Uploaded November 2018 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Emirate of Crete ( إمارة إقريطش)
The Emirate of Crete (Imarat Iqritish) was an emirate state that existed on the Mediterranean island of Crete from the late 820s to the Byzantine reconquest of the island in 961.
Founded by Andalusian exiles led by Abu Hafs from Umayyad Iberia, they build the city of Chandax (Heraklion) and became the major city on Crete replacing former roman capital of Gotyna.
The emirate transforms Crete to became the major naval power in the eastern Mediterranean during the early middle ages and defying the Byzantine naval power for more than a century.
It became the haven for exiles, fugitibve and persecuted people throughout Mediterranean and politically at odd with the Umayyad in Córdoba, Fatimid in Egypt and Abbasid at Baghdad.
After Byzantine able to pacify the Rus' raiders from Kiev, the Bulgars in the Balkans and war with the Abbasid Caliphate going to a stalemate. the Byzantine empire launch a successful expedition to re-conquer Crete in 961 CE under the leadership of Nikephoros Phokas.
Abd al-'Aziz the Cordovan became the last emir of Crete and detained in Constantinople, ending the Emirate of Crete.
Emirate of Crete ( إمارة إقريطش)
The Emirate of Crete (Imarat Iqritish) was an emirate state that existed on the Mediterranean island of Crete from the late 820s to the Byzantine reconquest of the island in 961.
Founded by Andalusian exiles led by Abu Hafs from Umayyad Iberia, they build the city of Chandax (Heraklion) and became the major city on Crete replacing former roman capital of Gotyna.
The emirate transforms Crete to became the major naval power in the eastern Mediterranean during the early middle ages and defying the Byzantine naval power for more than a century.
It became the haven for exiles, fugitibve and persecuted people throughout Mediterranean and politically at odd with the Umayyad in Córdoba, Fatimid in Egypt and Abbasid at Baghdad.
After Byzantine able to pacify the Rus' raiders from Kiev, the Bulgars in the Balkans and war with the Abbasid Caliphate going to a stalemate. the Byzantine empire launch a successful expedition to re-conquer Crete in 961 CE under the leadership of Nikephoros Phokas.
Abd al-'Aziz the Cordovan became the last emir of Crete and detained in Constantinople, ending the Emirate of Crete.
