Mourtzana
Encyclopedia
Mourtzana is a village in Greece
situated on the Old National Road Rethymno
- Heraklion
. It belongs to the municipal unit of Kouloukonas
in Crete
.
Mourtzana was built after the re-conquest of Crete by Nikiforos Fokas
from the Saracen
s in 961 AD. The island was under the Saracens' rule for about 134 years. During that time, one of the main policies of the Byzantine
s was to re-Hellanize the island. Hence, many noble families were given lands for incentive that eventually became feudal
villages named after the families.
Mourtzana was a village that was established by the Mourtzanos family. Mourtzanos is a Saracen
nickname for coral
(Mourjan) which means "dark red."
The village is considered one of the richest in architecture
in Milopotamos, dated from Venetian
rule. It was conquered by the Ottoman Turks who gave privileges to the Mourtzanos family by offering them the Turkish noble
title "Agha."
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
situated on the Old National Road Rethymno
Rethymno
Rethymno is a city of approximately 40,000 people in Greece, the capital of Rethymno peripheral unit in the island of Crete. It was built in antiquity , even though was never a competitive Minoan centre...
- Heraklion
Heraklion
Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
. It belongs to the municipal unit of Kouloukonas
Kouloukonas
Kouloukonas is a former municipality in the Rethymno peripheral unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Mylopotamos, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 5,949 . The seat of the municipality was in Garazo....
in Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
.
Mourtzana was built after the re-conquest of Crete by Nikiforos Fokas
Nikephoros II
Nikephoros II Phokas was a Byzantine Emperor whose brilliant military exploits contributed to the resurgence of Byzantine Empire in the tenth century.-Early exploits:...
from the Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
s in 961 AD. The island was under the Saracens' rule for about 134 years. During that time, one of the main policies of the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
s was to re-Hellanize the island. Hence, many noble families were given lands for incentive that eventually became feudal
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
villages named after the families.
Mourtzana was a village that was established by the Mourtzanos family. Mourtzanos is a Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
nickname for coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
(Mourjan) which means "dark red."
The village is considered one of the richest in architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
in Milopotamos, dated from Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
rule. It was conquered by the Ottoman Turks who gave privileges to the Mourtzanos family by offering them the Turkish noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
title "Agha."