Historical Events

The 17th century finds the island of Lesvos plunged into poverty and misery. Living conditions are appalling, especially for the inhabitants of the coastal areas. The people of Lesbos were defenceless so they were frequently subjected to the repeated blows of pirate raids. Most of them fled in search of protection. Apart from the incessant pirate raids that the island experienced during this period, another event that affected Lesbos was the Cretan War (1645 – 1669). For about 25 years, the fleets of the Sultans heading to Crete were mostly stationed on the island of Lesvos. Quite often, raids were carried out, especially by the Janissaries, in the surrounding villages and especially in the area of Molyvos, plundering monasteries and Christian houses. In addition, the area was financially burdened with taxes to cover the expenses of the Sultan’s fleet.

Financial life

During the 17th century the economy of Lesvos slowly began to improve. The products that gradually start to be exported are wine, oil, resin, timber, salt, scallops from the Gulf of Kalloni, etc. As far as exports are concerned, low production costs play an important role. But the main beneficiaries are the large landowners and the numerous intermediaries between production and consumption. Thus a small, economically powerful class begins to emerge, enjoying a privileged position as long as the Turkish gluttony would allow it. But most inhabitants still remained in the same miserable state.