Corfu is one of the seven main Ionian islands which also include Paxi,Kefallonia,
Zakynthos, Ithaki, Lefkada and Kythira. With the exception of Kythira which
is off the southern tip of Greece the islands are scattered down the west
coast of the mainland. The islands differ from other island groups in Greece
being less quintessentially Greek and more reminisient of Corfu's neighbour
Italy.
The Ionian islands receive a great amount of rain during the winter months
and consequently the vegetation is more lush than on other islands. The average
temperature in Corfu in July and August is around 33c with days exceeding
40c. The winters are mild, with the wet season streching from October to early
April. The average temperature during December and January is 15c.
Archaeological evidence indicates that Corfu has been inhabited since Palaeolithic
times (30,000-7000 BC). Excavations near Sidhari in the north discovered a
Neolithic settlement dating from 6000 BC. The first Greeks to arrive on Corfu
were Eretian emigrants around 750 BC. Corinthians settled on the island in
735 BC in the area where Corfu Town now stands.
Thanks to its trading position Corfu rapidly gained wealth and in order to
gain its independence fought a sea battle with Corinth in 664 BC, although
the Corinthians again imposed their rule from the end of the 7th century BC.
Corfu's revolt against Corinth and subsequent allegiance to Athends sparked
the Peloponnesian Wars which lasted from 431 until 404 BC. Following the defeat
the island took a long time to recover and was subjected to the tyrants of
Syracuse in Sicily and the kings of Epiros and Macedonia before becomming
the first Greek territory to assume Roman protection in 229 BC. It remained
under Roman rule until AD 395 when the island passed into the Byzantine Empire.
As the island was poorly defended it came under repeated attack from the Vandals,
Goths, Saracens and Normans amongst others. From the 11th to the 14th century
Corfu was ruled by Norman and Angevin kings, who were followed by the Venetians
who held the island for 400 years and protected it from Turkish occupation.
Venice fell to Napoleon in 1797 and Corfu and the other Ionian islands were
alotted to France. In 1799 Russian forces wrested the islands from Napoleon
but by 1807 they were his again.
In 1815 after the downfall of Napoleon the islands became a British protectorate
until 1862 when Britain relinquished the islands to Greece.
Suggested reading
Corfu & the Ionians - lonely planet
Corfu (Noel Rochford) - Sunflower Books