination for
the caravans from Asia carrying the silks and the spices.
From Caffà I have often transported alum to Europe. But I
have to say that the best quality of alum arrives from the
mines in Phocaea, which by imperial decree were given
to Genoa, for their promised assistance to Emperor
Michael to recapture Constantinople from the hateful
Venetians. Chios was one of these territories, which
passed over to them with intrigues and threats…

The alum is the most desired product that is linked to

health, it is the only medicine that cleans the wounds and
prevents the wound infection. It is used for all the wounds
and also for internal diseases, for the stomach and the
lunges and the throat and it is proven that many have
been saved from internal bleeding from taking this drug.
Also, this miraculous substance when it comes to contact
with the colors that is dying the yarns and fabrics it
stabilizes the colors and many manufacturers and cloth
merchant became rich from its use, let alone that it is an
indispensable material for tanning, because of its ability
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 to disinfect animal materials sterile. Such great is its

value in commerce that we transport it with heavily
armed men, as you don’t know who you will meet on the
sea road. As a captain carrying such a rare load, I have
to admit that the Genova knows how to protect its
transfer with heavy ships and armed men on board.
Imagine that we rent our ag with the Cross of San
Giorgio, to other ships, so that when it is seen by pirates
and enemies, they are discouraged to engage with us in
battle. So great is our power at sea.

My rst voyage as a galley captain sent me from Chios to

England, where we brought alum from Phocaea and wine
from Chios. An Englishman on board was bringing the
alum to the court of the King of England. This man was
sent two years ago to Chios as a byer of many goods,
silks, mastic and alum at the most. I remember that in
1479 an inquiry was made into the damage in icted on
the Chians in England; this man was on the board of my
galley. In all cases the trade of Chios with England is
older, and it was inaugurated by the trade route of
Constantinople, where English ships were required to sail
across Chios to Constantinople. I sailed many times to
Cyprus, Syria and Egypt to get valuable merchandise like
spices and gold which come from Africa and Asia. All the
merchandise comes to the port of Genova and from there
our merchants and agents distribute to the lands of the
Pope and the German Emperor, to the King of France
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and England and the kings of the northern territories.
This I can say with certainty: Chios is the central ring in
the chain that connects the East and the West. From
Chios, an island place with mild climate and rich gifts
from nature, a port of call for many nations, I sailed many
times to Majorca and Cadiz, Sicily, Valencia, Malaga,
Tunis, Ancona, Buzea, Brugges, London, Armenia and
Flanders, Oran, Tortosa and Napoli.

This year, having arrived from a tiring journey to Chios, I

heard rumors about a Genoese admiral who just came to
our island looking for experienced mariners. Asking here
and there in the port, I heard some rumors that he is
starting an adventure to sail to Indies following the west
direction. Some of us think that he is an imposter and
some think of him as a daring man. Colombo is his name;
I heard his story before. Maybe he is right and following a
direction to the west we can nd another road to the
luxury items that Europe craves for. For 38 years now,
after to fall of the Queen City to the despicable Turks,
their sultans closed all roads to Europeans travelling to
the east. So, they started looking for alternatives. I heard
of new navigation tools and funding from the most
Catholic kings in Spain. If this is true, I have nothing to
lose and enroll myself to Colombo’ s eet. Good
captains are always in great demand. Since the fall of the
Queen City frequent letters of distress from the Chian
merchants arrive to the Signorial in Genova, and appeals
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for a united attack on the Turks. I still remember in 1477,
that Genoa sent a eet of four ships to Chios, on a report
being spread that the Turks were preparing to descend
on the island; but on reaching Chios it was discovered
that the Turkish armament had another destination, and
the expedition returned home without doing any- thing.
Sailors say that admiral Cristoforo Colombo, then a boy,
took part in this expedition.

In the mean time I heard that some native mariners

enrolled already and will sail to Genova and from there to
Spain and then to the ocean until they nd land. I will try
my luck, as experience is a great advantage for selecting
the crew. You see the Admiral is recruiting from all over
the places in the island. He is supposed to be in Pyrgi
right now, the biggest of the mastic villages, residing in
the corner house opposite the Church. I heard that he
was impressed by the cultivation of mastic and sent a
letter to Queen Isabella in Spain about this. People say a
lot of things and I need to nd out what is of substance
and what is rubbish. So, I will knock on his door to know
more, that is the best solution. Thank God, this island is
big as the world in fame and capacity. Avanti!
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Shareholders, 1350

Scent of Freedo
Sofronios, Abbot of St. George Sykoussis, 1518

In the year of our Lord 1498 I have installed myself in the

deserted Monastery of St. Giorgio Sykousis. Little by little
I have reinstated some buildings; I built houses and even
a tower like the Giustiniani did, so that the entrance to the
Monastery is the entrance of the village. I made it tall with
an arch on the top of which I put a Cross. So, whoever
wished to enter the village had to pass under this arch,
meaning, that nobody could do that mounted on a horse.
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He had to enter on foot and cross himself. But I did not

call monks to support me. I called the farmers from Lithi,
from Avgonyma and Pyrgi, who started to cultivate the
lands of the Monastery. I don’t know how the Genoese
lords let me do, but they did not interfere. May be
because the lands belong to our Church.

Ahh, gone are the glorious days, when we were masters

of ourselves, protected by the Emperor in
Constantinople. Gone are the days where we had
anything to say. Still, we built a community here. We
share everything, help and respect each other. And the
land rewards the labor of the farmers, who act in the love
of God.

 The Treasure of
Chios,1360
The mastic villages have been added to the representative
List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of
UNESCO. Mesta is a traditional medieval village 35 km from
the city of Chios. It belongs to the Mastic Villages, a group of
villages in Southern Chios, where the main activity is the
manufacture of mastic. Mesta is characterized by particular
architecture since it is a forti ed village with perfectly
preserved medieval architecture. Its elaborate architecture
dates back to the Byzantine and Genoese period. The village
is built like a castle. The houses were built one right next to
the other, thereby creating a protective wall surrounding the
village.

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The Treasure of Chios,1360

A well thought pla

Pietro Recanelli, Mahona Shareholder, Mesta, 1360

In the 26th of August 1360, as shareholder of the Maona,

I signed with Andreolo de Setta and Andreolo di Campi
to buy 30 staters of mastic for three years and to sell it in
Cyprus which is part of the trading area, and mind
please, that the cost of a stater amounts 50 golden coins.
When the three years passed, I then signed a contract
ςιτη ηιμ for another 13 years to sell mastic to whom he
pleased and that each year he would buy 60 staters
additionally. He can pay in three rates annually in Cyprus,
and each stater costs 900 golden coins. To sell the
mastic for a long period in advance, it’s a very good and
usual practice, since we oblige the farmers to deliver to
us a pre-de ned quantity, without worrying on the
weather conditions and the harvest. Of course, we have
face problems, if the masticarii, the mastic growers don’t
deliver the quantity we need. Thus, we urge them to buy
from other farmers paying the double price. With this
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well-thought plan our commercial risks are eliminated, at

least as far as it regards the farming, as for others, like
war and piracy we are protected only through our naval
skills and our armed galleys.

Mark my words
Anselmo Giustiniani, Mesta, 1398

My dearest nephew, as I have said many times in the

past, this island is a money-machine. But it needs careful
management from our side. First, we need to control the
sea, then we need to control the produce. Because,
without allocating our attention to both the tasks, it is
futile to even think start to commerce. Mastic as you
know, is unique and brings about 30.000 ducats a year
because the price is set by the rarity. And it is rare
because it grown only in Chios, which is ours. But
ownership means nothing, unless it is properly managed.
Otherwise, my boy, -mark my words- unmanaged
properties are only a cost and can drive you to
bankruptcy, which happened already to many light-
hearted men in the past. And to give you an illustrious
example, what it means, not to dispose of wealth, I
remind you, that Doge Giovanni di Murta, despite being a
banker by trade, he did not have the money to pay the
expenses of admiral Vignoso, who succeeded to
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suppress the revolt of the Grimaldi clan against the

Republic. The foolish man, instead to nd a way of
paying his debt, he used a pretext to send Vignoso’s eet
against Tatars in Caffà. In the end, he could not pay the
cost of the expedition once again, and was obliged to
concede to us the island of Chios. You see what I mean?

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The Treasure of Chios,1360

Joint Ventur
Pietro di Cornasca, Mastic Supervisor in Chios, 1430

On the 2nd of March 1408, eight mean were called by

the Signoria di Genova to gather in the great hall of the
Casa di San Giorgio, a trading house on the main street
in Genoa, a few meters from where the waters of the
Ligurian Sea lap the Italian shore. Merchants and rich
and powerful representatives of the city’s most in uential
families met to discuss a matter of the utmost gravity. La
Superba, our Repùbblica, had fallen on hard times. After
years of war with the despicable Venetians and the
crushing defeat at the battle of Chioggia in 1381, after
which all our dreams to commerce in the Adriatic Sea
were for ever lost, La Superba was effectively bankrupt.
The task of the eight bankers was to rescue her. A few
months earlier, towards the end of 1407, the Signoria di
Genova has authorized the Casa di San Giorgio to carry
out this job. It would be accomplished by creating a bank
that would facilitate the repayment of Genoa’s debts in
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 return for interest at 7 per cent and the right to collect
taxes and customs owed to the city. The purpose of the
meeting that spring day was to declare the Banco di San
Giorgio open for business.

However, back in our cherished island of Scio our affairs

are ourishing. The wealth of this island is linked to the
lentisk, a small tree exuding a gum. The tree grows in
most of the Mediterranean countries, but only in Scio its
gum solidi es: this evergreen is called a mastic tree and
it was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. It grows
only in the southern part of Scio due to the special
conditions there: dryness in the southern part and a
forest rich northern part, which weakens the winds and
catches the humidity. To avoid any unnecessary riots, our
company the Mahona has lifted some burdens from the
farmers. So, to allow them to breathe a bit, and ensure
the production, which is of course strictly controlled.
Each village assumes responsibility for the cultivation of
an assigned number of mastic trees, so they must
produce a speci c quantity of mastic each year. In the
case, they produce more, we buy the surplus, but if they
produce less, the growers have to pay the double price
for the lacking quantity to compensate us and cover for
our pro t loss. The whole production process is
supervised by our of cials. We decide how many mastic
trees will be cultivated, when and how the recollection of
the mastic will take place. Only mastic growers and the
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 supervisors are engaged in cultivation. We are selling the

nal product, but not the secrets of cultivation!
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The Treasure of Chios,1360

The Labyrint
Ioannis, Mastic Grower, Mesta, 1451

When the Genoese Lords set up, their company, Maona,

to govern the island and all of its proceeds, they counted
and expropriated each mastic tree. Then a central plan
was devised by them in Genoa to exploit our labor at the
fullest. While we used to live in harmony with our
neighbors in the land, they ordered us to move to new
villages that look like fortresses, because as they say, it is
their “duty” to protect us from piracy and other enemies
that wish to get hold of the precious mastic. And so, the
villages were covered by walls, nobody stays unnoticed,
when he comes in and gets out and after dark, nobody
gets out or gets in, as the gates close. Small paths run
through the village, which they call “streets” but actually
is a never-ending labyrinth. One central and four corner
towers watch over our life every single minute. The
Genoese Lords have brought their architects to Chios to
designed houses for us and protect us from the pirates
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 and the Turks. In the beginning we all rejoiced, thinking

to have great masters who care for the people. But then,
we understood that their “care” was pro t-oriented. The
houses they have designed for us are all locked within
the forti ed village and its tiny alleys. They look like
dungeons, even if some of us are accommodated in two-
store buildings. The huge central tower is full of armed
men, ready to apply “order”. They watch every move we
make and pay attention to the contraband of mastic, the
punishments of which are unspeakable. In my village,
Mesta, the central tower is the tallest from all the 21
mastic villages, - may be because we are close to the
port... And do not even think to keep one drop of the
precious mastic, let alone to smuggle it. Because, before
you lose your life, you can lose an ear or a nose, or be
branded on the forehead.
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The Treasure of Chios,1360

The Towe
Demetrus, Mastic Grower, Mesta, 1520

I am Demetrius from Mesta. I am a masticarius, a mastic

grower. My father was one before me and before him his
father and so on. We don’t know anything else. Before
the masters, who call themselves Giustiniani arrived here,
we lived in peace with each other and our former rulers
the Zaccaria, god bless their souls, did a lot for us. We
possessed one third of the land we cultivated and our
community decided the important issues. Nowadays we
are all subjected to the authority of the mighty governor,
the Podesta. We are the masticarii, the farmers who
cultivate the mastic trees, but we see no good from it.
Because the monopoly belongs to the Maona, the
commercial company of the Giustiniani. We are not
allowed to use even a small branch from a mastic tree
from the elds we cultivate, and if we did, they’d punish
as common criminals. We are not even allowed to stay
close to a mastic tree, if we did not engage to work with
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it. Nobody is allowed to sell mastic, or to hide it, or to

keep it for personal use, even the smallest quantity. And
if some mastic growers do not reach a certain quantity in
a season, then he is punished to pay the cost of the
produce that is lacking in a double price. These masters
supervise the whole production and set the quantity to be
delivered to them. And nobody can escape.

Here in Mesta, we have the tallest tower of all 21 mastic

growers’ villages in Chios erected in the middle of the
village. This is so, so they say, because we are in a
walking distance from the port, which attracts the pirates
and they wish to protect us. But my father tells me that
they have forced six villages to evacuate in order to put
all the population under control in one village, ours is one
of them, Mesta. They made the people of another six
villages to leave their homes and put them to live and
work in a new one, Olympoi, which they also designed to
their liking. The bigger villages like Nenita and Kalamoti
were turned into forti cations. In Kalamoti lives
permanently a strong force of soldiers, to watch over the
south part of our land.

This year, Master Niccolò Banca completed the Castle in

Armolia. My cousin, Nikitas, who is from Armolia, tells me
that it is huge: it has two lines for the defense, two towers
and 62 wards for the soldiers. We live in a little space,
with narrow streets and little sun. I am happy to work on
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 the eld, despite the hard work and the fear that I might
collect less mastic than the year before. I am happy
because I can breathe fresh air, feel the sun, even if I risk
a sun stroke, and see the horizon. There is nothing else I
have seen in my life. I wished I could become a sailor
and see the world. But we are not allowed to leave the
elds. Because the Giustiniani Lordship earns 30.000
golden coins a year from the trade of mastic. We work
and they pro t. It’s as simple as that.
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 Resin Tears, 1478

Olympoi, is one of the 21 medieval mastic villages of Chios
added to the representative List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO. During the Genoese period
(1346-1566), the village as well as the rest of the Mastic
villages have exported the precious mastic to both the East
and the West. This made the place an attractive target for
pirates, so at that time, the village was surrounded by a wall
of 5 meters high (7 meters with the loopholes) which had 4
towers. The entrance and the exit were made by a single
door, which is still preserved. After 1821 another two doors
were opened, one in Agios Georgios and one in the school.
The central door closed at night, as well as when as pirates
raided. During the raid, all residents were entering the village
to defend themselves. Apart from the outer wall, the defense,
which was reinforced by the dense arrangement of the walls,
there was the particular tower in the center of the village,
which should have been a sort of command, but also the last
point of defense in the event that enemies managed to pass
the external forti cation. Its construction must have taken
place at the same time as the towers at Pyrgi and Dothia, that
is, at the beginning of the 15th century.
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 Resin Tears, 1478

Humble Farmer
Georgios, Mastic Farmer, 1478

If you think that it is easy to grow the mastic tree you are
mistaken. I can tell you all about this, as I have spent my
whole life doing so. And before me my father and before
him my grandfather and before him my great-grand
father did so. We don’t know anything else, just our
village, the mastic trees and of course the taxes. And
don’t you think we can keep the produce for using it at
home. I never tasted one drop in my whole life. It’s a
luxury product, Sir! It is destined for the King of France,
the King of England and the Sultan of Egypt. It is not for
the taste of a humble farmer. But because it is so good
for the health, I keep in secrecy some drops that I have
not delivered to Of cial of the Weighing Station. Just for
my children, if they fall ill. But nobody knows about it, as
the punishment is horrible. You can lose an ear and if you
sell it you can lose a nose. And other things can happen
to you until they hang you, which I cannot speak of. We

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can consider ourselves lucky if the pirates don’t come to

raid the lands, and if the Venetians are not in war with the
Genoese. If the Emperor in Constantinople favors on ally,
then the other is attacking us, and this can be just
anyone with a galley eet. The condition worsened when
the Turkish began raids on Ionia, and the refugees came
to Chios. We have enough suffered from the re and the
sword already.

The mastic trees are low in height and this means we

spend our lives bending all the time. Each year we need
to prune the trees, so as to allow them receive light as
much as possible. Then we need to cut the bark to allow
the mastic tears come out of the tree trunk and the big
branches. You see, mastic is not a fruit that you collect
from a tree branch. It is well hidden in bark of the tree.
But cutting the bark, is not easy and special skills are
required for this. For if we cut deep, the tree is badly
injured. And if we only touch the surface, we cannot gain
the valuable tears. The work begins before the tree
cutting anyway. We must clear the earth around the tree
trunk, uproot the weeds, pick up all stones and the tiniest
ones, in order for the tears not to mix with them while
falling onto the cleaned ground and then you must sift
white earth on the cleaned earth around the tree trunk
and stamp on it as long as it becomes smooth and
steady. Thus, when the resin tears ow out of the bark,
fall into a clean “table” and do not glue with impure

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 elements. The preparation of the “table” is very important
for a clean produce, to be then easily collected.

After that we must wait for 15 days that the tears solidify.
It must be collected with the rst light. First, we collect
the big pieces. Then the smaller ones, and lastly the
smaller drops fallen on the table. And then we collect all
the drops that are still on the tree trunk and the branches.
All the produce must be transferred to shady storage
rooms before midday. Then the women start to clean it.
They sift the produce to remove earth and leaves, then
they wash it and dry it. With small knives the women
clean every tear as small as it might be and every grain.
Because these pieces are very small, this procedure
starts in the autumn and ends in the spring.

The Weddin
Anastasia, Masticaria from Olympoi, 1502

All my family is cultivating mastic, which is taken away

from those lords immediately. Much joy in life we don’t
have, especially if we don’t collect enough mastic tears,
then life is getting harder and survival is the goal. Four
generations ago Lord Benedetto, God bless his soul,
taught us how to improve the produce from the mastic

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tree and vine cultivation and this made our life easier. His
son, named after his father, has inherited also the virtues
of the late Lord. He issued a decree, that farmers are not
allowed to be sold as part of the land, as it used to be.
But it did not take long the new overlords the Giustiniani
to change all that.

Next week is my cousin’s wedding. All weddings are

celebrated in the building the lords have built for our
ceremonies. It is built on the ground, without windows,
with three pillars supporting the vaults. All tables and
seats are also built in. But even if it had windows, we
would not be able to enjoy the view. The village is built
like a prison; all houses are the same, the alleys without
pattern and very narrow, no trees, no free spaces, just
endless stone walls and a huge tower in the middle,
where the guards keep the money and the mastic

 Thirty- ve Days

of Intense Labor, 1822

The Chios Mastic Museum is located in Rahi, close to Pyrgi,
the main medieval mastic village of Southern Chios. The 21
medieval villages in Southern Chios, build the only territory in
the Mediterranean where the mastic tree, or Pistacia lentiscus
var. Chia, is cultivated; called by its generic name of skínos in
Greek, this is an endemic variety of pistacia plant from which
mastíha (gum mastic) is produced. The Chios Mastic Museum
aims to showcase the production history of the mastic tree’s
cultivation and the processing of its resin, which it integrates
into the cultural landscape of Chios and is included into the
UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In the Renaissance the Genoese dominion in Chios (1346–
1566) was abolished by the Ottoman conquest (1566-1912).
Under the Ottomans Chios experienced economic prosperity
until the Greek War of Independence broke out in 1821.
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 Thirty- ve Days

of Intense Labor, 1822

The Revolt
Vahit Pasha, Governor of Chios, 25th of March 1821

In the years of the reign of our divine Sultan Mahmut,

victorious son of Sultan Abdulhamid, eternal be the
memory of the supreme judge, protector of the holy cities
and representative of the Prophet, whose subjects,
believers and slaves, non-believers who pay the head
tax, live in safety and enjoy welfare, all of a sudden in
1821 the Greeks started a revolt against us. In those
days I was the governor of Chios, and thus I have
experienced the revolt in rst hand. Wishing to leave the
memory to our brothers of faith, how they are supposed
to obey their masters and how to treat in an exemplary
way the populations who dare to revolt doubting their
Master’s supreme power, I start my narration. How this
revolt started is linked to evil coincidences, which they
interpret as offensive to the religion of Jesus. They were
driven by old myths, that the time has come, where the
Greek nation, shall be liberated, and they do nothing else

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 than strolling around drunken and cheer, without any

shame of their misery. But their hidden plan is to ravage
and destroy our Empire.

The Flag of the Rebel

28th of May 1821

After a thorough investigation, the sparkle of this revolt

has been made known to our government, which
decided to hang the Patriarch of the Greeks and some
others instigators close to him, who were responsible for
this despicable and hideous act. But after a while the
prince of Moldova, Michael, who has supported the
revolting Greeks and the island of Hydra, where their
proud sailors come, became the leader of their naval
forces and raised a new ag with a new symbol on it.
Already in April 1821 this otilla has attacked and
destroyed the harmless believers, who travelled to
Mecca and the all the Turks they met in the archipelago.
Thus, seafaring has become extremely dangerous and
the life of the Turks living in Chios was put in constant
and great risk. While it was decided to reinforce Chios
further, bad news arrived from Peloponnese and thus the
forces had to change their course and mission. When
our eet sailed out of the island of Kos, opposite of the
island of Samos, they met the schooners of the rebels’
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 otilla and it was clear that it was an ambush. In order to

avoid to fall in the hands of the in dels, our captain set
re to the gunpowder storage and all the 10 schooners
blew, eternal shall be the memory of those martyrs. Each
captain of the rebels carries with him a written order with
signatures of the chiefs of the revolts in Hydra. Because
one of them fell in our hands I translate it:

In the name of God,

We acquaint that the Greek nation, subjugated for four

hundred years by the Ottomans, has decided with one
voice to get rid of the slavery and live in freedom. Hydra,
our island, without foreign assistance, seeking to
collaborate with all the nation, is starting the liberation
struggle, recruiting their brave offspring to battle against
the Ottomans. Captain Nikolaos Georgiou is invested
with the power to combat the Ottomans until the last
breath so that the nation regains its freedom and
independence. Thus, we request the captains of the
foreign eet, should they coincidentally meet us in battle,
to assist us as it ts to a handful of people struggling
against a powerful opponent to regain their national
rights. And if the assistance is not bene cial to their
governments’ plans, then we beseech them to honor us
with neutrality and God the almighty will reward each one
according to his deeds.
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 In the meantime, our eet set, supported by the

Egyptians, set sail for the Peloponnese, with 55 ve
ships, met close to the island of Kos, 100 Greek ships. It
would be easy to detonate them with cannons from the
land, but because of the fear of the six Greek reships,
which were there ready to attack, this plan was
abandoned. After several maneuvers, our eet sailed to
the Dardanelles, fearing that the malevolent and
dishonest Russia, always stirring up the peace-loving
Christians, subjects of the Sultan, with the word freedom,
might wish to pro t from those unfortunate events and
declare war to the Sultan, and easily grab its own gain in
the times of general upheaval and also because it
supports a Christian nation, like the in del Greeks, as the
old proverb says “all mad dogs are from one family”.
Thus, we decided to send a guard of 750 mercenaries to
Chios, as there reside over 80. 000 in dels, and only
some few Muslims.

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 Thirty- ve Days

of Intense Labor, 1822

Dealing the Card

September 1821

In the month of September, I arrived in Chios with and

escort of about 1000 men and Eles Agha under my
orders. I have immediately called a council of the Ulama,
whom I have richly gifted, and the community heads of
the Christians, whom I made clear the orders of the
Sultan in Greek language and I made them pay a
monthly rate of 15.000 silver coins to me, Mehmet Emin
Vahit Pasha, governor of Chios and 10.000 silver coins to
my of cer Eles Agha in order to maintain the forti cations
at the Castle of Chios and pay for my subsistence. They
have explicitly expressed the full obedience to the Sultan
and have written a letter of gratitude to the Sultan for his
clemency, as it also happened with the island of Cyprus,
only there we decapitated them. In this way the safety of
the life and property of the Chians has been put in my
hands. But the Chians are characterized by the most
reliable and respected historic sources of our Empire as

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 untrustworthy and dishonest, they showed a super cial
obedience, so as to manage their commercial affairs
without dif culties in Asia and Europe, ready to deal the
cards of the game as the proverb says.

The proof is that being informed on the rebel acts, they

have become shareholders at the ships of those captains
from the island of Spetses, with who they are in contact
at a daily basis! Thus, I have started preparations for
ammunition, but I suspect that the other side is doing the
same thing and they are up to something big. And while I
am feverously preparing to meet the challenge, the
Grand Vizier send me an unexpected order, that the
guard in Chios is appropriate and no more forces are
needed and this is the result of the activities of the
Chians in Konstantiniyye, where they have a tremendous
in uence in the government. However, I kept hostages
the heads of the communities, so as to make sure, that
they will keep their promise and lead a peaceful life. In
the meantime, Chian provosts were sent to
Konstantiniyye to pay a tax of 750.000 silver coins, and
there the intelligence of the Bostanci Pasha realized that
they are up to something, combined with the observation
that rebel ships are approaching the island. Also, the
English ambassador shared the opinion that something is
going on there. It was then decided that 3.000 men from
Smyrna would join the guard in Chios, however, as they
had to be recruited, they did not arrive, but in small
shares to the island.
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 Thirty- ve Days

of Intense Labor, 1822

The Declaration
10th of March 1822

69 smaller and 17 bigger ships of the rebels approached

the island. Their presence matched well with the secrecy
the Mastic villages kept, so that I suspect that the in del
Chians are preparing an insurgence, to timely meet their
compatriots’ naval assistance. We heard that an allied
army of 6.000 men reached the island, but this
information proved to be false, and we did not meet but
undisciplined, scattered people with a cross sewn on a
ag, still they killed 50 innocent and unde led Muslims,
the souls of which must have accepted the same day the
wreath of the martyr. A shameless document fallen in
hour hands signed by three rebels, Bournias from Chios.
Dimitrakis from Psara and Grigorakis from Samos,
declared:

We, the captains of the Greek Navy, notify the governors

and viziers of Chios that, without God’s will nothing
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happens on the Earth. For their misconduct the Greek
nation was doomed to live in slavery under the Ottomans.
But now because of your misconduct our nation rises up
against you and God has blessed our weapons. As we
liberated many places, the same will happen with Chios.
But we do not wish to shed the blood of the innocent,
thus we request you to deliver us the island in three days.
The Ottomans living in Chios will not be harmed, neither
their honor, nor their lives. The governors and soldiers will
be transferred out of the island at our cost. But if you
harm the jailed Christians, then it is you that spilled the
blood of the innocent.

I called a council to consult, and there the wisest Ulema

took the word:

Brothers, we have gathered here because of the

immediate threat of Christians. But through our history we
always have dealt with danger. I remind you that when
Sultan Selim, son of the glorious Sultan Suleiman,
conquered this island in 1566, transferring here out
faithful ancestors, the island has been captured by the
Genoese and then was recaptured by the fearless Cikal
Pasha, who installed here the janissaries never to leave.
Also, the unholy Venetians tried to occupy our island but
our Kapudan Pasha Ibrahim Misirlioglou in 1694
humiliated the arrogance of the in del raptors and
punished their collaborators the Francs and the Greeks

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in an exemplary way. Our triumph does not depend on
our weapons but on our prophet. But today we have
much more men and supplies here and an order to obey:
our Sultan gave us this island to protect and we cannot to
dishonor him with a surrender. Do not send word to the
dishonest proposal of the in del Greeks. When the three
days pass, we will answer in the language of the re and
with the cutting of the sword.

And so be it.

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 Thirty- ve Days

of Intense Labor, 1822

The Drea
18th of April 1822

The rst battle took place on the 2nd of April, we lost only
6 martyrs and killed 3.000 in dels. Our heroes brought to
my feet the blood dripping heads of the rebels, who
accepted their punishment by the Muslim knife. I have
rewarded each one with gifts and honors. Some have
offered me captured rebels, who I had immediately
decapitated and ordered their sculls lled in with straw,
while their unholy bodies were dispersed in the sea.

On the 17th April the French Consul came to offer his

support as he said, noting that our enemies built a force
of 11.000 men and those will be de nitely supported by
the Christians, who build the majority in the island, and
that I should take his advice that any resistance is futile
and that he volunteered to cross me over to Cesme with
of cers and soldiers. But if I decided to combat, he
would support me with supplies, as his government has

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 friendly intentions towards our Sultan. However, I judged

the French advice as false, because of the mobility of the
Chians and the transfers of which he made using his own
ship.

In the night of the 18th of April, I dreamed of our Prophet,

who came to me escorted by martyrs and saints wearing
their wreaths of martyrdom and a green beard. I also
dreamed of the holy man Abdulkadir Gilani, dressed in a
bright uniform, who was born in Babylon, but was the
protector of the brotherhood of Hizir Dede, which is here
on the island. Abdulkadir Gilani, eternal be his memory,
told me not to worry, and that I have to remain calm and
that the Muslims, who enjoy divine providence will be
helped with strong forces entering from the south part of
the island. And indeed, arrived our eet under Kapudan
Pasha Kara Ali, who disembarked 1500 men with naked
swords at the gate of Yerpan. But the rebels, instead of
leaving, they attacked a corvette and made the Admiral
realize the insane stubbornness of the rebels. The next
day our soldiers patrolled different parts of the island and
brought us back blood dripping heads, upon which they
have been rewarded by me personally. Then our soldiers
assaulted the monastery in Kallimasia, where many
families of doubtful orientation, faithful to us or not, have
gathered. The monastery was forti ed and thus the
soldiers had to be supported with cavalry and supplies
and one miraculous talisman, the composition of which I

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have personally supervised from the holy book of
Mevlana, which was written in Konya. Those talismans
attached the soldiers to their palms and after six hours of
bloodshed they made those miserable realize that
nothing resists the power of Islam. Our soldiers took then
care of another mastic village, Aigiorgi Sikousi, because
there resisted the chief of the rebels, Logothetis.

The next day all the foreign consuls, who escape during
the siege Logothetis laid to our Castle, have visited me,
except the one of Russia. They wished to thank me for
my provisions that none of their compatriots were harmed
and they prepared their reports to their governments
accordingly. In order to keep my promise to the Chians,
that whoever surrendered the weapons would be spared,
I sent an embassy from the innocent and peace-loving
mastic villagers to the others to persuade them to deliver
the rebels and surrender the weapons. But while the
mastic villagers obeyed and delivered the rebels, thus
amnesty was granted to them, those others in the
mountains declined my offer and prepared for an attack.
I assigned the task to oppress the revolt to a fresh force
of 7000 men, who just arrived from Izmir under the orders
of Abdi Pasha. In the village of Pityos they fought a
bloody battle, but he nally managed to ground the
village to the level and decapitate all the population.
Then he turned to Nea Moni, where he heard that chief
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rebel Logothetis was forti ed, and it took quite an effort

to conquest this place.

The following day I called the provosts who I kept as

hostages in the dungeon in the Castle. After one month
in prison, they looked like ghastly skeletons and they
were crying begging for mercy, underlining that the revolt
was not the fault of the Chians and that was happened to
them is only caused by the outsiders, the rebels. I
believe them and I have to say that what the Chians
suffered so far, is a punishment too great to suffer for
their disobedience. I also admit that my soul suffers that
I had to impose these cruel measures, but I had to set an
example for the other regions as well for all those who
consider to revolt. But at least I am happy that many
Christians accept Islam and the young men were
circumcised, so their souls are relieved from sins. And I
don’t have any remorse because in the holy book of
Serhousni is stated that to cut a wood is different from
cutting a head, but not in the case where the head is
Christian, and in the next passage this holy man explains
than the destruction of a Christian rebel is for the believer
of Islam like cutting a tree.

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 Thirty- ve Days

of Intense Labor, 1822

Scoundrels of the Nav

17th of August 1822

The troops enriched themselves by the rich spoils of the

Christian property, with uncountable movable items and
male slaves, but also beautiful females for their harems.
In order to be able to leave for the island of Psara and
Samos to reason the population there and demonstrate
to the local how sharp and irresistible the Ottoman sword
is, our soldiers auctioned the movable items to a lowest
price. I have personally praised this noble intention of our
soldiers and I sent a letter to the Kapudan Pasha, Kara
Ali, to escort them with the agship of our eet to those
islands to conclude their mission there, because these
islands are the centers and the treasuries that spread the
revolutionary ideas to all the places in the Mediterranean.
But the Kapudan Pasha did not seem to be aware of this
mission because of his drunkenness and lavishness. He
responded that my idea was irrational and that he cannot
risk the lives of the soldiers in well-forti ed places, and

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that the people there were much greater enthusiasts for
the revolutionary ideas than in Chios. He also said that
the troops did not intend to achieve a victory, but to loot
and slaughter the innocent and that was not the intention
of our Sultan. Also, that he has to set sail for the
Peloponnese because there are more urgent issues to be
dealt with.

To console the disappointed troops, I decided to

implement the Sultan’s order, the rman, which was long
due I let the 63 provosts hang. Before they were
executed, we have thoroughly examined, each one
separately, in order to disclose the details of the revolts,
their accomplices, secret correspondence and anything
else related to the revolt. I found the interpretation of
Kapudan Pasha Kara Ali quite strange: he thought to
grant amnesty to the provosts for the common good, and
instead to hang them to impose a heavy tax. When he
found out that I have literally executed the Sultan’s order,
he was so enraged with me, that the army understood his
friendly feeling to the Christians and thus became further
attached to my person. Kara Ali decided to defame and
slander me with a secret letter to the Sultan and later
thought to exterminate me using the scoundrels the Navy
is full of. I decided to resign from my post, but I could not
leave the island, as I was responsible for the salaries and
subsistence of all the soldiers. On the rst week of the
Ramazan, arrived the order from Konstantiniyye, that I

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was to be replaced by Abdi Pasha. Finally, after 35 days
of intense labor, I prepared to sail for Efes.

 Thirty- ve Days

of Intense Labor, 1822

Firework
Konstantinos Kanaris, Chios, 6th of June 1822

On the 1st of June 1822 two reships at the port of Psara

were ready to sail, one under my command, the other
under the command of Pipinos from the island of Hydra.
He was 32 years old and I was 28. We had a particular
mission. Despoina, my wife came down to the port with
our newly born son in her arms. Take care of the children,
I said to her. God with you, Konstantis, she replied in
tears.

We sailed and lay waiting in the middle of the sea for the
appropriated winds. Finally, after 5 days in stillness, the
wind we hoped for, rose. We set sail for the strait of
Chios, there where the Turkish eet was. A little later we
saw scout boats passing by, we fooled them pretending
we were Austrians. In the evening the wind faded out
and the men started to complain that we had to call of
our mission and that we would fail without the right wind.

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 Listen here, I said to all: there is the sea. Whoever has

already regretted joining me, shall fall into the waters and
save himself.

Around midnight we set sail for Chios. It is Ramazan and

there is a feast on the ship of the Turkish admiral. It
seems like a big feast, all the of cers were apparently
there and those of the army, those who slaughtered and
massacred the innocent people in Chios must have been
gathered there too. Music, noise and lighting made me
think that they were celebrating their victory over the
innocent people. I ordered the men to uncage the mines
of the re and the helmsman to approach the ship, where
the music came from. It was the agship of the eet. The
darkness was protecting us, but a watchman ordered us
to move away, thinking we belonged to them. As we did
not answer, he called an alarm. Some bullets ew among
the halyards of the re ship. But we already managed to
insert the stick of the re ship into one of open hatch of
the agship. “The re hooks” I shout to the sailors. Now
the re ship is closely attached to the celebrating
agship and we set re to the spout of the gunpowder.
We hastily jump to a boat and saw how they tried to untie
the re ship that has already embraced them with re.

When the boat I was steering was in safe distance, we all

turned to see what happened. What a beaming! Later
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 when the re reached the gunpowder storage of the

agship with the 84 cannons on board, the night has
turned to day. In Chios it was felt like an earthquake. In
Smyrna they saw the light. We heard later that from the
2200 men on the board of the agship only 200 saved
their lives and that the Kapudan Pasha Kara Ali was
interred in the Turkish cemetery of Chios. Pipinos tried to
blow up the ship were the treasury of the eet was kept,
but they managed to detach the re ship, which was
already in ames. But the burning ship caused
considerable havoc as it was moving without steering
among the ships of the eet, and urged the enemy to sail
way from the Aegean Sea and hide in the Dardanelles.
Thus, they could not bring the supplies to Mahmut
Dramali Pasha in the Peloponnese. The Revolution was
saved and the spilled blood in Chios was revenged.

Exemplary Punishmen
Vahit Pasha, former Governor of Chios, 17th of August 1822

On the 29th of the month of Ramazan, on Wednesday,

the sixth hour, we saw an unusual light, which turned the
night to day. It was clear that the agship was burning.
The army rushed to me, imploring me to revenge the ship
and destroy the mastic villages. Then I sent the guard to
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protect the villages and started to collect information. In

the meantime, the body of Kapudan Pasha Kara Ali was
found with his head smashed. His death was according
to his beliefs, which were not Islamic at all. He will be
accordingly judged on the Judgement Day, as the
destruction of his ship was caused by his indifference
and insensitivity. On the 17th of August I have reached
Efes and I was in my way to Konstantiniyye. But a
messenger from the Sultan came to me with the order to
stay in exile in Alaya and the title of the vizier was taken
from me. In this way closes the chapter Chios, where we
lost 600 men, but I take pride to account for 1100
decapitated, 25000 rebel’s dead, about 5000 enslaved
boys and girls, 26 pieces of artillery and 53 vehicles. This
punishment became exemplary for many places and our
Sultan, did not lose but the taxes.

 Outburst of Hell, 1822

Anavatos is an un-inhabited byzantine tower-village in the

center of Chios. Due to its location on a large granite rock at
the end of a cliff, the ancient city towers majestically above
the surrounding area. Although it is a deserted village, it has
still preserved its history, which is often sensed by the visitor
when wandering through its stone-paved streets. Tradition has
it that the rst settlers were the woodcutters who came to
build the new convent of Nea Moni at the request of Byzantine
Emperor Constantine IX Monomachus. In exchange they
requested him to give them this land to settle a village. Pirate
raids were later on to ravish the village many times, but still
the people rebuilt it again. Anavatos is directly linked with the
Greek War of Independence in 1821 and the massacre of
Chios in 1822 by the Turks.
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 Outburst of Hell, 1822

The Settler
Anastasios Zevgas, 1263

We are very proud about it and we pass the legend on:

our grandfathers told our fathers, and we tell it to our
sons. The rst settlers in our village came here by the
edict of the Emperor of the Romans who built the
Monastery of Nea Moni in 1042. You see, while he was in

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 exile in the island of Mytilene, three monks, Nikitas, John

and Joseph have prophesied to the noble Constantine
Monomachos, that he would become Emperor in
Constantinople, and when the prophesy is ful lled, he
should honor the Virgin Mary and build a monastery in
the island of Chios. And he kept his promise. The best
artists, laborers and artisans were sent from
Constantinople to Chios to build Nea Moni, the new
monastery.

The rst who arrived were the woodcutters, who set to

look for high quality timber in the locations close to the
construction site. This is how they became enchanted by
the beauty of the place, and when the Monastery was
built, they asked to be given small land plots in the area.
The Emperor, very pleased apparently by their excellent
work, not only has satis ed their request, but also sent
them money to build and embellish their housings. With
hard work and enthusiasm our ancestors founded our
village. They have grown to love this land and rooted in it.
Fond of the green area they planted olive trees,
cultivated vine, set up beehives, and prepared the
Anavatousiko, the aromatic wine, which gave our village
fame.

But the garden of Eden was not meant to hold on… As

soon as pirates found a way to climb up from the port of
Elinda, the village was plundered and left in ashes.
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Today, behind the green olive gardens, there are still
visible the parts of the rst stone village, the eternal silent
witnesses of the barbaric acts of the unholy men. The
villagers who escaped knew now better. The climbed up
this steep cliff and rescued themselves in the caves of
the giant rock. Thus, they realized that it was there were
they had to start building their lives again. With hard work
they have overcome the obstacles set by nature and built
their houses on the giant rock 500 meters away from the
earth. Four hundred houses we built with hard work, a
school and a church, a courthouse and a prison, all
beautifully connected with arches and wide walls like a
strong fortress close to the sky. And all around the rock
lies the in nite green sea of the cliff.
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 The Sieg
Z. Kaloutas, Psara, May 1822

Turn of Fat
On the 25th of March 1821 the Greeks living under the
Ottoman rule started their revolution. At this time, Chios
was favored by the Sultans, mainly because of the
mastic. The rich mastic villages belonged to the Sultan’s
sister Esme Sultana and we enjoyed privileges and self-
governance. When the revolution started, we were asked
to join but the rich merchants and ship owners with
considerable fortunes who are controlling with their
mercantile skills and diplomacy the commerce between
the Black, the Aegean and the Mediterranean Seas,
declined. In the meantime, Antonios Bournias from Chios,
who has served Napoleon as a colonel in Egypt, met with
the leaders of the Revolution in Peloponnese and asked
them to help him to persuade the Chians to join. The
leaders declined on the grounds that the time is not
favoring such an act. Bournias then met with the leader
of Samos, Logothetis, whom he persuaded to help him
advance the revolution in Chios, so as not for Samos to
be isolated and exposed to the Turkish forces.

The following year on the 10th of March 1822, Logothetis

landed on the island with about 200 men. Their

spontaneous and careless act was not planned, neither

have they informed the rst government in Greece, nor
had they any permission to perform military operations in
Chios. And since the act was unplanned, there was no
back up by the naval forces, who should have been
gathered to support a revolution in Chios, however they
succeeded to stir up the people in the land. Logotheties
laid siege for two weeks to the forti ed Castle of Chios,
which was defended by 3.000 Turks. He remained
unsuccessful as he had neither enough forces nor were
those engaged well equipped. When the men from
Samos entered the city of Chios, they found all houses
and shops closed and had to break doors in order to nd
food. Only farmers were happy to see them, shouting
aloud “freedom, freedom”. Only that the farmers did not
hold any weapons, but their farming tools. In the
meantime, Bournias, proud to have served as an of cer
in Napoleon’s army, was not at all pleased to receive
orders from Logothetes, and started quarrelling instead
to hold together.

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Enraged by the news, Sultan Mahmut imprisoned all
Chians in Constantinople and had 60 of them
decapitated. His admiral Kara Ali Pasha was ordered to
sail to Chios and suppress the uprising. On the 30th of
March 1822 Kara Ali had a force of 7.000 men
disembarked and set on re the city and all the villages
killing and slaughtering all males above 12 years and all
women above 4- years, with the exception of those
willing to embrace Islam.

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 Scent of an Orange
Grove, 1824
Kampos is the southward’s continuation of the city of Chios,
which began in the years of Genoese domination
(1346-1566). The Genoese introduced the systematic
cultivation of citrus trees as well as the export trade of their
fruits. The harmonious combination of residence and
production created an unrivalled milieu for life and work.
Foreign travelers who visited Chios give enthusiastic
descriptions of the lush gardens and the grand country
houses they met. Under the Ottomans (1566-1912) the
leading mercantile families of Chios engaged in trading silk
textiles, citrus fruits and other commodities in the international
commercial centers of the day. In the massacre of the
population of Chios by the Turks, in 1822, Kampos was
plundered and left deserted. The property-owners dispersed
all over the world and the estates passed almost totally into
other hands. The 19th century was a dif cult period of survival
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and readjustment for Chios. In 1881, a major earthquake
destroyed almost all the towers in Kampos. In the
ensuing years rebuilding and resettlement of the region
commenced, in a general climate of revival on the island,
before and after its liberation from the Turks and union
with Greece in 1912. Kampos survived thriving and
inhabited into the twentieth century, with its basic
characteristics, its citrus trees, water wells and enclosure
walls, virtually intact.
 Scent of an Orange

Grove, 1824

Founders of the Great School

Marie-Louis, Comte de Marcellus, Chios 1820

While residing in the island of Chios, my dear friend and

philosopher Neophyte Vamvas and I visited outside the
city a wonderful residence located in a lowland area with
oranges and lemon trees starting from the south of the
city and extending from the sea to the foot of the
mountain. This estate belongs to the wealthiest of the
Chian trader, Rodokanakis, and the most generous of the
founders of the Great School of Chios. He had instructed
my dear philosopher Vamvas, to invite me to go there to
spend a few hours away from the harbor and the noise of
the city of Chios.

I crossed large orchards with lemon and orange roads

bordered by walls like in area outside Marseilles. Then I
met elds with carob and palm trees. I reached the villa
without a driver or after a two-hour hike. The façade is
simple and a stone staircase has led me to the rst oor
where my hosts waited to greet me. They let me in a
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round room with a view decorated with many frescoes.
The sea breeze, after rst passing through the blooming
orchards of oranges, brought freshness and fragrance to
the house.

First, they made me sit on sofas lined with red and white
fabric from the workshops of Bursa at the foot of Mount
Olympus in Bithynia. The fabric created around me sweet
and soft re ections because it was from silk. My gentle
hosts have kept away the army of servants, with which
the villas of the wealthy Greeks are lled and no one
appeared during my entire visit. Instead, the spouse of
Rodokanakis, Lady Tharsitsa, served herself the sweets
of the spoon and the coffee, and her husband lying next
to me on the sofas lled with his own hands a long pipe
and lit it for me.

At the Roofto
Later on, Lady Tharsitsa let me in another room full of
marvelous paintings of the Venetian style. From there we
climbed up at the rooftop, where a telescope was set. I
turned it towards the shores of Asia Minor and could
clearly see the port of Cesme, the ruins of Ephesus, the
plains watered by the Kastros river and the hills of
Samos. After I lled my senses looking at the farthest
places, I turned the telescope towards the villages of
Chios, those that are built on the slopes of Mount
Pelinneon, towards the greenest orchards, the
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 pomegranates and vineyards, the whitest houses of the
harbor, shining bright under the light of the sun, the many
ships scattered in the bay, and I could not get enough
from all those beauties.

Provost Rodokanakis showed me around his estate, and

without pride and display mood he led me to his beautiful
gardens. We took a long walk around cisterns lled with
transparent water under the shades of the orange trees.
Lady Tharsitsa picked up a bouquet of the most beautiful
owers of the garden and offered me as a souvenir for
my visit to Kampos.

Masterpiece
When we returned home, where on the ground oor are a
bowling room and a 2000-volume library selected by my
dear philosopher Vamvas, the director of the Great
School of Chios, when he traveled to Paris. I saw that
here as likewise at the School, next to the greats Greek
authors were placed the masterpieces of Italy and those
of the era of king Louis XIV, the roi-soleil! When the time
came to say good bye to my kind hosts, Lady Tharsitsa
came to bring me giant oranges, which she has just
collected herself in the orange grove a while ago. I had
to taste them with her. She sprayed the oranges with
liquor from mastic and gave to me quite a few to take
with me. She has also given me lemons and bergamots,
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 the last is a kind of orange with sour esh, but a heavenly
scent.

Provost Rodokanakis had the kindness to escort me to

the road that would lead me to the city of Chios. We
arrived in Chios fully loaded with fruits and owers to
narrate a million experiences in the orange grove, which,
alas, lasted only a few hours! Kampos is a place, where
a thriving noble spirit is felt. The breeze circulated
through the ornamented balustrades, the graceful
columns and the cross-vaulted roofs in the orange
groves is imbued with an orange scent and million
colours, which gives the panorama an unparalleled
quality.

No doubt that the inhabitants of Kampos are

cosmopolitanism and mutual understanding between
people of diverse cultures and religions. The lovely
mansions in Kampos and their auxiliary buildings, the
family shrines and the stone carvings along with the
overall herbal plan of the area show to us visitors the
evolution of a progressive island society which made its
home country the center of the world. Already while in
Chios it became clear to me that the Kampos families
elevated in the Genoese nobility, not only enhanced their
social status and pedigree, but more importantly became
an indispensable part of the West and its traditions. The
educated Chians became the unique bond with the West

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making their civilization a special entity unanimously
celebrated by travelers, foreign diplomats, travelers and
intellectuals. I am myself have been an eye witness of
this particular bond!

Scent of an Orange

Grove, 1824

Salon de Pari
Marie-Louis, Comte de Marcellus, Paris 1824

Alas, the happy memories I have lived in Chios were not

meant to stay as such in my mind. Just two years after
my visit, the Sultan has ordered to raze the island to the
ground. The reason is that Chios joined the Greek
revolution that has shaken his Empire. The news arrived
in France that from the 117,000 Christian inhabitants of
the island, 42,000 were slaughtered, 50,000 captured
and 23,000 ed to the rebel regions of Greece and
Europe. The captives, mostly young boys, girls and
women, were sold into slavery in Smyrna and
Constantinople.

Two years after the massacre in the Salon of Paris I saw

the painting of maître Eugène Delacroix which depicted
the horrible massacre. Shocked by the brutality of the
painting and unable to grasp the tragedy, I rushed home
with my memories of Chios vivid in full contract to what I
have seen on the painting. I have remembered the few
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 hours after my farewell from the Rodokanakis family and

all the Chians I met. Poor young girls… Where are your
noisy laughter and your innocent joys now? The winds of
the war have blown them all away. Now I am the last
witness of this happiness on this beautiful island, as all
those coming after me, cannot witness but catastrophe
and ruins. Oh, my young friends! What has happened to
you? Are you among those who were slaughtered or
among those who were sold slaves in Cairo and Smyrna?
Poor Lady Tharsitsa, who knows what, has happened to
you…

 For the Love of Freedom,

2021
The Admantios Korais Library was created in 1792 as part of
the Great School of the Nation in Chios. The Library is one of
the largest libraries in Greece with a collection of 250,000
volumes. The rst books were donations of the distinguished
scholar Adamantios Korais and his circle of the
Enlightenment. Today the Library has two borrowing and two
book borrowing cars allowing access to those individuals who
cannot visit it. On the second oor is hosted the Argenti
Ethnological Museum. With continuous donations and
purchases, the Library now has more than 250,000 volumes.
An invaluable treasure of the Library is the donation of the
Great Napoleon in honor of Adamantios Korais "Déscription
de l'Egypte", consisting of 14 illustrated volumes (version
1809-1822).
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 For the Love of Freedom,

2021

The Repor
Stamatis Petrou, Commercial Assistant of “S. Thomas Company”,
Amsterdam 1772

Dear respected Monsieur,

I hope that my letter nds you well and that you are in
best health, protected by our Lord, you and all your
family. Our company and its branches in Smyrna,
Constantinople, Chios and Amsterdam, I hear that goes
very well. For all the activities here in Amsterdam I can
only report successes. For my part, Monsieur, I will do my
very best to secure the investment of your respected
partners here in Amsterdam. 45.000 silver coins are a
good capital to start a business and I value my fortune
and the fortune of the other employees to be able to
secure our humble existence through your generosity.
We are committed to our task to make the company
ourish and ensure the pro ts it deserves. Thus,
Monsieur, I am writing to you about a very delicate
matter, which worries me and I think that now is the time
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 to con ne my troubles to you. You see, it is a about
Monsieur Adamantios, the son of your respected
associate Monsieur Ioannis Korais, whom I have
escorted here in Amsterdam. We have found immediately
support by our compatriots that are already established
here with mighty companies and many and manifold
commercial activities.

Foreign Custom
You know, Monsieur, that I originate from the island of
Patmos and you also know, how attached to our
language and tradition this population is. Also having
worked with you in Smyrna, I have learned even more to
value those traditions. Thus, I remark, every day more,
that Monsieur Adamantios is exposed to novelties that
are generated in France or in other cities of the
Europeans, and he seems to deviate from the street of
God and our faith. He is excessively curious as a person
and obsessed with learning all the new things that the
Europeans follow in fashion and behavior, and this, I am
afraid, is affecting his thinking and his values.

I dare say, Monsieur, that Adamantios is not a church

goer. No, Monsieur, he is not. Neither he is attending the
fastening times, sending his servant to buy meat,
whenever he pleases! All the Christians here he is driving
to madness with his behavior. In regards to the business,

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 little attention he allocates. Instead of frequenting the

other merchants and participate the talks about the
business, like all merchants do, he prefers to frequent the
Opera, even on Christmas and the Easter Day. So much
he decouples from our traditions that I start to believe
that he intends to become a Calvinist! Sometimes he
arrives at home after midnight. As for his expenses,
generosity is the driver!

Fashion and Women

The house next to us inhabits our landlord and his three
daughters. One day he paid them a visit and asked one
of the daughters to escort him for a walk. But the
daughter denied the proposition on the grounds that he
is dressed in a strange fashion (our fashion), thus
immediately he promised to her, that he will change his
appearance! I heard this but at rst, I did not believe he
meant to do so. But then he dared to ask Monsieur
Stefanos, if he can change to French clothes in the
evening and keep our clothing fashion during the day. He
rather intends to become an of cer, as he ordered
military clothing with gold embroidery on it and even
bought a sword! He bought a black coat, which, when he
met some friends, they asked him if he was mourning,
and who died. Thus, he gave the expensive woolen coat
to the priest to get rid of it. And two fur coats, not one, he
ordered, mostly to impress his lover, rather than because

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 he looked for winter protection. And so, he has changed,
that while previously he did not even wish to let a
moustache grow, or wear a head cover, now he has a hat
collection like the actors do. Let alone that a barber
comes every day for one hour to take care of his hair.
And the shoe bows, he does not wear them like all
merchants do, but imitates his secretary, who wears them
in his private fashion.

And about the daughter of the landlord, I am most

worried. Either he invites her at home, where they spend
endless hours in the closed room, or he visit her at her
home, where the same things happen. And the parents
of the girl, not more than 18 years old is the daughter, do
not nd it weird, that those youngsters spend hours
locked in a room! Is this, Monsieur, the behavior, of an
honorable man?

Bad habits and an English To

Four teachers he is employing already: One is teaching
him Dutch, the other Jewish and Spanish, one is for
Geometry, another teaches the guitar, which is an English
toy, and he learns French songs to sing with the music.
And all that he is not doing for any pro t, for Christ’s
sake, but just for the praise of other people. And all day
long he is engaged with a typesetter! And not only: in the
beginning he said it was a sin to have mounted on the

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wall’s paintings of women, now he is doing excessively
quite the same. He even participated an auction to buy
those portraits!

Closing, Monsieur, I can say only one: Big trouble is

brewing since Monsieur Adamantios came to
Amsterdam, Sir. But I can swear to you, Monsieur, that
happened because of the many books he is reading;
besides that, please allow me to say so, Monsieur, he
does not suit for the profession of the merchant at all.
Reading is a widespread habit in Europe, and he, by
reading those French books especially, he became a
prodigal son. Because it lets the youth perceive the
freedom and they start to do as they wish. God help us,
Monsieur, Europe is de nitely not for us…

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 For the Love of Freedom,

2021

City of the Enlightenmen

Adamance Coray, Amsterdam, 23rd of September, 1774

I have become the servant, or better the slave, of the

completely insane despot and senile old man, Monsieur
Stamatis. The “assistant” that my father’s associate gave
me to escort me to Amsterdam and sort out things for me
is an illiterate, superstitious creature, a disrespectful
crook. He is a narrow-minded salesman, from the sort of
men, species I should say, that considers to fart (please
excuse me for this inappropriate expression) a mortal sin,
but to split a happy couple, is not a problem at all!

How could I possibly come to terms with such a

creature? It is merely impossible, impossible by all
means. Amsterdam is a big and important European
commercial center, the one where more skills are
required to establish oneself than just the skills to sale
some merchandise. It’s a cross roads for the ideas from
all Europe. A liberal and tolerant city, not bound on

religion and dogma, a city refuge of the free spirit, the

city that incorporates the freedom, a city where all books,
elsewhere prohibited, are accessible to read. A city that
innovates, open to different mentalities, behavior and
style, even commerce and commercial morals are
enhanced by this Enlightenment.

And there he is, this faint-hearted servant of the tradition

and regression wishing to dictate how I have to behave,
to be dressed, to converse and what to read and learn,
better give up the last activities entirely. Because I was
fortunate enough to come from a small city still governed
by the forces of the darkness to the city of freedom, I will
never give up my right to read and think. Six years I
spent in Amsterdam, not that I wished to become a
merchant, but because I did not desire to return to my
enslaved country. Especially after having experienced
the freedom in Amsterdam it was unthinkable for me to
return to any of the Sultan’s lands. Thus, I decided to
travel to Smyrna, to ask my father’s permission to study
medicine and become a doctor, rstly to avoid living
under the Turks and secondly because this is the only
profession that the Turks respect. However, an
unfortunate turn of events brought me almost literally to
insanity: an earthquake and a re on May the 24th in
1777 destroyed most of Smyrna. The city was still
shaking when I arrived there, and I found nothing but
ashes, where formerly my father’s house stood. And if it
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 hadn’t been for my friend Bernhard Keun, I would not

have endured the four following years intact.

Hoping to keep me in Smyrna, my parents suggested a

rich marriage, but no love could match to my love for
freedom. Thus, my parents gave in and I nally arrived in
Montpellier in October 1882. Alas, almost a year after the
news of my father’s death arrived, my mother passed
away too. May their souls rest in peace…

Nouvelle-Athènes
Adamance Coray, Paris 1789

I have completed my studies in medicine in Montpellier,

but I burn of my desire to explore the new Athens! Thus, I
left for Paris on the 24th of May 1788 carrying in my
pocket three recommendation letters by my professors,
Broussonet, Grimaud and Chaptal. However, I arrived in
Paris in a time, where for the rst time in history a
transformation would take place, a transformation that
would affect the history, the policy and identity of a
nation, a transformation which was at least expected by
the French. The French are considered to be “light” by
the other nations and it was this transformation the proof
for the French nation. It was unexpected that made these

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men emerge to the surface and become the legislators of

the new polity, the ideal, the new constitution.

After 1789, both the revolution in France and the death of

my parents, I remained resolute in my conviction never to
cohabitate with tyrants again. I have come to realize that
it was the spread of education among the French that
borne the love for freedom, thus I decided to dedicate
myself to spread education among my enslaved
compatriots, hoping that they too instill the love of
freedom in their breasts. And which other medium can
spread education better than books? So, I set as my
mission to provide for books presenting the works of
Homer, Aristotle, Thucydides, Plato and many others, not
only for the students of the ancient language, but to
make the content available for all enriched with
comments and explanations in the common language.
And this mission, I realized right from the start that it was
impossible to be coupled with the profession of medicine
and any other activity whatsoever and thus I did not
hesitate to give up medicine, despite my degree and my
dissertation.

The riots that followed the transformation of the French

nation in 1789 were caused by demagogues who had
nothing to do with the brave and wise leaders of the
transformation. It seemed to me that history demanded a
new stronger demagogue to tame the others. And this

demagogue was the notorious Napoleon, fully equipped

with strategic and governing virtues, made by nature to
inspire fear to the rioters and respect to those wishing
peace and stability. In one thing he errored though: he
did not grasp the expectations of the people, who
appreciated his virtues. And instead to liberate the
subjugated nations of Europe from their tyrants, he
became despot of the despots himself. Instead to sow
bliss in the whole of Europe, and be divinely celebrated
on earth by the hymns of the current and future
generations, alas, he let himself be captured by the
hymns of the atterers.
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 For the Love of Freedom,

2021

The Rosetta Ston

Adamance Coray, Paris 1802

My dear Étienne,

I suppose you remember that some years ago, in 1799 it

was, during the military campaign of the Emperor in
Egypt, a soldier, Pierre Francois Bouchard is his name,
discovered a stone with a text on it: the top and middle
texts are in Ancient Egyptian, while the bottom is in
Ancient Greek. Only because of our knowledge of
Ancient Greek, we will be able now to decipher the
Egyptian hieroglyphics. Do you understand now, why I
am so persistent for the young people to learn not only
Ancient Greek and Latin, but also modern languages?
Because this is the key to open their horizons, to create
the basis of a deep knowledge and get them acquaint
with new mentalities and frontiers. As for us, the Greeks,
it is the only way to free ourselves from the horrible
slavery of the Turks and become and free nation.

 Knowing that you support exactly the same task, my dear

Étienne, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Censorshi
Étienne Clavier, Paris 1812

When Coray arrived in Paris on the 5th of May 1788, I

offered him lodge at my house. At the beginning Coray
was very cautious to accept any favors, but the social
upheavals in 1789 urged him to accept my offer. He also
came to Nemours with me where we stayed for a year
and a half, until 1795. When I was serving as a judge in
the criminal tribunal of the Seine, I was urged by
Marechal Murat in the trial of General Moreau, who
helped Napoleon gain the power, to pronounce the
capital sentence for being involved in the Pichegru
Conspiracy, which aimed to plot and overthrow
Napoleon. This caused Napoleon to force the judges to
bring charges against General Moreau, Jean-Charles
Pichegru and George Cadoudal, who the police arrested
as main conspirators. On April 5, 1804, Pichegru was
found dead in his cell, strangled with his own tie and we
don’t know if this is murder or a suicide. Cadoudal,
Moreau and the rest of the conspirators were brought to
trial a month later, on May the 28, 1804.

During the trial le maréchal d'Empire Joachim Murat, was

urging me to pronounce the capital punishment for
General Moreau, assuring that Napoleon would grant
clemency to Moreau afterwards. I declined asking him:
“And who will grant clemency to me afterwards?”

Cadoudal was executed on June 28, 1804. Moreau was

exiled to America. I heard news that a Pennsylvania
newspaper wrote that many persons went to visit this
“illustrious warrior.” I also heard that when he arrived in
New York, it was a big event too and the Evening Post
wrote: “He comes to this country an exile one of the
bravest and ablest generals. The character of General
Moreau, as a soldier and citizen, is the most
unexceptionable of any of the leaders of the French
Revolution. By his great worth and brilliant achievements,
he became uncommonly popular in the French nation
and armies. This excited Bonaparte’s jealousy; he
therefore sought his downfall, and obtained a decree for
his banishment.” The nal curtain takes place in 1811: for
defending Moreau I was discharged from my post in the
tribunal.

In 1805, when Napoleon desired the translation of

Strabo’s Geograhy, he addressed Jean-Antoine Chaptal,
comte de Chanteloup. Chaptal was already famous for
his Ėléments de Chimie since 1790 and for his career at
the newly established École Polytechnique in Paris, while

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under Napoleon he became the founder of the National

Industry. Chaptal asked then the historian François-Jean-
Gabriel La Porte-du-Theil, the geographer Gosselin and
Adamance Coray, whom he knew as a student of
medicine at the University of Montpellier. Chaptal has
offered them an annual income of 3.000 francs to work
on the translations. In 1805 the rst volume of the
translation was presented to Napoleon, who decided to
grant to La Porte-du-Theil, Gosselin and Coray an annual
pension of 2000 francs supplementary to their income.
But Coray, who suspected the generosity of Napoleon,
and feared that he had to express in future more
“gratitude” than required, suggested to La Porte-du-Theil
and Gosselin to inform Chaptal, that they resign from
their annual income of 3.000 francs and keep only the
lesser amount of 2.000 francs. Chaptal accepted their
decision and praised them for their character.

A little later, Napoleon thought to employ me as a censor

for books published in Latin and to do the same with
Coray for books published in Greek. With horror I have
declined the “offer” and with the same horror responded
Coray.
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 For the Love of Freedom,

2021

The Inheritanc
Philip Argentis, London 1970

After 1788 Korais, - spelled in French as Coray-, lived in

Paris, where he was eye witness of the French
Revolution. He was in uenced by the revolutionary and
liberal ideas of his time and has welcomed this
“transformation” as he called it. He also admired Thomas
Jefferson and exchanged political and philosophical
thoughts with the American statesman. He encouraged
wealthy Greeks to open new libraries and schools
throughout Greece, then under Ottoman domination. He
believed that education would ensure not only the
independence of Greece from the Ottoman Empire, but
also the establishment of a proper constitution for the
new liberated Greek state. He envisioned a democratic
Greece, recapturing the glory of the Golden Age of
Pericles.

The library he founded in Chios is one of the largest

libraries in Greece. It was established in 1792 as a

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 department of the Great School of Chios, which was

realized by another man of the Enlightenment,
Athanasios Parios. Today it stores a signi cant collection
of over 130,000 volumes. The rst books were donated
by Korais, and many of his non-Greek friend in Europe,
and also by Greeks living outside of the Ottoman Empire,
in Europe.

It was founded in 1792 and in fact its roots are

connected with the long history of the island, which has
grown greatly thanks to the mastic, the only product that
thrives exclusively in Chios, but also mainly in shipping.
The Library, however, is indissolubly tied to the Great
School of Chios, which grew strongly under Athanasios
Parios (1721-1813) Parios was not from Chios, but he
had to anchor there when the Russian-Turkish war broke
out in 1776. Six years later he assumed the
administration of the School and together the initiative for
the establishment of the Library, which was originally
housed in the school building and became a reality
thanks to the donations of Korais. In the following years,
the Library acquires 20,000 volumes and the school
building became inadequate to host it. The Library had
solid nancial resources that enabled it to be housed in
its own space in 1817 with a reading room and lending
department.

The Library was utterly destroyed by the Ottoman forces

in 1882. After the Greek War of Independence was
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 declared on the 25th of March 1821, the Greeks from the
island of Samos had arrived on Chios and encouraged
the Chians to join their revolt. However, the revolt was
unprepared and Chians were merchants and not familiar
with the use of weapons. In addition, because of the
mastic, Chios, which belonged to the mother of the
Sultan each time, was privileged among the enslaved
territories. Thus, in response, 30.000 Ottoman troops
landed on the island to execute the order of Sultan
Mahmut and kill all males over 12 years, all females
under 40 years, all males under 2 years and the rest to
be sold in slavery. Vahit Pasha, the governor of Chios
was very zealous to properly execute the Sultan’s order.
The massacre lasted for 25 days and Vahit Pasha sent
his report to the Sultan in Constantinople together with 5
loads of cut heads in salt and 2 loads of cut ears also in
barrels with salt. In his report on the massacre his
classi es with the accuracy of an accountant the content
of the barrels as follows: 1.109 heads of priests, local
nobles and rebels, 25.000 slaughtered, 5.000 slaves,
boys and girls. 120.000 Chians were slaughtered by the
Ottoman troops in Chios, others were sold in slavery and
barely 2.000 managed to escape.

But even if the Turks had not burnt the Library to ashes,
there was nobody on Chios anymore to read books. It
took the Library 16 whole years to be reconstituted and
be housed in a small room.
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Korais had died in 1833, but with his will he left 3,425
valuable volumes and property rights to the Library. His
will, however, reached its destination only in 1867, after
many adventures. Other donations followed, most
notably that of Andreadis, a merchant established in
Trieste, which includes 4,331 volumes of ancient and
Byzantine writers. In 1864 the new building was built,
next to the historic Great School, of Chios, which was
completed in six years. The Sphinx, which is the symbol
of education and of Chios, was sculptured in the marble
slab placed on the facade.

In 1881 a devastating earthquake, which caused

damage to the buildings of the island, left the library's
building and treasures almost intact. However, it was
demolished and with the help of the rising Chian
community a new one was built, which was inaugurated
in 1885. It was a one-store building with a neoclassical
façade, where a new marble inscription was written,
which read "A. Korais Library". Ten years after the
liberation of Chios from the Ottoman yoke in 1912, the
State Law 3645/1922 recognized the Library as an
independent intellectual institution under the name Chios
Public Library "Korais". The building remained
unchanged until 1948, where I have supervised
personally the addition of a second oor. In the years to
come many other Chians donated their personal
collections, as I very gladly did.

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 For the Love of Freedom,

2021

The Manuscrip
Stergios Fasoulakis, 2016

In 1824, two years after the Massacre a manuscript is

produced in Arabic language with the title “Land Registry
of Chios during the rst counting”. The manuscript has a
height of 0.57 cm, a width of 0.25 cm and is composed
of 101 paper sheets. The leather-bound manuscript is
written in a calligraphic fashion with black ink and red for
the important notes. The title of the manuscript is in
Arabic and there is a Greek translation of it and a note
that facilitates the reader to understand that it is about a
record of the properties in Chios after the massacre in
1822.

There exists also another manuscript with a similar

context, issued in 1882. According to the Sultan’s order,
“all buildings and land properties of the in dels who
died, hanged, or escaped must be counted and
registered in order to be con scated”. In this way all the

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properties of the dead and alive Chians would become
Turkish properties. This manuscript is found in So a in
1931. It has been sold by the Turks to Bulgarians as
useless paper, 4 tons. The Bulgarians, behaving wiser,
have collected and kept those manuscripts, who seemed
of historical value to them. The manuscript in question
has been elaborated and completed in the time period
from 1824 to 1836. This was the time frame required to
complete the procedures for the con scation of the
properties of the Chians to the Turkish state.

The manuscript in Chios is a rst counting of the

properties, while that of So a is a more detailed work to
depict the stand of properties after the Massacre in 1822.
From the reading of the two manuscripts we can know,
who and how many Chians are slaughtered, who
managed to escape and how many were captured and
sold into slavery or slaughtered. The So a manuscript
details that in the city of Chios, only 858 men (heads of
families) escaped, 299 died during the Massacre, 328
remained or returned to Chios after the Massacre, 15
were captured and 416 were hanged. These numbers
refer only to the city of Chios and not to the entire island,
where the number of victims approached 120.000. When
the manuscripts are fully disclosed, we will know exactly
the family names of the slaughtered, some family names
of survivors after the Massacre, details about the
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temporibus scelerisque nec.

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vel, wisi at, id praesent bibendum libero faucibus porta
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 con scated properties, as well as other elements of the

pre-revolution topography and economy of Chios.

The value of the manuscripts is immense, as it is about a

historic source coming from the opponent namely the
Ottoman Empire and as such it further validates the
related Greek, European and American sources about
the Massacre of Chios by the Ottoman Turks in 1822.
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 Illustrations and Pictures

INTRODUCTIO

Blue jeans and banks: a very medieval story

The city of Genoa in a woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle, an illustrated, non-hand-written encyclopedia
by Hartmann Schedel, 1493. The Light House (Lanterna) can be seen in the left edge of the picture. It is
published in 1493 by Anton Koberger in Latin and German. There exist different copies scattered in museum.
The original (Handexemplar) by Hartmann Schedel is guarded at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, München.

Christoforo de Grassi, 1597: “View if Genova and its eet” (copy of 1481), Galata Museo del Mare, Genoa.

Matrakci Nasuh, 16th century “Galata” Ottoman Miniatur XVI. yüzyılda Galata’yı gösteren bir minyatür
(Matrakçı Nasuh, Beyân-ı Menâzil-i Sefer-i Irâkeyn, İÜ Ktp., TY, nr. 5964, vr. 9a) Retieved at: https://
islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/galata

Coats of Arms of the Zaccaria of Phocaea and Chios (1275-1329)

The Prototype

Palazzo Giustiniani, Via dei Giustiniani, Genova

Libro delle Colonne (Buch mit Listen der Zeichner der Genuesischen Staatsanleihen, die über die Casa di
San Giorgio nanziert wurden), San Lorenzo 1485; Archivio di Stato di Genova, San Giorgio, Colonne, 359
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The Treaty, 1261

Tale of the Birth Right (Old Testament)

Manuscript of Pachymeres' Historia, 14th century. Emperor Michal Palaeologos has recaptured Constantinople
from the Latins in 1261. Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München

Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix, 1840: "Entrée des Croisés à Constantinople" Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Bust of Friedrich I., "Barbarossa", gilded bronze, ca. 1160, Kloster Kappenberg Nordrhein-Westfalen

Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081-1118 CE) :  A gold hyperpyron coin of. The coin was introduced in 1092 CE and
shows Christ on the obverse and Alexios on the reverse. Source Ancient History Encyclopedia: https://
www.ancient.eu/image/7753/byzantine-hyperpyron-of-alexios-i/

Portrait of Frederick II Hohenstaufen, Holy Roman Emperor (1194-1250). Source: "Manfred

manuscript" (Biblioteca Vaticana, Pal. lat 1071) De arte venandi cum avibus.

Treaty of Nymphaeum, 1261. Source: Δαμαλάς, Α.Σ. 1998, Ὁ οἰκονομικὸς βίος τῆς νήσου Χίου ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔτους 992
μ.Χ. μέχρι τοῦ 1566, ΑΣΟΕΕ.

Black Death, 1346

Wheelis M. Biological Warfare at the 1346 Siege of Caffa

‘La Franceschina,’ a fourteenth-century manuscript.

Toggenburg Bible (Switzerland) of 1411. The disease is widely believed to be the plague, although the location
of bumps and blisters is more consistent with smallpox.

The Triumph of Death. Pieter Bruegel, 1562. Museo del Prado, Madrid

CHAPTER O1: NEA MON

The Golden Seal, Anno Domini 1042

Archangel Michael at the Holy Bema. Unesco-listed Monastery of Nea Moni in Chios

The Prophecy

Unesco-listed Monastery of Nea Moni in Chios

Octagonal Dome: Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios, the unique octagonal dome

Nea Moni in Chios, Unesco Designation

Crown of Constantine IX Monomachus sent to King Andrew of Hungary. Depicted are Constantine Monomachus,
Co_Emperor with Empress Zoe and Theodorea of the Macedonian Dynasty and two dancing girls.
Archaeological Museum, Budapest

Henrici Martelli Germani, 1470, “Scio Urbs Nobilissima. Manuscript Insularium Illustratum”. British Museum,
London

Zoe, the Purple Born

Byzantine eet repelling the Rus' attack on Constantinople in 941 using spurs to smash the oars of the Rus'
vessels. Ioannis Skylitzes, Synopsis of Histories (Codex Græcus Matritensis Ioannis Skyllitzes), Biblioteca
Nacional de España

Eastern Roman Emperor Basil II of the Macedonian Dynasty (958 – 15 December 1025) led the Empire to its
greatest heights in nearly ve centuries. Replica of a miniature of Emperor Basil II in triumphal garb, exemplifying
the Imperial Crown handed down by Angels. Replica of the Psalter of Basil II (Psalter of Venice), BNM, Ms. gr.
17, fol. 3r.

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Emperor Basil II Crossing the Imperial Gate, Skylitzes Manuscript "Synopsis of History" Biblioteca Nacional de
España, Madrid

Empress Zoe of the Macedonian Dynasty, Aghia So a Mosaics, Southern Gallery.

The Imperial Guard

Marble Slab with 4 B insignia, Seaward Walls of Constantinople. Istanbul Archaeological Museum. The 4 B
derive their meaning from the Greek "Βασιλεύς Βασιλέων Βασιλεύει Βασιλεύουσαν". The Emperor of Emperors is
reigning in the Imperial City". The 4 B with a Cross belong to the standard Byzantine insignia and ags as the
two-headed eagle, which is deriving from the Roman military tradition.

Emperor Constantine IX, Aghia So a Mosaics, Southern Gallery.

Christ Pantocrator, Deesis Mosaic in the Southern Gallery, Aghia Sophia, Constantinople

Queen of the Seas

Byzantine Emperor Basil II Macedon, Marciana Library, Venice

Golden Solidus of Byzantine Εmperor Basil II (976-1025 AD). Jesus Christis depicted on the left side, on the
rights side is depicted Emperor Basil II. British Museum, London

The man from Caesarea

Saint Mardarios, Unesco listed Nea Moni, Esonarthex

Ceremony of the Feet Washing (Niptiras) Unesco listed Nea Moni, Esonarthex

Façade with Octagonal Cupola, Unesco listed Monastery of Nea Moni,

Exonarthex and Esonarthex (Entrance Spaces) Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios,

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 Betrayal, Mosaic Composition, Esonarthex, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios,

Niptiras, Mosaic Composition, Esonarthex, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios,

Betrayal, Mosaic Composition, Esonarthex, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios,

Catholicon, Octagonal Dome, Mosaic Composition with Cruci xion and cherubs, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in
Chios,

Catholicon (Main Church), Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios,

Baptism, Mosaic Composition, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios,

Trans guration, Mosaic Composition, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios,

Cruci xion, Mosaic Composition, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios

Cruci xion, detail with mourning soldier, Mosaic Composition, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios

Deposition from the Cross, Mosaic Composition, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios

Descend to Hades, Mosaic Composition, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios

Descend to Hades, Detailed with of cials, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios

Descend to Hades, Detail with Christ, Mosaic Composition, Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios,

Holy Bema, Deesis (Mary praying), Unesco-listed Nea Moni in Chios, Mosaic Composition

Cistern, Unesco listed Nea Moni in Chios

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CHAPTER O2: AVGONIM

The Settlers

The Colony

St. Theodosios, Unesco listed Monastery of Nea Moni

The Master of the Mosaics

Byzantine Emperor Alexander III (870-913 AD). Constantinople, Aghia Sophia Mosaics

Byzantine Emperor John Comnenus and Empress Eirini with their son. Constantinople, Aghia Sophia Mosaics,
Southern Gallery.

CHAPTER O3: SEAWARD CASTL

Crusader Merchants, 1346

Seaward Castle of Chios: view from the inside of the Castle towards the Porta Maggiore

Turn of Fate

Quinten Massys, 1520 “Tax Collectors” Liechtenstein Collection, Vaduz/Vienna (artwork in the public domain)

Hartmann Schedel, 1493: “Genova Medieval Lighthouse” The city of Genoa in a woodcut from the Nuremberg
Chronicle, an illustrated, non-hand-written encyclopedia by. The Light House (Lanterna) can be seen in the left
edge of the picture. It is published in 1493 by Anton Koberger in Latin and German. There exist different copies
scattered in museum. The original (Handexemplar) by Hartmann Schedel is guarded at the Bayerische
Staatsbibliothek, München.

Maona di Scio

Seaward Castle of Chios. Porta Maggiore (Main Entrance) with Southeast Bastion

At St. Nicholas of the Mole was signed in September 1346 the surrender of Chios to Genova.

Codex Berianus Chiensis fol. Vii. Archivio dello Stato di Genova

The Brand

Coats of Arms of the Genoese Maona Shareholders in Chios

Cristoforo Buondelmonti, 1422: “Map of Chios” Argenti Colllection, Historic Public Library of Chios "A. Korais")
«BUONDELMONTI, Cristoforo, Liber Insularum Archipelagi [1420]» στο Τόπος και Εικόνα, χαρακτικά ξένων
περιηγητών για την Ελλάδα, από σπάνια βιβλία της Γενναδείου Βιβλιοθήκης, Μουσείου Μπενάκη, Ιδιωτικών
Συλλογών, τ. I, Αθήνα, Ολκός,
1978, page 66 British Museum

D. Wangner, 1829: Pistacea Lentiscus Var. Chiae

The English Merchant

The Galata Tower was built as Christea Turris (Tower of Christ) in 1348 during an expansion of the Genoese
colony in Constantinople. It was the tallest building in the city with 66.9 m. It replaced an older Byzantine tower,
which controlled the northern end of the massive sea chain that closed the entrance to the Golden Horn. That
tower was destroyed in 1203, during the Fourth Crusade.

Cristoforo Buondelmonti, 1422: “ Map of Constantinople” is the oldest surviving map of the city, and the only
surviving map which predates the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Liber insularum Archipelagi,
Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris.

Treaty between the Republic of Genova and the Maona Company of Chios, signed ny Admiral Simone Vignoso
on the 26th of Gebruary 1347. Codex Berianus Chiensis, fol. VII.Page One. Archivio dello Stato, Genova

The Albergo degli Giustiani was the seat of the Maona admnistration in Chios

Byzantine watertank in the forti ed city with the tower of Koulas in the background

Coats of Arms of the Genoese Maona Shareholders in Chios, St. George of the Castle

Gunpowder Magazine, close to the Zeno Bastion, under restoration

Francesco Solimena "The Massacre of the Giustiniani in Chios” Napoli, Museo Capodimonte Museum (inv. Q
213). The painting is a sketch by the artist for one of the canvases he made to decorate the ceiling of the Sala
del Consiglioetto in the Palazzo Ducale in Genoa. It represents the martyrdom of eighteen members of the
Giustiniani family in a revolt of the Turks against the Genoese domination in Chios

CHAPTER O4: PYRG

Shareholders, 1450

Lucri Gratiae

Usury and medieval banks Genoa 1340, British Library, London

Venetian Map of Chios, 1554, Marciana Library Venice

The Monopoly

Coats of Arms of the Giustiniani, Castle of Chios

Brave New World

Colombo House in Pyrgi

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Frans Hogenberg and Georg Braun, 1572 „Civitates Orbis Terrarum“, Band 1 (Ausgabe Beschreibung vnd
Contrafactur der vornembster Stäten der Welt, Köln 1582; [VD16-B7188) Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg

Gentile Belllini,1480: "Sultan Mehmet II", National Gallery of London

Sebastiano del Piombo, 1519: “Christopher Columbus”, The MET Online Collection

CHAPTER O5: MEST

The Treasure of Chios, 1360

A well thought plan

Arms of the Giustiniani in Chios. Levantine Heritage Foundation Digital Collections

Joint Venture

Rarissimo aspro in argento per Caffa, ex colonia genovese passata nel 1453 al Banco di San Giorgio (Ag, g
1,11). Al dritto il castello genovese, al rovescio la croce maltese

The Tower

The Church of Neos Taxiarchis stands where formerly the watch tower was, which stood empty after the
Genoese were replaced by the Ottoman Turks in 1566. The villagers decided to demolish the watch tower and
build their second church on its place. Thus, by occupying the place of the tower, Neos Taxiarchis is the biggest
building in Mesta.

Francisco Lupazzulo, 1639: Medieval Mastic Village of Mesta. A. Korais Library, Chios

 CHAPTER O6: OLYMPO

Resin Tears, 1478

Model of Olympoi, PIOP Mastic Museum, Chios

Humble Farmers

Mastic Tears: "Adopt a Chios Mastic Tree" Project

Mastic Drops: "Adopt a Chios Mastic Tree" Project

The Wedding

D. Papathanasiou, 2019: Olympoi Central Watch Tower

Casa del Mastice

Agnolo di Cosimo (Bronzino) Workshop, ca. 1565-1569: “Lorenzo de' Medici". Gallerie Degli Uf zi, Firenze

Agnolo di Cosimo (Bronzino), 1544–45: "Eleonora di Toledo col glio Giovanni" Gallerie Degli Uf zi, Firenze

CHAPTER O7: PIOP MASTIHA MUSEU

Thirty- ve Days of Intense Labor, 1822

PIOP Mastic Museum Press Kit

The Revolt

Athanasios Karantz(ou)las, 2nd half of the 19th century: "Sultan Mahmud II”, Google Art Project
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The Flag of the Rebels

Theodoros Vryzakis, 1851: "Archbishop Germanos is blessing the revolution ag". The National Gallery -
Alexandros Soutzos Museum, Athens

Konstantinos Volanakis, 1882: "The burning of the Turkish frigate". The small artillery of Dimitris Papanikolis in the
port of Eressos, full of explosives and ammable materials, clung to the sides of the Turkish frigate on May 27,
1821. Private Collection, Athens

Ludovico Lipparini, ca. 1850: "Lord Byron's Oath on the Grave of Marco Botzaris" Civic Museum,Treviso

Louis Chrales Auguste Couder, 1841: « Méhémet-Ali, Vice-roi d'Égypte in 1803 », Versailles, châteaux de
Versailles et de Trianon. This image comes from the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's Memory of Modern Egypt Digital
Archive.

Dealing the Cards

Chian Couple in local costume, ca. 1820, coloured lithography from: Κούτσικας, Κ. 1994, Τα χαρακτικά της Χίου.
Τόμος Α' Ενδυμασίες, Ακρίτας, Χίος.

The Declaration

Ioannis Poulakas "Battle in the bay of Salona, 1827”. Bank of Greece

Louis Dupré: Nikolakis Mitropoulos raises the ag with the cross in Salona, on Easter day 1821. From: Βλάχος, Μ.
(ed.), Louis Dupré, Ταξίδι στην Αθήνα και στην Κωνστaντινούπολη, Αθήνα, ΟΛΚΟΣ, 1994.

Jacopo Ligozzi , ca. 1580-85 “Sultan Selim II with a dragon”. Ligozzi probably painted this sheet as part of a
book devoted to gures in Turkish costume, many of whom are accompanied by animals. Rather than drawing
from life, he used a variety of costume engravings.

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The Dream

Paul Emil Jacobs, 1841: Greek War of Independence, Private Collection, Berlin

Hippolite Berteaux "Sultan Mahmut II" Topkapi Museum Istanbul

Louis Dupré "Turkish Of cer" in: Δ. Φωτιάδη "Η Επανάσταση του 1821", Εκδόσεις Βότση, Αθήνα 1971, σελ. 129

D. Papathanasiou, 2018, Castle of Chios, Dungeon

Scoundrels of the Navy

Adam de Friedel, 1830: "Nasuhzade Kara Ali Pasha, Kapudan Pasha of the Ottoman Fleet, 1822" In: The
Greeks, Twenty-four Portraits of the principal Leaders and Personages who have made themselves most
conspicuous in the Greek Revolution, from the Commencement of the Struggle, London, Adam de Friedel, 1830.
The Gennadius Library - The American School of Classical Studies at Athens

D. Papathanasiou, 2018, Ottoman Cemetery in Chios

Fireworks

Adam de Friedel, 1830: “Konstantinos Kanaris: Hero of the Greek re-Ships” In: The Greeks, Twenty-four
Portraits of the principal Leaders and Personages who have made themselves most conspicuous in the Greek
Revolution, from the Commencement of the Struggle, London. The Gennadius Library - The American School of
Classical Studies at Athens

Nicephoros Lytras, ca. 1865: "The blowing up of Nasuhzade Ali Pasha's agship by Konstantinos Kanaris".
Averoff Gallery, Metsovo

Konstantinos Volanakis, ca. 1873, “The Burning of the Turkish Flagship by Kanaris “ National Gallery, Alexandros
Soutsos Museum, Koutlidis Collection, Athens

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Exemplary Punishment

Eugène Ferdinand Victor Delacroix, 1824: Scènes des massacres de Scio: familles grecques attendant la mort
ou l'esclavage. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

CHAPTER O8: ANAVATO

Outburst of Hell, 1822

The Settlers

D. Papathanasiou, 2018: Unesco listed Monastery of Nea Moni

D. Papathanasiou, 2018: Anavatos

The Siege

D. Papathanasiou, 2018: Anavatos

Nicephoros Lytras, 1896: Potrait of Lykourgos Logothethis, Samos City Hall. In: Σακελλαρίου, Μ. 2014, Ένας
συνταγματικός δημοκράτης ηγέτης κατά την Επανάσταση του ’21. Ο Γ. Λογοθέτης Λυκούργος της Σάμου,
Πανεπιστημιακές Εκδόσεις Κρήτης, Ηράκλειο., σελ. 2. In 1822 Logothetis undertakes militarily the initiative of
"exporting" the national revolution in Chios after consultation with the Chian Antonis Bournias, without the of cial
order of the Assembly of the Revolutionary.

Eugenio and Raffaele Fulgenzi, ca. 1838: Portrait of Sultan Mahmud II (r. 1808–1839), Harvard University. Fine
Arts Library, Cambridge, Middlesex

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The Last Easter

Turkish armed forces. From: Φωτιάδη, Δ. 1971, Η Επανάσταση του 1821, Εκδόσεις Βότση, Αθήνα.

Betrayal

Eugène Ferdinand Victor Delacroix, 1826: The Combat of the Giaour and Hassan. Chicago Art Institute via the
Google Project

Greek Schooner. From: Φωτιάδη, Δ. 1971, Η Επανάσταση του 1821, Εκδόσεις Βότση, Αθήνα.

A humble g tree

Friedrich Campe (publisher, 1825-35), Turkish savagery in Chios (a church is on re in the background, in the
right a priest is murdered). Hand-coloured copper engraving (SHP collection).

CHAPTER O9: KAMPO

Scent of an Orange Grove, 1824

D. Papathanasiou, 2018: Waterwheel at the Perleas Mansion, Kampos, Chios

Founders of the Great School

D. Papathanasiou, 2018: Waterwheel at the Perleas Mansion, Kampos, Chios

At the Rooftop

D. Papathanasiou, 2007: Argenti Mansion, Kampos, Chios

D. Papathanasiou, 2018: Orange Grove at the Perleas Masion, Kampos, Chios

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 Masterpieces

Charles de Ferrioll, 1714: "Receuil den cent estampes" in: Ζαχαρού Λουτράρη, Α. 2008, Βιβλιοθήκη Χίου
"ΚΟΡΑΗΣ" Η ιστορία και οι θησαυροί της, Αλφα Πι, Χίος, p.142

D. Papathanasiou, 2008: Ornament in Kampos in Chios

D. Papathanasiou, 2008: Water Cistern, Agenti Estate, Kampos in Chios

Salon de Paris

Slave Trade of Chian women in Smyrna, 1822 from: Φωτιάδη, Δ. 1971, Η Επανάσταση του 1821, Εκδόσεις Βότση,
Αθήνα.

Yard with Waterwheel, Perleas Mansion, Kampos Chios. Courtesy by "Perleas"

CHAPTER 10: KORAIS LIBRAR

For the Love of Freedom, 2021

French Embassy, US, 5th of October 2017

The Report

Portrait of Adamantios Korais (1748-18330 in: Ζαχαρού Λουτράρη, Α. 2008, Βιβλιοθήκη Χίου "ΚΟΡΑΗΣ" Η ιστορία
και οι θησαυροί της, Αλφα Πι, Χίος, p.74

Foreign Customs

Gautherot, Pierre(1769-1825): "Portrait of M.F. Voltaire", State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. Accessed via
the Digital Collections

Fashion and Women

Jan Vermeer van Delft, 1669: "The Glass of Wine" Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, via the Google Art Project

Bad habits and an English Toy

François ClaudiusCompte-Calix, 1850: "Ladies Making Music on a Terrace in the Park” State Hermitage Museum,
St. Petersburg. Accessed via the Digital Collections

City of the Enlightenment

Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix , 1830: "La Liberté guidant le peuple" Musée du Louvre, Paris

Aleksey Antropov, before 1766: State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. Accessed via the Digital Collections

Lefort, 1790 "Portrait of Jean-Jacques Rousseau". State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. Accessed via the
Digital Collections

Nouvelle-Athènes 

Anicet Charles Gabriel Lemonnier,1812: "The First Reading at Mme Geoffrin's of Voltaire's Tragedy 'L'Orphelin
de la Chine'", Château du Malmaison, RueilFerdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix, 1830 : "La Liberté guidant le
peuple" Musée du Louvre, Paris

Remi-Fursy Descarsin, 1791 : "Un garde national et sa femme" Musée de la Révolution française, Vizille

The Rosetta Stone

The Rosetta Stone. British Museum, London. Wikimedia Commons

 Censorship

Jean-Pierre Houël: "The Storming of Bastille, 1789" The British Library

William Hamilton, 1794: "Marie Antoinette being taken to her Execution, October 16, 1793". Musée de la
Révolution française, Vizille

Jaques-Louis David, 1805-7: The Coronation of the Emperor Napoleon I and the Crowning of the Empress
Joséphine in Notre-Dame Cathedral on December 2, 1804, Musée du Louvre, Paris

The Inheritance

Mather Brown, 1786: "Portrait of Thomas Jefferson" National Portrait Gallery, SmithsonianMuseums. Acessible at:
https://npg.si.edu/object/npg_NPG.99.66

Theodoros Vryzakis, 1855: " The Army-Camp of Karaiskakis" The National Gallery - Alexandros Soutzos Museum,
Athens

D. Papathanasiou 2018, Historic Public Library 'Adamantios Korais" in Chios. Reading Hall with Napoleon's
"Description de l'Egypte".

The Manuscript

Peter von Hess, 1829: Palikaren bei Athen, Nationalgalerie der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin - Preußischer
Kulturbesitz, via EUROPEANA

Eugène Ferdinand Victor Delacroix, 1827: "La Mort de Sardanapale", Musee de Louvre, Paris

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 Credits

Author: Dorothea Papathanasiou

Producer: Konstantinos Papanikolaou, COMITECH

Art Director: Mauro Scaramella

Photographer: Konstantinos Anagnostou

Series Editor: Dorothea Papathanasiou

eBook creator: Aldo Di Russo

Published by: CULTUREPOLIS

This publication is aligned with the principles and guidelines of the European Audio-visual and Media Services
Directive, the FaroConvention of the Council of Europe and the EUROPEANA guidelines for IPR.
ISBN 978-618-85190-1-5

Place of publication Corfu Date of publication 2021