Kallergis family: Difference between revisions

Emperor [[Alexios II Komnenos]] (Greek: Αλέξιος Β’ Κομνηνός, Alexios II Komnēnos) sent twelve noble [[Byzantine]] families to Crete, in order to strengthen the ties between the island and the city of Constantinople. The families were credited important land and administrative privileges. Ioannis Phokas was one of those 12 Byzantine princes.

The Phokas name changed to "Kallergis" during the Venetian dominion. As Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi describes in his book ''An idea conquers the world'' The Kallergis name is composed of the greek word ''kalon'' (=beautiful) and ''ergon'', meaning action, to mean the person whose actions are beautiful. <ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=RZjRAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA4&img=1&pgis=1&dq=name+into+kalergis&sig=ACfU3U0m350u-JVKvVZoXPVKyggZkY_nEw&edge=0</ref>. (greek: Καλλ(ι)έργης > Καλλέργης, known in many versions as Kalergis, Calergis, Kallergi, Callergi, Calergi).

Large areas of Crete were attributed to each of those families. That is the reason that villages named Kallergiana<ref>http://maps.google.fr/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Kallergiana,+Kissamos+73400,+Chania,+Greece&sll=35.479264,23.711929&sspn=0.097852,0.259209&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kallergiana,+Kissamos,+Chania,+Greece&z=15</ref> (greek: Καλλεργιανά) in Kissamos or Kallergo<ref>http://maps.google.fr/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Kallergos,+Geropotamos,+Greece&sll=35.482542,23.677113&sspn=0.024462,0.064802&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kallergos,+Geropotamos,+Rethymno+Prefecture,+Greece&z=14</ref> (greek: Καλλέργω ή Καλλέργο) in Rethymno exist today. On the White Mountains (Greek: Lefkà Ori, Λευκά Όρη) there is also a mountain hill called Kallergis.

Blazons of the Kallergis family<ref>http://pandektis.ekt.gr/dspace/handle/10442/163451 </ref> can be found all over the island of Crete, in churches and other monuments and members of the family are until today eminent members of the local society. The name reappears many times in the turbulent history of Crete but also of modern Greece.

Their prominent position and privileges survived during the venetian dominion of Crete as they were part of the "privilegiati" (Greek: Αρχοντορωμαίοι) and sometimes of "nobili Veneti"<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=mil9uHNqVpIC&lpg=PA63&dq=%22Kallergis%20family%22%20-inpublisher%3Aicon&as_brr=0&hl=fr&pg=PA63#v=onepage&q=%22Kallergis%20family%22%20-inpublisher:icon&f=false</ref>. They served many times the Venetian regime but at the same time defended the welfare of the Cretan people and they were head of revolutionnary movemements against the Venetians<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=PkEJCNNS3PwC&lpg=PA74&dq=calergi%20crete%20noble&hl=fr&pg=PA74#v=onepage&q=calergi%20crete%20noble&f=false</ref>.

During the Venetian dominium and after the Turkish conquest of the island of Crete (1669 AD) many of the Kallergis moved to Eptanisa and Euvoia, Venice and Russia. In Venice they built bonds throught marriages with the families of [[Vendramin]], [[Crispi]] and [[Grimani]].

The family is also connected to the [[Palazzo Vendramin|Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi]], which is found in Venice on the Grand Canal. The palace is believed to be owned by count Kalergi{{who}}.{{cn}}