The first human settlement on Crete dates back to the Neolithic era. The most important ancient civilization of Europe, the Minoan, had its center on the island of Crete. Knossos & Festos are the 2 most important archaeological sites with Minoan palatial remnants.

The early history of Crete is full of legends such as King Minos, Thesseus & the Minotaur, Deadalus and Icarus. Legends that travelled through the centuries in the works of important ancient poets such as Homer.

Crete was also under the rule of the Roman empire and the  Byzantine empire through to the 13th century. For a brief period in 9th century AD it was under Arab conquest. Nikiforos Fokas regained control of the island in 960 and the Byzantine empire kept the island under its rule until 1204. During the Fourth Crusade the island came under Venetian rule that lasted for more than four centuries.

During the same time of Europe's Renaissance, Crete experienced its own flowering of poetry, drama and painting, in part influenced by Europeans but much of it indigenous and all of it with a distinct Cretan flavor. World reknown artists such as 'El Greco' -Dominicos Theotokopoulos, Michail Damaskinos and the Cretan poet Vitsentzos Kornaros ('Erotokritos') are the most important representatives of this period in Crete.

The Venetians gradually lost control of Crete to the Ottoman Empire. The first Turkish attacks started in 1645 and lasted until 1669 when Candia (Heraklion) fell under their control. The almost slave-like conditions that the Turks imposed led to almost constant uprisings and rebellions. Daskaloyannis led the first major rebellion in 1770 which although successful initially it was eventually put down with severe reprisals against the Christian population.