* Marco Sanudo, Venetian crusader

In the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade, with a Latin Emperor under the influence of the Venetians established at Constantinople, the Venetian Marco Sanudo conquered the island and soon captured the rest of the islands of the Cyclades, establishing himself as Duke of Naxia, or Duke of the Archipelago.

Miller identified said sister with the wife of Marco I Sanudo and mother of Angelo Sanudo.

During the Frankish period the island formed part of the Duchy of Naxos, except for the few years ( 1341 – 1383 ) when it was a separate lordship under Marco Sanudo and his daughter.

She was the daughter and successor of Marco Sanudo, Lord of Milos from 1341 to 1376.

Marco was a younger son of William I Sanudo, Duke of the Archipelago from 1303 to 1323.

The island was conquered in 1207 by the Venetian Marco Sanudo and remained under the rule of Venice until 1566, when it was taken by the Ottoman Turks.

All biographies of Marco Sanudo have been written centuries after the facts they tell.

In the first one, Istoria di Romania, Marino Sanudo Torsello, a member of the Sanudo family only writes about Marco Sanudo:

Sailing separately, Marco Sanudo and those following him conquered the islands of Naxos, Paros, Milos and Santorini, and Marino Dandolo conquered Andros.

A chronicle in Venetian dated of 1360-1362 and attributed to an Enrico Dandolo gives a short biography of Marco Sanudo starting with his struggle in Crete against Enrico Pescatore.

Also, it's the first text stating that Marco Sanudo and Doge Enrico Dandolo are related.

The Sanudo family may have originated in Eraclea where Marco Sanudo's ancestors held charges.

Four generations after Pietro IV, a Marco Sanudo is recorded ( second half of 11th century ) as an " councilor " and " captain ".

Thus, the first certain fact known about Marco Sanudo is that he took part to the Fourth Crusade.

Genovese and venetian trade routeswith the places where Marco Sanudo presence is proven.

In the conquered Constantinople, Marco Sanudo became judge at the consular court ( giudice del commun ) and then took part to the negotiations between the Republic of Venice and Boniface I, Marquess of Montferrat that ended with the purchase of Crete, given to Boniface, by Venice.

The head of the ambassadors was Geoffroi de Villehardouin and Marco Sanudo was among them.

Some medieval chronicles-after the one by Enrico Dandolo ( 1360 – 1362 )- say that this Treaty of Adrianople explicitely gave Marco Sanudo lands on Crete.

Marco Sanudo, with his uncle Enrico Dandolo's and the Latin Emperor's blessings, armed with his own money eight galleys that had been entrusted to him in order to fight the Genoans.

Marco Sanudo had to have his conquest certified by the Latin Empire authorities.