French Dominion and Influence at Eptanisa

After Napoleon's abolition of Venetian Democracy, the Ionian islands came in to French hands. On 27 June 1797 the French fleet disembarked at Kerkyra. All political and religious authorities welcomed the French, offering them a copy of the Odyssey. The Greek population was prepared to receive the French; the Jacobins in Kerkyra and the liberal societies ('Karmanioles') founded by the French consul in Zakinthos, had prepared the ground in the Ionian islands. Shortly after the French settled on the island, they burnt the Libro d' Oro in a public ceremony and abolished all aristocratic privileges. The tree of freedom was planted in the central squares; people sang revolutionary songs such as the 'Marseillese' and 'Karmaniola', in French and Greek versions; and Rigas' Thourios and liberal songs of the Zakinthian poet Antonios Martelaos. The year 1797 was declared the year of Greek freedom.

View of Kerkyra, 1826

Despite the Church's declaration that the revolutionary message was in accordance with the Gospels, proposals condemning Christianity and supporting the ancient religion were common. The ecumenical patriarchate published a circular requesting the Orthodox to defy the harmful consequences of the Revolution. However the French revolutionary message corresponded to Greek desires for national restoration and social justice in Eptanisa.

Rigas sings Thourios

Libro d' Oro:
Book listing the noble families of the cities-states of Italy and Venice. The system of enrolling the nobles in Libro d 'Oro was introduced to the Ionian islands by the Venetians.

Allegorical representation
of Greece with
Rigas and Korais

The spirit of the French Revolution and the affable feelings towards the French went beyond Eptanisa, and reached as far as the Greek mainland, Austria and Russia. Korais, living in Paris, encouraged the Greeks of the Ionian islands to embrace the French administration right up to the Greek revival. Still, heavy taxation and the France's disregard of religion and local traditions soon caused severe reactions. The ideas of the French Revolution influenced the new regime and encouraged the establishment of an autonomous island-state (1800-7), the first modern state that emerged in southeastern Europe.