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Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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GIOVANNI MARITI
Travels in the Island of Cyprus
page 100

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place, and found that the Governor had caused the beams and pillars which supported the floor to be sawn through, so that when pulled with ropes the whole fell in. The malicious cruelty of the Governor did not end here, for, foreseeing that the Choqadar, who sat next to himself, would not be hurled down with the rest, he caused poisoned coffee to be served to him. Luckily the collapse of the room did not produce the desired effect ; only four or five persons were slightly injured, and the Choqadar, promptly treated with antidotes, suffered no harm. The crowd saw what had happened, and rushed at once to the Molla to ask for justice. Three several summonses were sent to the Governor, who refused to appear, using some sharp expressions. The Molla could no longer restrain the people, who kept thronging in with cries for justice, and decided to allow them to do what they liked with the Governor, proclaiming him a rebel to the law and to his sovereign. These words at once excited the crowd to rush in arms to the palace. The Governor did not lose courage, but barred the gates, and retired with all his train to the upper rooms, whence he fired on the assailants, and killed several. Some of the crowd began to fire back, while others were setting fire to the gates of the great court. As soon as these were burnt down men rushed in, killed everyone they met and at last had the satisfaction of finding the Governor himself, whom they despatched with knife thrusts. Nineteen persons of his suite were killed, the rest escaped and hid themselves until the fury was overpast. As soon as the Governor was dead everyone betook himself to plunder the Khasna or Treasury, and to strip the palace of its furniture. The whole affair took three hours : the tact of the Turkish headmen quelled the disturbance, and before evening the shops were all reopened, the fair of St Demetrius went on, and the city resumed its usual aspect, as though nothing had happened. The citizens of Larnaca were expecting the same tragic об Insurrection of 1764 [CH.

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