No doubt the history of Ithaca is strongly connected to the myth of Odysseus, although the palace of Odysseus has not been discovered yet.
In the 12th century, Ithaca was ceded to the Orsini family and later to the Tocchi family. With the help of the Tocchi family, the island of Ithaca developed into an independent state with a fully equipped army and naval fleet. This Venetians showed their power until 1479through trade and some splendid constructions, whose ruins can still be seen in the area.
Eventually, the Venetians left Ithaca, fearing the great power of the Turks who wanted to annex the Ionian Islands. The same year, Turks took the command of Ithaca by force, killing its inhabitants and destroying the villages. Most of the inhabitants of the island left their homeland fearing the Turkish occupiers. Those who stayed found shelter in the mountains. During the following five years, the Turks and the Venetians kept arguing about the control of the Ionians. Finally, the islands were given to the Turkish Empire. Nevertheless, the Venetians managed to strengthened and organize their fleet and started a war against the Turks in 1499. Finally, the Venetians regained the Ionians in 1500 AD and a treaty was signed by the Turks, mentioning that Ithaca, Kefalonia, and Zakynthos belonged to the Venetians, while Lefkada remained under Turkish rule.
During the Venetian occupation, the population of Ithaca, which had decreased from the frequent pirate raids and the Turkish attacks, started growing and developing again, and Vathy became the capital of the island. The island was considered as semi-independent, ruled with a liberal system of democracy, without any social classes. The Ionians remained under the control of Venice until the defeat of Venice by Napoleon in 1797, when they came under the rule of the French Democrats. In 1807, after an agreement with Turkey, the Ionian Islands returned under the French rule, who prepared to face the powerful English fleet by fortifying the town and capital of Vathy. In 1809, the Ionian islands came under English rule and the Ionian State was formed, governed by a Constitution imposed in 1817 where Ithaca was represented by one member (in the Ionian Senate). During the years of the Greek Revolution against the Turks, Ithaca offered hospitality and medical care to the revolutionaries and participated in the War of Independence of 1821, participating in the Hellenic Revolutionary fleet.
1864, because of the international situation in Europe and of a series of negotiations, Ithaca was finally liberated and, with the other Ionian Islands, became a part of the New Greek State. During the Second World War, the island suffered from the Italian and the German occupation.