Corcyre (, archaic French for " Corfu", ) was one of three short-lived French departments of Greece. It came into existence after

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

's conquest in 1797 of the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

, when Venetian Greek possessions such as the Ionian islands fell to the French Directory. It consisted of the islands of

Kerkyra Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...

( Corfu) and

Paxoi Paxos ( gr, Παξός) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, lying just south of Corfu. As a group with the nearby island of Antipaxos and adjoining islets, it is also called by the plural form Paxi or Paxoi ( gr, Παξοί, pronounced in Engl ...

, as well as the cities of

Butrint Butrint ( el, Βουθρωτόν and Βουθρωτός, ''Bouthrōtón'', la, Buthrōtum) was an ancient Greek and later Roman city and bishopric in Epirus. "Speakers of these various Greek dialects settled different parts of Greece at differe ...

and Parga on the adjacent mainland. Its prefecture was in the City of Corfu. The island was lost to

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

after the

Siege of Corfu (1798–1799) The siege of Corfu (October 1798 – March 1799) was a military operation by a joint Russian and Turkish fleet against French troops occupying the island of Corfu. Background By the Treaty of Campo Formio (November 1797) and the dissolution ...

and the department was officially disbanded in 1802. Also, Butrint was captured in 1799 by Ali Pasha, governor of

Yanya Eyalet The Pashalik of Yanina, sometimes referred to as the Pashalik of Ioanina or Pashalik of Janina, was an autonomous pashalik within the Ottoman Empire between 1787 and 1822 covering large areas of Greece, Albania and North Macedonia. The pashal ...

.During the renewed French control in 1807–1814, the department was not re-established, the constitutional form of the former

Septinsular Republic The Septinsular Republic ( el, Ἑπτάνησος Πολιτεία, Heptanēsos Politeia; it, Repubblica Settinsulare) was an oligarchic republic that existed from 1800 to 1807 under nominal Russian and Ottoman sovereignty in the Ionian Islan ...

being kept.

Administration

Commissioners

The Commissioner of the Directory was the highest state representative in the department.

References

* * * {{Annexed departments of the French First Republic Former departments of France in Greece States and territories established in 1797 1802 disestablishments History of Corfu 1797 establishments in France

Administration

Commissioners

See also

References