Siteia's problems were similar to those of Rethymno . Il Provveditore  Luca Michiel described it as 'open, weak, without a port, old and ruined'.¹ Very far from other cities, it was isolated and indefensible, and dangerously exposed to pirate raids. The rebuilding of this ancient crumbling fifteenth-century castle (as it was portrayed in Monanni's drawing ) seemed intended more for the sake of public appearance than for the protection and the safety of those unhappy 'segregati' who inhabited it. In 1625 Francesco Morosini embarked upon the enterprise, but in 1651 General Mocenigo decided to level Siteia to prevent enemies surprising it 'far from assistance'.² Only the continual incursions of Turks kept them from taking this extreme decision earlier.

Footnotes:
1'aperto, debole, senza porto, vecchio e ruinato'
2'lontana da soccorsi'