Editing Naxos (section)

=== Duchy of Naxos ===
{{further|Duchy of the Archipelago}}
[[File:ShepherdByzempire1265.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.5|The Duchy of Naxos and other Frankish states, carved from the [[Byzantine Empire]], as they were in 1265.<ref>William R. Shepherd, ''Historical Atlas'', 1911</ref>]]
[[File:Tower of Sanudo, front view.JPG|thumb|200px|Sanudo tower, part of the Duchal Palace]]
[[File:GR-naxos-pirgos-belonia.jpg|thumb|200px|Belonia tower]]

In the aftermath of the [[Fourth Crusade]], with a [[Latin Empire]] under the influence of the Venetians established at [[Constantinople]], the [[Venice|Venetian]] [[Marco I Sanudo|Marco Sanudo]] conquered Naxos and most of the other Cyclades in 1205–1207.<ref name="ODB"/> Of all the islands, only on Naxos was there any opposition to Sanudo: a group of [[Genoa|Genoese]] pirates had occupied the castle between the end of Byzantine rule and Sanudo's arrival. To steel his band's resolve, Sanudo burnt his galleys "and bade his companions to conquer or die". The pirates surrendered the castle after a five weeks' siege.<ref>{{Latins in the Levant|page=43}}</ref>

Naxos became the seat of Sanudo's realm, known as the "Duchy of Naxos" or "Duchy of the Archipelago".<ref name="ODB"/> Twenty-one dukes in two dynasties ruled the Archipelago, until 1566; Venetian rule continued in scattered islands of the Aegean until 1714. Under Venetian rule, the island was called by its Italian name, ''Nasso''.

The Sanudi introduced Western feudal law to the island, based on the ''[[Assizes of Romania]]''. However, the native Greek population continued to use [[Byzantine law]] for civil matters at least until the late 16th century.<ref name="ODB"/>

In the 13th century, following the capture of [[Antalya]] and [[Alanya]] on the southern Anatolian coast by the [[Seljuk Turks]], refugees from these areas settled in Naxos.<ref name="EI2"/> In the 14th century, the island was once more exposed to raids, this time from the [[Anatolian beyliks|Anatolian Turkish beyliks]], chiefly the [[Aydınids]]. In turn, the Sanudi assisted the Genoese in capturing [[Chios]] in 1304 and the [[Knights Hospitaller]] in their [[Hospitaller conquest of Rhodes|conquest]] of [[Rhodes]] in 1309, in order to stop these islands being used as Turkish pirate base. Nevertheless, raids against Naxos are recorded in 1324 and 1326, and in 1341, [[Umur of Aydın]] carried off 6,000 people from the island and imposed a payment of tribute. Two years later, however, the [[Smyrniote crusade]] captured his main port, [[Smyrna]].<ref name="EI2"/> 

[[File:I Naxos Nixia - Buondelmonti Cristoforo - 1420.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Fifteenth century map of Naxos by [[Cristoforo Buondelmonti]]]]
The relief was temporary, however, as Turkish raids recommenced later in the century. The island was so depopulated that [[Cristoforo Buondelmonti]] in {{circa|1420}} claimed that there were not enough men to wed the Naxiot women.<ref name="EI2"/> The rising [[Ottoman Empire]] first attacked the island in 1416, but the Sultans recognized Venetian overlordship over the Duchy in successive treaties, in exchange for an annual tribute.<ref name="EI2"/>