In 1207, Marco Sanudo lands with his men at Ayiassos and after a siege  conquers the island. He subsequently conquers 18 more islands in the Aegean, then founds the Duchy of Naxos, with the island as its seat, and creates a small feud. The capital is moved from Apaliros to Hora, whose hill forms a natural acropolis. On this site, Sanudo built Hora’s fortified castle using materials from the ancient city. The island’s rulers built their towers around and outside it for protection or for summer housing. There are also a number of more recent towers on the island’s northern coast, such as the Ayia Pyrgos which dates from the 17th century but was destroyed by fire, and the fortified monastery of Panayia Ypsilotera on the outskirts of the village of Galini.
