Revolt of Therissos

The revolt of Therissos (in Greek: Η Επανάσταση του Θερίσου ) is an episode of the Histoire of Crete. It is an insurrection which bursts in March 1905 against the government of the Crete, then autonomous. It is carried out by Eleftherios Venizelos and draws its name from the native village of Venizelos, Therissos which is the seat of this revolt.

Context

The revolt

In spring 1905, an insurrection bursts against the government crétois. It is carried out by Eleftherios Venizelos which denounces the corruption of the entourage of the Prince Georges and the incapacity of this last to make accept with the Great powers the idea of annexation of Crete by Greece. The rebellion bursts the March 10th 1905 and gathers the opponents of Georges of Greece showing it of authoritarianism and undemocratic measurements. But the conducting idea of this rebellion is the fastening of Crete in Greece. The opposition decides not to take share with the elections envisaged on March 20th and which must designate the 64 deputies crétois, plus 10 indicated directly by Prince Georges. They call with the boycott of the elections and meet in the village of Therissos which becomes the center of the armed struggle against the government in place. Approximately a thousand of men, of which the half are armed, form the core of this rebellion, around Vénizelos, Konstantinos Foumis, and Konstantinos Manos. Vénizélos organizes there a provisional government which prints its own stamps and its newspaper. Foumis, former prosecutor, member of the Parliament and former minister is in load of the financial aspect; Manos, former mayor of Canée is in load of the military aspect; finally Venizelos oocupe of the political part. The revolt extends to the remainder from the island, gaining the support of local personalities, of which bishops of Rethymnon and Lassithi.
Georges declares the law martial, but the presence of two governments parallel pleasing with a pretense of civil war within the population and some confrontations make some victims in the area of Canée.

The village of Therissos east chooses by Vénizelos for its strategic position, to 14 km of Caned the, for its natural fortifications with the foot of the white Montagnes and its easy access towards the other villages and valleys as well around Caned the as towards Sphakia.

The Russia is the nation which reacts more to these events. At the beginning of June, of the Russian troops unload in Crete, take some villages and the Russian fleet bombards some others. The British, in spite of their supports with the mode in place, take only measures of pretense. As for the French and the Italians, they avoid engaging in any anti-revolutionist activity. The great powers, carrying out the popular loss of support of Georges, organize negotiations. An international commission goes on the island and recommends the recasting of the gendarmerie crétoise so that it is directed by Greek officers, and the withdrawal of the international forces present on the island since 1897.
The July 26th 1906, the second assembly constituent meets to establish a new constitution. August 14th, the great powers leaves with Georges Ier of Greece the choice of the new governor of Crete. After these events, Prince Georges resigns of his functions on September 12th, 1906.

In 1913, after the First war Balkan, Crete obtains the official union with Crete.

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