The Realm or Kingdom of Candia (Venetian: Regno de CĆ ndia; Italian: Regno di Candia; Greek: ĪαĻίλειο ĻĪ·Ļ ĪάνĻιαĻ, romanized:Ā VasĆleio tis KĆ”ntias) or Duchy of Candia (Venetian: Dogado de CĆ ndia; Italian: Ducato di Candia; Greek: ĪĪæĻ
κάĻĪæ ĻĪ·Ļ ĪάνĻιαĻ, romanized:Ā DoukĆ”to tis KĆ”ntias) was the official name of Crete during the island's period as an overseas territory of the Republic of Venice, from the initial Venetian conquest in 1205ā1212 to its fall to the Ottoman Empire during the Cretan War (1645ā1669). The island was at the time and up to the early modern era commonly known as Candia after its capital, Candia or Chandax (modern Heraklion). In modern Greek historiography, the period is known as the Venetocracy (Greek: ĪενεĻοκĻαĻία, romanized:Ā VenetokratĆa, or ĪνεĻοκĻαĻία, EnetokratĆa).
The island of Crete had formed part of the Byzantine Empire until 1204, when the Fourth Crusade dissolved the empire and divided its territories amongst the crusader leaders (see Frankokratia). Crete was initially allotted to Boniface of Montferrat, but, unable to enforce his control over the island, he soon sold his rights to Venice. Venetian troops first occupied the island in 1205, but it took until 1212 for it to be secured, especially against the opposition of Venice's rival Genoa. Thereafter, the new colony took shape: the island was divided into six provinces (sestieri) named after the divisions of the city of Venice itself, while the capital Candia was directly subjected to the Commune Veneciarum. The islands of Tinos and Cythera, also under Venetian control, came under the kingdom's purview. In the early 14th century, this division was replaced by four provinces, almost identical to the four modern prefectures.