During the 1850s, a new current began to take shape within the Christian community of Crete — one that explored alternatives to union with Greece. A central figure in this movement was Elisavet Kontaxaki, originally from the village of Alikianos in the region of Kydonia. Raised in Athens, she arrived in Chania in 1855, where she met Veli Pasha through the British consul and quickly gained his favour.

Together, they founded the Philopatris Society (“Love for the Homeland”), a secret organisation aimed at promoting education and cultural advancement in Crete. When Veli Pasha’s position came under threat, Kontaxaki actively defended him, lobbying the Ottoman authorities on his behalf. However, following the 1858 uprising and Veli Pasha’s eventual dismissal in disgrace, Kontaxaki attempted to organise a revolt to bring Crete under British protection. The plot was uncovered and dismantled by the Ottoman authorities.

In the years that followed, her political stance shifted: she became a defender of continued Ottoman rule in Crete, and later opposed the 1866 revolution.