Jan Peeters, Insula di Candia del Mare Mediteranea / La Citta di Candia, ca. 1665

The last and at the same time longest battle for Crete was fought by Venice between 1648 and 1669 near the capital Heraklion (during Venetian rule: Candia; today also: Iraklio). While the Ottomans were able to conquer quickly most parts of Crete, Candia withstood the attacks for a long time. Only in 1666 the Ottomans carried out a large-scale attack on the fortress. After the end of the siege the Venetians lost not only Crete but also many Aegean islands as well as bases in Dalmatia and with that their dominant position in the Mediterranean.

Insula di Candia del Mare Mediteranea / La Citta di Candia, etching, 12 cm x 27 cm, ca. 1665, artist: Jan Peeters; source: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_2AA-a-43-85 © The Trustees of the British Museum.