The Cretan Government.
June 11th, 2020. Dear Cousin Julia Elizabeth Adams. Its Origins. The Cretan Senate – or as they insist on calling it, the Cretan Gerousia – was formed following the Humble Revolution of 1742. Originally, following the King’s departure, Crete was turned into a maritime republic, somewhat similar to those of the Italian peninsula. The Dogis was elected by the nobility and the Overseers, who were a remnant of the Hero-Monarchs’ time. The Overseers ran the farmlands, and were in charge of administering the peasantry in the name of the Crown, and eventually the Dogis. However, as urban populations grew, and Crete began to increasingly rely on foreign imports to feed the citizenry, the influence of the Overseers waned. While originally envisioned as a (admittedly lesser) partner to the nobility, capable of contesting decisions and making their will – and that of those they represented – known, their growing irrelevance weakened their ability to affect policy. As the richness in the cities