Nafplio . . . In Byzantine times and from the 11th century onwards, Nafplio's importance as a trading centre steadily increased. Prominent in the history of the city was the figure of Leontas Sgouros, local ruler of Nafplio from about 1200, who, in order to extend his power, reached Larissa in 1204. His advance was halted by the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade, who eventually occupied all the conquered territories, including Nafplio, around 1210-1212. Since then, Nafplio has experienced occupation by various conquerors, first the Franks, then the Venetians and then the Turks, with the brief interruption of the Second Venetian Empire. The city of Nafplio, Napoli di Romania of the Venetians, was formed mainly during the years of the first Venetian occupation, when towards the end of the 15th century the lower town was formed by artificial alluvial deposits in the sea, and the present historical centre of Nafplio. Until then, settlement was essentially confined to the rock of Akronafplia. Great works of the first Venetian rule are the castle of the Tories and the Bourtzi. In 1540, after a three-year siege, Nafplio was surrendered to the Turks. During the period of the first Turkish occupation of the city, which lasted from 1540 to 1686, Nafplio seems to have enjoyed many privileges and rights, especially until the middle of the 17th century. In fact, it became the capital of the Peloponnese and the seat of the Turkish commander Mora-Pasha. In 1686, the Venetians, under their most able general Francesco Morosini, recaptured the city, which they were to hold for a short time until 1715. Nafplio became extremely important during this period as the capital of the Kingdom of Morea. The most important work of the second Venetian rule is undoubtedly the fortress of Palamidi. In 1715, the harshest second Turkish occupation of Nafplio followed, when the city began to decline, especially after the transfer of the seat of the Pasha to Tripoli. According to foreign travellers, the city was inhabited mainly by Turks and a few Christians, who were confined to the area of Psaromachala. Many houses lay in ruins, the port was full of rubbish and its foul smells were unbearable. On the night of 29-30 November 1822, after months of siege led by Staikos Staikopoulos, Palamidi surprisingly fell into the hands of the Greeks. Since then, the city began to grow rapidly and was flooded by masses of refugees from areas still under Turkish rule. The situation that prevailed in the city is vividly described by Dimitrios Byzantios in his folk play "Babylonia", set in Nafplio in 1827. The city reached its heyday when it became the capital of the Greek state from 1827 to 1834. On 8 January 1828, the first governor of modern Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias, landed in Nafplio. At that time, the city mainly had cafés, while dance parties or literary nights were held in the living rooms of respectable families. Printing houses were also founded and, for a short time, a philological school. On 27 September 1831, Kapodistrias was assassinated in front of the church of Saint Spyridon. On 25 January 1833, the people of Nafplio welcomed the first king of Greece, Otto, who stayed in the city for a short time until the end of about. In 1834, the capital of the Greek state was moved to Athens. With the Nafplio Revolution ("Nafpliaka") against Otto, which broke out in February 1862, Nafplio was at the centre of events for the last time. After the "Nafpliaka" the decline of the city began. Since then, Nafplio has been a provincial town that has become a popular destination for both Greeks and foreign travellers in recent years.