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Village Layout House of Katsinioros House of Achillea Dimitri Petrou kai Pavlou Church Yiannakos Tavern Old School The old Wine Press

The life of Thomas Fikardos

G. Jeffrey reports in his book Historic Monuments of Cyprus (1918) that the “…village undoubted-
ly bears the name of a once opulent and important native family of Cyprus, known in chronicles un-
der the various spellings of Phicardo, Ficardi, etc…”. Messer Tomazo Phicardo (or Thomas Fikardos;

Greek: Θωμάς Φικάρδος) was the progenitor of the noble family of Phicardo and was chancellor of
King James II Usurper. He is also referred to as the king’s majesty’s secretary (secretario di Sua Maestra).
Fikardos was a loyal supporter and follower of the king, and when the king fell ill and felt his end nearing, Fikardos

was the one who recorded his testament. For his services he was rewarded by the king by granting Fikardos the
villages of Pistaki and Politiko as fiefs, as well as an annual quantity of wine and a thousand byzantia (coins) in cash.
Thomas Fikardos retained the position he held even after the king’s death and when Catherine Cornaro came into

power he represented the queen as her official emissary in various diplomatic missions, in Cairo and Venice. On one
of his missions to Venice about the year 1488, Fikardo was thought to be involved in a conspiracy against Venice, and
upon his arrival was brought up for questioning by the Council of Ten. The Council, after considering the testimony

of many persons, among whom were Venetian officials and nobles, finally not only acquitted him, but also awarded
him an honorable mention for his services to Venice, with special reference to his missions to Cairo, ordering his

release and his repatriation in September 1489. The date of the passing of Thomas Fikardos remains unknown.
but also awarded him an honorable mention for his services to Venice, with spe-
cial reference to his missions to Cairo, ordering his release and his repatria-
tion in September 1489. The date of the passing of Thomas Fikardos remains unknown.

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