40,000 to 30,000 BC
Paleolithic Period.
Artifacts found near Gardiki in the SW part of the island.
Mesolithic and Neolithic Period.
Evidence of settlements and communities have been found.
1,300 BC
800 BC
The Greek Euobean City of Eretria establishes a colony.
750 BC
Corinthians dominate Eretrians and settle in Korfu. The island flourishes under their rule which is used as a base for the colonisation of Magna Grecia.
734 BC
Corfu fights for its independence against Corinthians. Thucydides, a Greek historian, describes their sea battle and it is recorder as the first naval battle in Greek history.
665 BC
Kerkyra prospers and advances on trade. It produces its own currency and constructs the Archaic temple of Artemis. The population of the island reaches 10,000 people.
640 BC
Persian Wars.
Corfu is the second largest naval power in Greece and sents a fleet of over 60 ships to the famous naval battle of Salamis.
499 to 439 BC
Peloponnesian Wars.
Corfu takes the side of Athenians against Sparta and Corinth. Corfu city state falls under the rule of Sparta.
431 to 404 BC
Kerkyra is captured by a Roman fleet and serves as an important naval station.
The earliest reference of Kerkyra is the Mycenean word Ko-ro-ku-ra-i-jo written in Linear B syllabic script.
Homer's Odyssey.
Most scholars agree that the Homeric island of Scheria, the land of Phaecians, is Corfu.
303 BC
Agathocles took control of Kerkyra and soon after he offered the island as dowry to his daughter Lanassa on her marriage to the King of Epirus, thus becoming a member of the Epirotic alliance.
229 to 189 BC
148 to 31 BC
Korfu is attached to the Roman province of Macedonia and serves as a base of Octavian (Augustus) against Mark Antony.
395 AD
After the division of the Roman Empire, Corfu remains a perfecture of the Byzantine Empire.
395 to 1080 AD
Kerkyra suffers numerous raids by the Vandals, the Ostrogoths and various pirates.
1081 to 1386 AD
This is a troubled period for Korfu. The island becomes a province of 5 different conquerors. (I) The Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard, (II) Roger II king of Sicily, (III) Genoese privateers, (IV) Greek despot of Epirus and finaly the (V) Neapolitan House of Anjou.
1386 AD
Kerkyra offers itself under the protection of the Venetian Empire, which acquired formal sovereignty over the island until 1797 AD. The whole island thrives under their rule in every aspect of culture and economy.
1537 AD
The first unsuccessful siege of Korfu by the Turks takes place under the leadership of Hayaredin Barbarossa and his 25,000 troops.
1571 AD
Turkish forces strike again in an attempt to capture the island. The city castle stood strong again proving the excellent Venetian castle building engineering skills.
1573 AD
Two years later Turks try to take over the island again, this time by wreaking havoc in rural areas. An attack by Venetian-Corfiot troops, forces the invaders to abandon their plans once again.
1716 AD
The last siege of Kerkyra was the greatest. 5,000 Venetians and 3,000 Corfiots successfully repel 30,000 Turkish soldiers and protect Europe from Ottomans.
6,000 to 2,600 BC
1716 AD
The repulsion of the Ottomans is widely celebrated in Europe. Korfu becomes a hub of Greek scholars as the only free Greek territory. Antonio Vivaldi composes the oratorio Juditha triumphans to commemorate this event.
1797 AD
1799 AD
A Russian and Turkish fleet capture the island, after 4 months of fighting. Korfu becomes the capital of the Septinsular Republic that included all Ionian islands.
1807 AD
France and Rusia sign the Treaty of Tilsit. Kerkyra is once again reverted to Napoleon.
1810 AD
The Ionian Academy is established by the French.
1815 AD
Kerkyra becomes a protectorate of the United kingdom as the United States of the Ionian Islands and the island becomes the base of the British Lord High Commisioner of the Ionian islands.
1821 AD
The Greek Revolution is successful. Ottomans are dissipated from Greece
1824 AD
The first Greek University is founded in Korfuby the British. Greek language becomes the official language of the island. New roads are built and the water supply is improved.
1864 AD
The United Kingdom, France, Russia and Greece sign the Treaty of London. Kerkyra and the Ionian islands are transfered under the sovereignty of Greece.
1914 to 1918 AD
World War I.
Kerkyra serves as refugee for the Serbian Army. During their stay many Serbians soldiers died. A monument has been erected as a small contribution by the Greek government in the island of Vidos.
1923 AD
Corfu Incident.
Italian forces bombard and occupy Korfu. The crisis was settled by the League of Nations the same year.
1720 AD
While Greece was under Ottoman rule, Kerkyra enjoys a Golden Age in music and opera. Corfu develops a musical heritage of its own which is considered the nucleous of modern Greek musical history. Teatro san Giacomo is the first theater in the post-1453 Greece.
Napoleonic French arrive on the island. They are welcomed warmthly by Corfiots because of the French Revolutionary principles. The French introduce a system of primary education and a printing house.
1941 AD
World War II.
Corfu is occupied by Italian forces. They administer Korfu and the other Ionian islands as a separate entity from Greece.
1943 AD
World War II.
Nazis take control of the island.Korfu is heavily bombarded by Luftwaffe and a large number of buildings is destroyed including the Ionian Parliament, the Municipal Theater and the Municipal library.
1944 AD
World War II.
Gestapo gathers Jews from Corfu town. 1,900 Corfiot jews die in the concentration camp in Aousvitz.
1944 AD
World War II.
Kerkyra is liberated by British troops of the 40th Royal Marine Comando.
1952 AD
Club Med opens in Corfu showing the way to modern tourism.
1956 AD
Maria Desylla Kapodistria, relative of the first Governor of Greece Ioannis Kapodistrias is the first female mayor in Greece.
1957 AD
Electricity is introduced to villages, the Hellenic Radio substation is built in Corfu.
1960 AD
Television is introduced.
1981 AD
James Bond movie 'For Your Eyes Only' is filmed on various places of the island.
1984 AD
1995 AD
2013 AD
Foundation of the Ionian University.
Corfu is connected to the World Wide Web.
Official launch of DiscoverCorfu.com
