\ Crete (1) / \Cyclades (2) / \ Dodecanese (3) / \ Peloponnese (4) / \ Attica (5) / \ Central Greece (6) / \ Epirus (7) / \ Ionian Islands (8) / \ Thessaly (9) / \ Evia & the Sporades (10) / \ Macedonia (11) / \ Thrace (12) / \ NE Aegean (13) /

... REGION: Cyclades ... Island of Myconos According to mythology, the island was named after Myconos, son of the immortal Anios. The island must have been inhabited in 3000 B.C. by Kares. Then came the Egyptians and the Cretes. During that era, it is believed that the Cycladic Civilisation flourished on the island Later the island was inhabited by Ionians During Antiquity, Myconos together with all the islands of the Aegean Sea participates in the Athenian Alliance as all cycladic islands did. In Hellenistic Years Mykonos remained neutral, had its own currency and was quite prosperous In 146 B.C. it was conquered by the Romans and a new period of prosperity starts for the island. The development is interrupted by Mithridatis, who destroys both Delos and Myconos and the island sinks into oblivion. During Venetian domination, the cycladic complex was under Frankish and Venetian rule. From 1207 to 1390, Myconos as well as Tinos were governed by brothers Gyzi. In 1537, the pirate Barbarossa occupied and looted the island. During Turkish domination, due to special privileges obtained by the island, it grows to be a great navy force. At the time of the War of Independence Myconos owns a significant number of fully-equiped ships ready for war which were manned by experienced seamen. During that period, Myconos plays an active and important role in the War of Independence and many of people are distinguished for their bravery. Manto Mavrogenous is the case of a heroine who deserves special attention.She came from a rich family, she was educated and her contribution to the Greek Independency was great. Not only did she give her whole fortune to the War but she also participated in person in battles and enlightment expeditions in Europe. Manto (Mandalena or Magdalena) Mavrogenous was born in Trieste in 1796 and her grandfather, Dimitrios Mavrogenous, was dragoman of the fleet and governor in Vlahia and Moldavia. Manto, realising that in all the neighbouring islands the revolution had started, enthousiastically stimulated the Mykonians to shake of the Turkish yoke. Manto equipped and manned at her own expense two ships and she sent them to Euboea to instigate the people there. To pay homage to Manto Mavrogenous, the Mykonians have named after her Hora's central square where her bust has been raised. During the Second World War, the Mykonians served their country once more, helping «Greek Resistance» against the German conquests. Since the 1950s, the island has been on the best-known holiday resorts in the world.

Grecian Net © All rights reserved 2002