The Cretan State (Greek: Κρητική Πολιτεία, Kritiki Politia; Ottoman Turkish: كريد دولتى, Girit Devleti), was established in 1898, following the intervention by the Great Powers (Britain, France, Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Russia) on the island of Crete. In 1897 an insurrection in Crete led the Ottoman Empire to declare war on Greece, which led Great Britain, France, Italy and Russia to intervene on the grounds that the Ottoman Empire could no longer maintain control. It was the prelude of the island's final annexation to the Kingdom of Greece, which occurred de facto in 1908 and de jure in 1913.
The country issued its own Drachma coins.
Contrary to what Krause says, Prince George of Greece was not a "ruler" of the country. He was appointed as the first High Commissioner (representative of the Great Powers) and was replaced as such in 1906. However, he did have his effigy on some of the coins. |
