On July 24th, 1669 the united European Christian forces supporting Venetians and Cretans at the besieged Candia co-decided to breakout from St. Andrew bastion at the northwest of the city. The united fleet that would cover the operation from the sea comprised 58 warships disposing about 1100 guns. Head of the fleet was the French rear admirals flag ship La Thérèse , under Philippe de Montaut-Bénac de Navailles. The operation started with success until an explosion took place in La Thérèse’s powder magazine.
The ship sank with all her men. Out of about 350 people less than 10 survived. The operation stopped and the fleet backed off to Dia. The morale of the fighters was irrevocably affected and the French decided to abandon the war and the city. A few days later the Venetian Capitano Francesco Morozini surrendered Candia to its Ottoman besiegers. The western European presence in the Eastern Mediterranean which started centuries back with the Crusades came to an end along with the Cretan Renascence that combined the Byzantine to the Western civilization after the fall of Constantinople.
 | 5. The “Cretan War” |  |
|---|---|---|
 | 5.1 The Siege and the Fall of Candia (1648-1669) | |
 | 5.3 The evacuation of Candia | |
 | 5.4 The Cretan War in the Literature | |
 | 5.4.1 Anthimos (Akakios) Diakrousis | |
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| 5.4.2 Marinos Tzanes Bounialis | |