1897

Events

January 21: 1,500 Greek troops, under Timoleon Vassos, land in Crete to aid local rebels who sought union with Greece.
January 29: A General Assembly of Cretans at Tzermiado, Lasithi, declares the union of Crete with Greece.

February 6: Col. Timoleon Vassos occupies Voukolia Fort in Chania, Crete.
February 9: The Cretans that occupied Akrotiri, raise the Greek flag on top of Prophet Elias Hill. An allied bombardment follows from Souda Bay that brings down the flagpole but the Cretans raise the flag again.
February 22: Cretans battle against Turks in Ierapetra. The Turks are aided by the canons of an Italian warship.

April 5: The Greek government declares war on Turkey and the Greco-Turkish War (1897) begins.
April 17: The Greek Army, under Brig. Gen. Konstantinos Smolenskis, defeats the Turks at Velestino. This was the only Greek victory in the Greco-Turkish War (1897).
April 19: The Battle of Mouzaki takes place during the Greco-Turkish War (1897).
April 24: Superior Turkish forces dislodge the Greek defenders of Pharsala.
April 28: Greece agrees to recall Timoleon Vassos and his forces from Crete.

May 5: The Greek A and B Divisions are defeated at Domokos by superior Turkish forces.
May 6: A ceasefire is declared on all fronts during the Greco-Turkish War (1897). Greece and Turkey begin negotiations.

December 4: The Istanbul Treaty was signed, officially ending the Greek-Turkish war. Greece was obligated to compensate Turkey with 4 million gold coins while they also had to evacuate the territories between Mt. Olympus and Kamvounia Mountain. Under the same treaty, Crete became independent.