The history of the Ionian islands was over several centuries different from mainland Greece. At the time, when the ottoman empire had conquered most of the Greek territory, the Ionian Islands - with Corfu as the administrative centre- remained under the protection of the republic of Venice. This era was of distinctive importance for the people of the island, as they had the privilege - unlike their fellow countrymen in the ottoman empire - to participate in the developments and achievements of the western world.