The Emergent Bourgeoisie

The closing decades of the 19^th century saw the formation of emergent bourgeois classes in Heraklion, with increased spending power and a high standard of living. Their ranks included merchants, factory and small industry proprietors and high-ranking officials in the new bureaucracy, all of whom increasingly turned to Europe in search of model lifestyles and behaviours. The presence of British troops in the town and the daily coming and going of Greek and foreign visitors accelerated this whole process.

In "decent" Heraklion society, the French language and European good manners became the established norm. Ever increasing numbers of young people from Heraklion went on to further study at universities in Greece and abroad. Though also feeling the influences arising from the new state of affairs, lower social classes were not in a position to follow the course of Europeanisation at the same pace.