Frangokastello was built in 1371 as a garrison to impose order on the rebellious Sfakia region and to deter pirates.
In 1828, during the Greek war or independence, the general Hatzimichalis Dalianis fortified himself in the castle with 700 men. On May 18, 1828, a fierce battle took place between the fortified Greeks and the Ottoman forces of Mustafa Nailis Pasha. The Greeks were defeated and a large number of them were killed. After the battle, Nailis Pasha temporarily destroyed the castle so that it would not be used again by the rebel locals, but later on repaired it. The castle was not used again in the following years.
This deadly battle was linked to the rare phenomenon observed in the area known as 'Drosoulites'.
According to local lore, Drosoulites is a long procession of visions, seen by residents around the Frangokastello castle. The visions, as described by witnesses, are a a group of human-like shadows dressed in black, walking or riding, armed with weapons, moving from the monastery of Agios Charalambos and advancing towards Frangokastello. Legend has it that this group of people are the Greek fighters that died during the Battle of Frangokastello on May 18, 1828 and since then they appear as supernatural beings in the area. The phenomenon is visible every year, on the anniversary of the Battle of Frangokastello or even in early June near a small village in southern Crete. The locals named the visions Drosoulites (“dew men”) due to the time of day that the phenomenon is taking place, i.e. when the sea is calm and the atmosphere is moist and before the sun goes too high up in the sky.
