Part of the Eastern Roman, [[Byzantine]], Empire until 1204 and the Western Christian sack of Consatntinople, the island was allocated to the Genoese but sold to the Venetians for 1000 silver marks. The Venetians occupied the island and initially tried to impose Roman Catholicism on the Greek Orthodox inhabitants. This imposition, and the high taxes that the Venetiians brought with them, was resisted by the Cretans and the early Venetian rule was marked by a series of revolts against the conquerers. The later Venetian period was generally more stable. | Part of the Eastern Roman, [[Byzantine]], Empire until 1204 and the Western Christian sack of Consatntinople, the island was allocated to the Genoese but sold to the Venetians for 1000 silver marks. The Venetians occupied the island and initially tried to impose Roman Catholicism on the Greek Orthodox inhabitants. This imposition, and the high taxes that the Venetiians brought with them, was resisted by the Cretans and the early Venetian rule was marked by a series of revolts against the conquerers. The later Venetian period was generally more stable. |