North Aegean islands

Shipping, trade, economy, culture and social interactions developed in the archipelago and surrounding areas on the basis of communication and contact between the inhabitants.

The growth of settlements such as Poliochnis in Lemnos, Emporiou in Chios and Heraion of Samos, amongst others, are evidence of the importance of these centers at this time.

[citation needed] In the late 12th and early 11th centuries BC, a time when vast numbers of the people moved to Greece, the Aeolians arrived in Lesbos.

The fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the founding of the Ottoman Empire resulted in a period of destruction, plundering and persecution for the islands.

The inhabitants of the islands were actively involved in the Greek War of Independence and the emergence of leaders in the struggle such as Lykourgos Logothetis, Konstantinos Kanaris and Dimitrios Papanikolis brought about reprisals from the Turkish authorities.

[citation needed] It was not until 1912 when the islands of the north Aegean were finally incorporated into the Greek state during the First Balkan War.