HISTORY OF CORFU

In 1267 Charles of Anjou (King of the French State of Naples), conquered the island. The fort, with Aimo Alamanos in charge, finally surrendered in April 1272.

Charles the First was an excellent ruler but he was also fanatically opposed to orthodoxy and Hellenism. He tried to change the influence in Corfu of everything to do with the church, administration and taxation, generally latinising the area, taking measures to make the whole state follow his own national consciousness.

However this could never be fully realised as it brought him into direct confrontation with the people and the Church. Immediately, a Greekorthodox conscience developed which united the people and separated them from their Latin colonists.

Despite all this, the Corfiots could not dream of deliverance from the Anjou because, besides the breaking up of the local consciousness, he had formed an alliance with the leader of the sovereignty of Ipirus which was the only country to whom Corfu could have hoped to turn for help.

With the death of Charles I, in 1285, the island went to his heir, Charles D’Anjou II, who held onto it until 1304, when he had to surrender to his son, Philip (the most terrifying dynasty the area had ever known).

THE ANJOU ADMINISTRATION OF CORFU

The Anjou appointed a General Administrator to Corfu (with the title of Captain) as well as two assistants.

The island was divided into four areas, Girou, Oros, Mesi and Lefkimi which were called ‘Vailata’, each being governed by a Vailos. During this period huge tracts of land (Timaria) were granted to their foreign friends.

THE JEWS

During the Anjou occupation large numbers of Jewish people, originally from the West, settled in Corfu, creating their own community.

THE VAGENETES

These were inhabitants of the adjacent coastline of Ipirus who crossed over to Corfu in great numbers, creating the class of Vaganetes, a class of slaves and servants.