Mer-Égée

Mer-Égée (French for Aegean Sea) was one of three short-lived French départements in Greece. It came into existence after Napoleon's conquest in 1797 of the Republic of Venice, when Venetian Greek possessions such as the Ionian islands fell to the French Directory.

It included the islands of Zante (Zakynthos), Kythira and the Strofades, as well as Dragamesto (modern Astakos) on the Greek mainland.

Its prefecture was at the town of Zante (Zakynthos). The territories were lost to Russia in 1798 and the département was officially disbanded in 1802.

During the renewed French control of the area in 1807-1809, the département was not re-established, the constitutional form of the Septinsular Republic being kept.

See also

• French departments of Greece
• Corcyre
• Ithaque
• Zakynthos under French rule

References

• Lacroix, Louis (1853). Les Îles de la Grèce (in French). Firmin Didot. p. 638. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Pauthier, G. (1863). Les Îles Ioniennes pendant l'occupation française et le protectorat anglais (in French). Paris: Benjamin Duprat. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Bellaire, J.P. (1805). Précis des opérations générales de la Division française du Levant (in French). Paris: Magimel & Humbert. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)