Biological Warfare Plan in the 17th Century—the Siege of Candia, 1648–1669
A little-known effort to conduct biological warfare occurred during the 17th century. The incident transpired during the Venetian–Ottoman War, when the city of Candia (now Heraklion, Greece) was under siege by the Ottomans (1648–1669). The data we describe, obtained from the Archives of the Venetian...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2015-12-01
|
| Series: | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/12/13-0822_article |
| _version_ | 1830344254134681600 |
|---|---|
| author | Eleni Thalassinou Costas Tsiamis Effie Poulakou-Rebelakou Angelos Hatzakis |
| author_facet | Eleni Thalassinou Costas Tsiamis Effie Poulakou-Rebelakou Angelos Hatzakis |
| author_sort | Eleni Thalassinou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A little-known effort to conduct biological warfare occurred during the 17th century. The incident transpired during the Venetian–Ottoman War, when the city of Candia (now Heraklion, Greece) was under siege by the Ottomans (1648–1669). The data we describe, obtained from the Archives of the Venetian State, are related to an operation organized by the Venetian Intelligence Services, which aimed at lifting the siege by infecting the Ottoman soldiers with plague by attacking them with a liquid made from the spleens and buboes of plague victims. Although the plan was perfectly organized, and the deadly mixture was ready to use, the attack was ultimately never carried out. The conception and the detailed cynical planning of the attack on Candia illustrate a dangerous way of thinking about the use of biological weapons and the absence of reservations when potential users, within their religious framework, cast their enemies as undeserving of humanitarian consideration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:23:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bb72a01a654f417d87ef679056231d8e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1080-6040 1080-6059 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T22:23:02Z |
| publishDate | 2015-12-01 |
| publisher | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerging Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-bb72a01a654f417d87ef679056231d8e2022-12-21T20:03:35ZengCenters for Disease Control and PreventionEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-60592015-12-0121122148215310.3201/eid2112.130822Biological Warfare Plan in the 17th Century—the Siege of Candia, 1648–1669Eleni ThalassinouCostas TsiamisEffie Poulakou-RebelakouAngelos HatzakisA little-known effort to conduct biological warfare occurred during the 17th century. The incident transpired during the Venetian–Ottoman War, when the city of Candia (now Heraklion, Greece) was under siege by the Ottomans (1648–1669). The data we describe, obtained from the Archives of the Venetian State, are related to an operation organized by the Venetian Intelligence Services, which aimed at lifting the siege by infecting the Ottoman soldiers with plague by attacking them with a liquid made from the spleens and buboes of plague victims. Although the plan was perfectly organized, and the deadly mixture was ready to use, the attack was ultimately never carried out. The conception and the detailed cynical planning of the attack on Candia illustrate a dangerous way of thinking about the use of biological weapons and the absence of reservations when potential users, within their religious framework, cast their enemies as undeserving of humanitarian consideration.https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/12/13-0822_articlebiological weaponsCandiaOttoman EmpireplagueYersinia pestisRepublic of Venice |
| spellingShingle | Eleni Thalassinou Costas Tsiamis Effie Poulakou-Rebelakou Angelos Hatzakis Biological Warfare Plan in the 17th Century—the Siege of Candia, 1648–1669 Emerging Infectious Diseases biological weapons Candia Ottoman Empire plague Yersinia pestis Republic of Venice |
| title | Biological Warfare Plan in the 17th Century—the Siege of Candia, 1648–1669 |
| title_full | Biological Warfare Plan in the 17th Century—the Siege of Candia, 1648–1669 |
| title_fullStr | Biological Warfare Plan in the 17th Century—the Siege of Candia, 1648–1669 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biological Warfare Plan in the 17th Century—the Siege of Candia, 1648–1669 |
| title_short | Biological Warfare Plan in the 17th Century—the Siege of Candia, 1648–1669 |
| title_sort | biological warfare plan in the 17th century the siege of candia 1648 1669 |
| topic | biological weapons Candia Ottoman Empire plague Yersinia pestis Republic of Venice |
| url | https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/12/13-0822_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elenithalassinou biologicalwarfareplaninthe17thcenturythesiegeofcandia16481669 AT costastsiamis biologicalwarfareplaninthe17thcenturythesiegeofcandia16481669 AT effiepoulakourebelakou biologicalwarfareplaninthe17thcenturythesiegeofcandia16481669 AT angeloshatzakis biologicalwarfareplaninthe17thcenturythesiegeofcandia16481669 |