The Twelve Young Nobles

Legend would have it that in an attempt to strengthen his hold over the island, Alexius I Comnenus issued a chrysobull (imperial decree) sending twelve representatives of noble families, the so-called "twelve archontopoula", to Crete. Thenceforth they were presented as the heads of the leading aristocratic families on the island. The twelve names given are Phocas, Skordilis, Gavalas, Kalaphatos, Arkoleon, Chortatzis, Moussouros, Varouchas, Melissinos, Litinas, Argyropoulos or Agiostephanitis and Vlastos.

This tradition is not confirmed by Byzantine sources, but rests on later documents of questionable authenticity. It most probably represents an attempt on the part of the influential families concerned to safeguard their privileges and social status vis-à-vis the new overlords under Venetian rule. Nevertheless, we cannot discount the possibility that it may be a popular version of genuine facts and incidents occurring in the period, since it is considered certain that high-ranking officers settled on Crete during the Comnenus dynasty, and subsequently became powerful landowners.