Corfu, one of the major islands of the Ionian Sea, was known during Byzantine times as Kerkyra, a name shared with its principal city. The ancient city, situated on the island’s east-central coast, played a significant role as a stopover on the maritime route between Constantinople and the West.
Corfu in the Early and Middle Byzantine times.
Kerkyra faced numerous challenges during its history. The Goths destroyed the ancient city in the 6th century, but it was likely resettled soon afterward. According to the Vita of St. Arsenios of Kerkyra, attributed to George Bardanes, a “Scythian” attack occurred on the island in the mid-10th century. In 1033, Skylitzes recorded that Saracens burned the city. Later, in 1081, Anna Komnene noted that Robert Guiscard captured the “well-fortified polis of Korypho.” Despite this, the island resisted the Normans and probably remained semi-independent under its doux. Bohemund of Taranto even sought refuge on Kerkyra after fleeing the East.
In 1147, the Normans, supported by a local population dissatisfied with heavy taxation, again seized the island. Manuel I Komnenos recaptured Kerkyra in 1149 after a lengthy siege, intending to use it as a base for an attack on Sicily.
Corfu under the Despotate of Epirus and Western rule.
The fall of Constantinople in 1204 brought new rulers. The Venetians briefly controlled Kerkyra before it fell under the Despotate of Epirus in 1214. By 1246, Despot Michael II Komnenos Doukas granted substantial autonomy to a council of 33 priests, a privilege maintained under most Western rulers. In 1259, Michael II gave Kerkyra as dowry to his daughter, who married Manfred of Sicily. By 1272, the island was under Charles I of Anjou’s control. Over the next century, Kerkyra changed hands multiple times, from the Navarrese in 1382 to Venetian rule in 1386, where it remained for centuries.
Following the fall of Constantinople and the Morea, many Byzantine refugees fled to Kerkyra, adding to its cultural richness.
Religious history of Corfu.
Legend credits the founding of the Church of Kerkyra to St. Paul’s disciples, Jason of Tarsos and Sosipatros of Achaia, who built a shrine dedicated to St. Stephen the First Martyr. Kerkyra’s bishops participated in major councils from 325 to 787, initially as suffragans of Nikopolis and later of Cephalonia. The island was elevated to a metropolitanate in the 11th century, and seals from its metropolitans dating from the 11th to 13th centuries have been preserved.
Under Western rule, a Latin archbishop was first attested in 1228, while Orthodox Christians were overseen by a protopapas.
Surviving Byzantine monuments of the island.
Kerkyra preserves numerous Byzantine monuments that highlight its historical significance.
The island also preserves some religious buildings from the Byzantine times. T
The basilica of Jovian (Iobianos): Located about 2 km south of modern Corfu City, this five-aisled basilica from the 5th century was rebuilt in the 12th century as a single-aisled church.
The church of Jason and Sosipatros: This cross-in-square church, the katholikon of a monastery, dates to around 1000.
The Chapel of St. Merkourios: Situated 17 km northeast of the city, this chapel is dated to 1074/5 by an inscription crediting its construction and decoration to the patronage of the droungarios Nicholas and his brothers. The frescoes here and in some other buildings could reflect influences from the style of Hosios Loukas, emphasizing Kerkyra’s role as a cultural bridge between Greece and Italy.