{"id":2515,"date":"2015-03-29T18:44:57","date_gmt":"2015-03-29T18:44:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atcorfu.com\/?p=2515"},"modified":"2024-01-09T20:18:57","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T20:18:57","slug":"medieval-corfu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atcorfu.com\/medieval-corfu\/","title":{"rendered":"Corfu Middle Ages and Byzantine Period"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span> Last updated on January 9th, 2024 at 08:18 pm <\/p>

East Roman empire (Byzantine empire)<\/h2>\n

At the time of emperor Theodosius (339CE), the Roman empire was re-divided into east and west.<\/p>\n

Corfu then belonged to the east and this lasted for about three centuries.<\/p>\n

During this period the whole island was exposed to frequent barbarian raids and pirate invasions.<\/p>\n

In 562CE during one of these raids, the Goths destroyed the ancient city of Corfu, leaving the ruins that today are called Paleopolis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This was the end of the ancient city and the beginning of the medieval age for the island, the old city’s remaining inhabitants abandoned the location.<\/p>\n

They fled further north to the natural promontory of land which later became the old fortress<\/a>, and from there the city expanded until it covered the area where it is today.<\/p>\n

The period from 562CE until 1267CE, when Corfu was occupied by the Angevins, is known as the Byzantine period.<\/p>\n

It was a very difficult period for Corfu which as the westernmost corner of the empire was very vulnerable to the constant pirate attacks and the various appetites of their neighbors.<\/p>\n

The multicultural Byzantine Empire was trying to protect it in any way moving here several mercenary guards of various races and peoples.<\/p>\n

Guards consisted of Greeks from Syria, Bulgarians, Byzantines soldiers (stradioti) scattered in outposts began from the northeast of the island and reached up to the southwest, the border guards were slowly merged with the local population.<\/p>\n

This was the era when most fortresses scattered throughout the island built, the redesigning and strengthening of the old Corfu fortress in the city happened then, Angelokastro fortress in northwestern Corfu, the fortress at Kassiopi<\/a>, the fortress in Gardiki at the southwest, and other smaller ones were constructed.<\/p>\n