Most areas of Greece were in turmoil because of war during these centuries. This combined with the outbreak of piracy in the Mediterranean, contributed to further settlement on the island. Throughout this period several Greek families moved to Hydra.

Further settlement occurred during the next Venetian-Turkish war (1700 - 1715), the Russian-Turkish war (1768 - 1774) and also during the Greek revolution (1821), which moulded the social and cultural evolution of Hydra.

In 1802 the governmental system of the island changed when Kapoudan Pashas' favourite George Dimas Voulgaris, the chief commander of the Turkish flag ship, was sent to Hydra. Voulgaris was appointed by the sultan as Kotzabasis and supervisor (Naziris) of Hydra, Poros and Spetses in order to regain peace and order on the islands. His prudence as well as Ottoman favour, contributed to a well-governed island. The period of economical prosperity, the control of piracy and internal peace, which followed the years of Voulgaris' rule, gave the Hydrians the opportunity to organize their society as they wished.

Many Hydrians, some of them eminent persons within the island's society, joined the Filiki Etairia (Society of the Friends, the secret Greek independence organization) in around 1818. The considerable amount of 130,000 distila (about 40,000 pounds sterling) was raised by Hydra's leaders and the epic rise of the island began.

Hydra bore the brunt of the war and became the focal point for Greek naval forces. The successive victories during sea battles and the dominance of Hydrian heros, served to compose the islands historical picture. Kountouriotis, Tobazis, Kriezis, Sahtouris, Tsamados, Voudouris, Economou, Pipinos, Gionis, Robotsis, Vatikiotis, Gelis, Skourtis, Methenitis, Vatsaxis, Sahinis and Andreas Miaoulis with his imperious character, each contributed to the revolution in his own way and raised the status of this small, Greek piece of land throughout Europe.