Home Region:  Southeastern Europe (Europe)

The Emirate of Crete

824 CE 961 CE
D G SC WF RG EQ 2020  gr_crete_emirate / GrCrEmr
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[hostile; Middle Byzantine Empire] [absorption]   Update here

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  General Description   Between 824 and 962, Crete was ruled by Andalusian Arabs. The latter had taken the island from the Byzantines (who subsequently lost the control of the maritime trade routes in the Aegean specifically and the eastern Mediterranean generally), and made it into an emirate, with Khandax, i.e. modern-day Heraklion, as its capital. The surviving evidence for the organization of the emirate and the Cretan society of the period is, unfortunately, scanty, with almost no archaeology and few, contradictory written sources. The original Byzantine sources are biased against the Arabs, and quite a few modern scholars have taken these sources at face value, presenting the Arabs as uncivilized barbarians, overly concerned with piracy. In fact, based on what is known about Arabic civilization in the rest of the Mediterranean at this time, it is likely that the Emirate of Crete was similarly sophisticated in its culture and social organization, though to its prolonged animosity with the Byzantines, it almost certainly retained a strong militaristic character as well. In 962, the Byzantines regained control of the island. [1] [2]
Population and political organization
A rough estimate of the island’s population at this time is of 250,000 inhabitants. [3] In terms of its political organization, Crete was divided into forty districts and was ruled by an emir who only nominally recognized the Caliph of Baghdad. [2]

[1]: (Christides 2011, 17) Vassilios Christides. 2011. ’The cycle of the Arab-Byzantine struggle in Crete (ca. 824/6-961 AD) in the illuminate manuscript of Skylitzes (Codex Martinensis Graecus Vitr. 26-2)’. Craeco-Arabica 9: 17.

[2]: (Christides 1984) Vassilios Christides. 1984. The Conquest of Crete by Arabs (ca. 824). A Turning Point in the Struggle Between Byzantium and Islam. Athens: Akademia Athenon.

[3]: (Papadopoulos 1948, 37) Ioannes B. Papadopoulos. 1948. Η Κρήτη υπό τους Σαρακηνούς (824-961). Athens: Byzantinisch-Neugriechischen Jahrbücher.

General Variables
Identity and Location
Temporal Bounds
Political and Cultural Relations
Language
Religion
Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale
Hierarchical Complexity
Professions
Bureaucracy Characteristics
Law
Specialized Buildings: polity owned
Transport Infrastructure
Special-purpose Sites
Information / Writing System
Information / Kinds of Written Documents
Information / Money
Information / Postal System
Information / Measurement System
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications
Military use of Metals
Projectiles
Handheld weapons
Animals used in warfare
Armor
Naval technology
Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.
Crisis Consequences Coding in Progress.
Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate) was in:
 (824 CE 960 CE)   Crete
Home NGA: Crete
General Variables
Identity and Location The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Utm Zone 35 S Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Original Name The Emirate of Crete Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Capital Khandax Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Alternative Name Saracen Crete Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Alternative Name Arabic Crete Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Temporal Bounds The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Peak Years [824 CE ➜ 961 CE] Confident
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Duration [824 CE ➜ 961 CE] Confident
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Political and Cultural Relations The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Suprapolity Relations none Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Supracultural Entity Christianity and Islam Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Succeeding Entity Middle Byzantine Empire Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction [15,000,000 to 20,000,000] km2 Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity hostile Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Preceding Entity
CE
hostile; Middle Byzantine Empire [absorption]    Update here
Confident
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Degree of Centralization unitary state Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Language The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Linguistic Family Indo-European Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Linguistic Family Hamito-Semitic Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Language Greek Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Language Arabic Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Religion The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Population of the Largest Settlement 12,000 people Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Polity Territory 8,336 km2 Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Polity Population 250,000 people Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Settlement Hierarchy 3 Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Religious Level 4 Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Military Level 3 Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Administrative Level 5 Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Professions The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Soldier Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Professional Priesthood Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Professional Military Officer Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Government Building Unknown Suspected 824 CE  961 CE
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Merit Promotion Unknown Suspected 824 CE  961 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Law The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Lawyer Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Judge Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
Court Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Market Present Inferred 824 CE  961 CE
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Irrigation System Present Inferred 824 CE  961 CE
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Food Storage Site Present Inferred 824 CE  961 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System Present Inferred 824 CE  961 CE
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Transport Infrastructure The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Road Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Port Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Canal Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Bridge Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Special-purpose Sites The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Mines or Quarry Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Information / Writing System The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Written Record Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Script Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
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Scientific Literature Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Sacred Text Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Religious Literature Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Practical Literature Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Philosophy Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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History Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Fiction Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Calendar Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Information / Money The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
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Token Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Precious Metal Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Paper Currency Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Indigenous Coin Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Foreign Coin Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Article Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Information / Postal System The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Postal Station Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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General Postal Service Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Courier Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Information / Measurement System The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Wooden Palisade Unknown Suspected 824 CE  961 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared Unknown Suspected 824 CE  961 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Moat Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Earth Rampart Unknown Suspected 824 CE  961 CE
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Ditch Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Complex Fortification Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Long Wall absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Military use of Metals The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Steel Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Iron Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Bronze Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Projectiles The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Tension Siege Engine Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Sling Siege Engine Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Sling Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Self Bow Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Javelin Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Handheld Firearm Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Crossbow Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Composite Bow Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Atlatl Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Handheld weapons The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
War Club Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Sword Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Spear Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Polearm Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Dagger Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Battle Axe Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Animals used in warfare The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Horse Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Elephant Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Dog Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Camel Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Armor The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Shield Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Scaled Armor Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Plate Armor Absent Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Limb Protection Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Leather Cloth Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Laminar Armor Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Helmet Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Chainmail Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Breastplate Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Naval technology The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Military Vessel Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service Unknown Suspected 824 CE  961 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain Present Confident 824 CE  961 CE
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Human Sacrifice The Emirate of Crete (gr_crete_emirate)
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Crisis Cases
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Instability Data
Power Transitions
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