Price: £280.00

• Date: 1735
• Condition: AAA
• Colour: BW
• Size (cm): 18.2 x 14.6

Publication: Peregrinus in Jerusalem (Fremdling zu Jerusalem), Myller, A. M., Vienna & Nurnberg. Engraver: J Hiller, A J Mansfelt, J J Ditzler, J F Fischer and others.

A rare engraving of the towns of Iraklion and Khania on the island of Crete.

Iraklion was build by the Arab Saracens in 824 CE. At the time it was called Chandax, a name adapted from the Arab word "kandak" that means moat , due to the moat that the Saracens dug all around the city. Iraklion was built on the location where the old harbour of Knossos used to stand. The name survived during the second Byzantine period as Chandakas, and during the Venetian occupation as Candia. In fact during the Venetian occupation , the whole island was named Candia after the city. In 1462 the rulers of the city decided to rebuilt and strengthen the fortifications. The new wall was designed by one of the most famous military engineers of Venice, Michele Sammicheli. The construction lasted 100 years. This huge project was funded by extra taxation of the Cretan people, and carried out by the locals who were practically conscripted to work on it. Every Cretan from 14 to 60 years old was forced to work a week every year on the construction. There perimeter is 4.5 km long and there are 12 bastions and forts. Nevertheless, for all there size, these walls fell. The Turks managed to occupy Chandax in 1669 , after a siege that lasted 22 years. Domenikos Theotokopoulos, better known as El Greco, was born in Fodele, a village near Iraklion, about 1541.

Originally known as Kythonia the town's name went through several changes. The new name is first met as Cania in the document "Sexteriorum Cretensiu in Militias divisio" in 1211. Then, the name Canea is mentioned in the document relinquishing the Hania area to the Venicians, in 1252. As for the change of the name from Kythonia to Hania, the most convincing view is that it is associated with the existence of a large village ‘Alhania', named after the God Valhanos (Vulcan). The Saracen Arabs found this name easier to use, but confused it with their own word ‘Al Hanim' (the Inn). After the departure of the Arabs, the syllable ‘Al', probably taken to be the Arab article ‘Al' (the), was dropped when the name was translated into the Greek - ‘Hania' and the Latin ‘Canea'.

From a book by A M Myller recounting his travels from 1725 to 1727. Myller journeyed from Rome to Jerusalem then on to Troy, Gallipoli and Constantinople. From Constantinople he travelled to Egypt and then to Syria. Finally from Syria he travelled to Malta and back to Rome.
Scarce.