Ithaque Explained

Native Name:Département d'Ithaque
Conventional Long Name:Department of Ithaque
Common Name:Ithaque
Year Start:1797
Year End:1798
Flag:Flag of France
Image Map Caption:The three departments of Greece
Official Languages:French
Common Languages:Greek
Status:Department of the French First Republic
Admin Center Type:Chef-lieu
Admin Center:Argostoli
38.17°N 20.49°W
Leader Title1:Commissioner
Leader Name1:Pierre-Pomponne-Amédée Pocholle
Era:French Revolutionary Wars
Event Pre:Treaty of Campo Formio
Date Pre:18 October 1798
Event Start:Establishment
Date Start:7 November
Date End:29 October
Event End:Fall of Cephalonia
Date Post:25 March 1802
Event Post:Official disbandment
P1:Venetian rule in the Ionian Islands
Flag P1:Flag_of_the_Republic_of_Venice.svg
S1:Septinsular Republic
Flag S1:Flag_of_the_Septinsular_Republic.svg
S2:Pashalik of Yanina
Flag S2:Flag of the Ottoman Empire.svg
Today:
  • Albania
  • Greece

Ithaque (in French i.tak/; French for "Ithaca") was one of three short-lived French departments of Greece.

History

It came into existence after Napoleon's conquest in 1797 of the Republic of Venice, when Venetian Greek possessions such as the Ionian islands fell to the French Directory. It included the islands of Ithaca, Cephalonia and Lefkada, as well as the cities of Preveza, Arta and Vonitsa on the adjacent mainland. Its prefecture was at Argostoli on Cephalonia. The islands were lost to Russia in 1798 and the department was officially disbanded in 1802. Also Preveza, Arta and Vonitsa were captured in 1798 by Ali Pasha, ruler of the Pashalik of Yanina.

During the renewed French control of the area in 1807–1809, the department was not re-established, the constitutional form of the Septinsular Republic being kept.

Administration

Commissioner

The Commissioner of the Directory was the highest state representative in the department.

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bellaire, J.P. . Précis des opérations générales de la division française du Levant. Magimel & Humbert. 1805 . 10 . département d'ithaque. .