Vlastos - History

History

The Vlastos family re-appears in Constantinople before the 11th century. There, they were well established, powerful and respected. Due to "faulty" translations (Vlastos means "offspring"), intermarriages with other known families are not known. For example, a person mentioned as Komnenovlastos is recognized as a Komnenos and not as a Komnenos x Vlastos offspring.

The Vlastoses were "warlords" (Condottieri), with a private army serving the needs of the Emperor of the day at a fee. They were also represented in the Senate.

In 1182, the Emperor Alexios II Komnenos (1180–1183), ordered the resettlement of Crete. Some authors have used the date 1082. The text below clears this error. Only Alexis II was "Porphyrogenitos". Further more, if Alexios I was the emperor at the time, his daughter Anna would have mentioned it in her account of her father's life and achievements, in her book The Alexiad. Another year mentioned is 1092, it is a fictitious number.

"Αλεξιος ο εν Χριστω βασιλευς και αυτοκρατωρ Ρωμαιων ο Κομνινος. Δια το απειρον και πλουσιον ελεος του επουρανιου θεου και σωτηρος ημων Ιησου Χριστου της αειπαρθενου Μαριας Θεοτοκου της μητρος αυτου και του παναγιου και ζωοποιου Πνευματος εγω ο επι γης κρατεος βασιλευς και αυτοκρατωρ Ρωμαιων θεια προνοια βασιλευς ολης της ηκουμενης, της θεοφρουρητου και πριφημου και κυριας πασων των πολεων της Κωνσταντινουπολεως πρωτος και κορυφαιος των ορθοδοξων Χριστιανων, των τιμωντων και πιστευοντων την ομοουσιον και προσκυνητην αγιαν τριαδα των ομολογουντων ενα θεον τρισυποστατον, των σεβοντων τα δογματα της αγιας και ηκουμενικης πρωτης συνοδου, συνοιθρησμενης και πληρουμενης υπο ενεργιαις, των αγιωτατων και φιλοχριστων βασιλεων ημων και ισαποστολων Κωνσταντινου και Ελενης και των λοιπων αγιων συνοδων Αλεξιος ο Κομνινος ο «πορφυρογεννητος» βασιλευς Κωνσταντινουπολεως, νεας Ρωμης και καθολικος διαδοχος των μακαριων βασιλ εων, του Ιορδανου και πασης Αιγυπτου, Αραβιας, Φρυγιας, Μεσοποταμιας, και παντος του Ευξεινου Ποντου, και εως τας Βρετανιας νησους, Ευροπης και πασης Αρμενιας, Κιλικιας, Ελλαδος και πασης της οικουμενης απο την ανατολην εως την δυσι..... etc. etc".

Alexios II ordered the 12 Condottiero families (Phokas, Skordylis, Kavadas, Kafatos, Archoleos, Chortatzis, Moussouros, Varouchas, Melissinos, Litinos, Argyropoulos, and Vlastos) to migrate and resettle the island of Crete. Fokas and Skordyllis were in charge. The purpose of the expedition: To increase the Christian population, defend the island from Arabs and pirates, and collect taxes. Allegedly, it took 850 ships to transport the 12 families, their soldiers and supplies and horses to Crete.

"Oι δε αρχοντες και στρατιωται Βλαστοι να εχουν και αυτοι ταις πρωταις τους μεριδαις εις ταις Μεσσαραις ως και πρωτον. Εχοντες οι ανω ειρημενοι αρχοντες και στρατιωται και λαμβανοντας τους ουτους των τοπους και επαρχιας μετα των διαδοχων αυτων δια της Δουκικης εξουσιας ημων απο τωρα και εμπροσθεν με τα μερη των την εξ αυτων παντοιαν λαμβανοντας προσοδον, κρατωντας και ποιουντας τους ορισμους του κρατεου και αγιου βασιλεως ημων, και των αυτων διαδοχων και της δουκικης εξουσιας, και ουδεις της εξ ημων εξουσιας να μην εναντιωθη ποτε εις τας αυτας καβαλαριας και τοπαρχιας αυτων των ειρημενων αρχοντων της ενδοξου ημων βασιλιειας, δια γαρ τουτο εγενετο το παρον γραμμα και εδοθη εις τους αυτους αρχοντες δι'ασφαλειαν παντων τωμ ανω αμην. Signed: Κομνινος ο Μεγαλος Δουκας της νησου Κρητης και εξαδελφος του ενδοξου βασιλεος ημων διε της δουκικης εξουσιας εγραψα".

In charge of the Vlastos family was the Archon and Senator (Εντιμος και ευγενης αρχων) Manousos (born c. 1160), son of Demetrius (born c. 1135), with his brothers Stefanos, Symeon, Ioannis, Prokopios, Marinos and Georgios. In Crete, although it was planned to settle in Messara, the family settled to the south of Rethymnon, in the area known as Amari. The village Rustica, was associated with the Vlastos family.

22 years after the arrival of the 12 families, Constantinople fell into Latin hands and the Venetians bought Crete from the Latin Emperor. Soon the first Venetian soldiers arrived. Genoa was also keen to control Crete and later the Byzantine Emperors wanted to have Crete back. There was a new revolt every few years and the Vlastoses were practically involved in every one of those.

The history of the Vlastos family in Venetian Crete can be easily followed due to the excellent record keeping of the Venetians. Selected wills and other documents included in the saved protocols of the notaries working in Venetian Crete, kept in Venice, are being published every year in Latin or translated. The books are a good example.

In 1272, the brothers Chortatzis started a revolt against Venetian rule that lasted 30 years. The Cretans were getting stronger and winning. When it became clear that a win was possible, Alexios Kallergis joined the revolt. The Venetians were keen to negotiate a truce and c. 1299 Alexios Kallergis travelled to Venice to negotiate a truce. He made numerous demands to advance his family. One demand was, in order to reduce the powers of the existing "Archons", to take over their properties (fiefs), horses, etc. The Venetians liked the idea and agreed to it. The properties owned by the Archons were reduced in half. Only the properties of the Vlastos family were off limits. Some claim the Vlastos family was too powerful to be provoked. At the time, Demitrios Vlastos was the head of the family, he was the son of Ioannis. About 200 years later records show that only the Vlastoses still owned fiefs in Crete.

Another significant event was the revolt of Josef, "Sifis" Vlastos (born c. 1410 Rethymnon - executed by the Venetians in August 1454). He was the Leader of the Revolt, which had substantial local support as well as the backing and probably was financed by the Imperial families. Information about the revolt was sold to the Venetians, and all leaders and their families, including Josef’s family, were killed.

In the early 17th century, the Turks invaded Crete from the west and many families, including the Vlastoses, fled Crete. A couple of Vlastos families stayed in Chios (c. 1630), others moved further North to Constantinople, Wallachia and Moldavia. Another escape route was by Kithira, Corfu and Venice.

Two hundred years later, Vlastoses were migrating again. Many Cretans migrated to Italy, the United States, Ukraine and Russia; from Chios migration was to Moldavia, Wallachia, Italy, France, England and the United States. Moldavia and Wallachia were very popular destinations for many Vlastoses, the majority migrated from Chios.

There were also some Vlastoses living on and off in Constantinople since 1100. In the 17th century, allegedly, the Vlastoses were involved like most Phanariots, in the fur trade. Furs were in great demand and the fur trade did bring privileges. One prominent Vlastos at the time, was Chrysoskoleos, and his house address is given as "Στο Φαναρι, τελος, στο Σταυροδρομι" (In Phanari, at the end, on the cross road). In the same street were the houses of many well known families of princesses of Wallachia and Moldavia. Chrysoskoleos was neither a Cretan nor from Chios.

Over the years, the Vlastos family produced many highly educated persons and scholars, in the fields of medicine, science, architecture, iconography, philosophy and also authors, journalists, hoteliers, army officers, and businessmen.