Χρόνια πολλά! Happy Greek Independence Day! March 25th 🇬🇷
Enjoy the major Greek National Day with a portrait collection of some of the most influential Greek heroes of the Independence War and their short yet layered biographies under the cut:
Theódoros Kolokotronis (1770 - 1843). Member of a powerful family clan and almost certainly the most prominent figure of the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire, Kolokotronis was general and commander-in-chief of the Greek forces in the Peloponnese. Already mature when the revolution started, he was known as the “Old Man of Morea”. His victories, strategic genius, intense personality and fervor for the Greek cause made him revered among Greeks and Turks who imagined him almost like a demi-god. Kolokotronis lived to see his country liberated but he was imprisoned and sentenced to death by Otto’s regency because he had opposed it. When King Otto came of age, he pardoned him because he admired him a lot. Kolokotronis and Otto’s relations were friendly and Kolokotronis died happy in his sleep shortly after he had married his daughter to a prince of Wallachia and attended a large celebration in Otto’s palace. In 1851 his memoirs were published, as told to Georgios Tertsetis. Find out more about what Kolokotronis looked like in this post.
Geórgios Karaiskakis (1782 - 1827). Karaiskakis was originally a famed klepht (anti-Ottoman brigand) who at some point was captured by Albanian ruler Ali Pasha. Ali Pasha was impressed by his intelligence and courage and he freed him from prison to make him one of his personal bodyguards. Karaiskakis served Ali Pasha but after his death he joined the Greek revolutionaries. He started gaining fame during the last years of the war and he was appointed general of Rumeli (Sterea Hellas). His health had always been frail and he was often fighting while severely ill. He was however fatally wounded by a rifle bullet in the Battle of Phaleron. Karaiskakis has been notorious for his vulgar manner of speaking. Learn more about him and his protegee who took up arms along his side in this post.
Odysseus Androutsos (1788 - 1825). Odysseus Androutsos was famed for his stature, great strength and fighting prowess. His biggest victory was the Battle of Gravia, where he defeated the Ottoman army with only a handful of men. Androutsos was a controversial figure, especially until 1872. One year before his death and during the Greek civil war he was accused by politician Ioannis Kolettis that he had made a secret agreement and joined the Turkish forces against the Greeks. Androutsos indeed had made an agreement because due to the civil war he and his men had been left without arms and provisions and ceded to lead the Turks in a battle himself. Androutsos abandoned the Turks in the middle of the operation and surrendered voluntarily to his own Greek henchman, Ioannis Gouras, claiming he meant to trap the Turks but failed. Androutsos was imprisoned, tortured, beaten to death in his cell and then thrown from the top of the Acropolis while denied a trial first. However, politician and later PM Ioannis Kolettis, founder of the pro-French political party, was later revealed to be one of the most problematic politicians of the era, involved repeatedly in clientism, electoral frauds, bribery, corruption and enormous fortune obtained through politics. He also had terrible relations with other Greek fighters, reportedly attempting to destroy the reputation and happiness of Kolokotronis and Mavroyenous respectively. Initially, it was told Androutsos had escaped from prison and fell from the Acropolis in his hurry to flee. Much later, a witness revealed the warrior was killed in his cell beaten by many men simultaneously, as he could not be taken in an one-on-one fight. It was also revealed Kolettis had unsuccessfully attempted to bribe another Greek fighter to murder Androutsos, even before the seeming betrayal. Therefore, Androutsos’ reputation was restored in 1872 and a proper funeral took place for him 40 years after his death. Interestingly, the English Wikipedia seems to side against Androutsos while the page for Kolettis is short and adresses the crimes Kolettis has been accused of very carefully. Make of this what you will. I wasn’t sure if I should add Androutsos, however one of the most integral figures of the Independence War, Ioannis Makriyannis, accused Kolettis of defaming and murdering Androutsos and Kolettis is proven to have been a deeply corrupted man so...
Laskarina Bouboulina (1771 - 1825). Bouboulina was a naval commander and the first woman to attain the rank of admiral. She loved sailing from a young age. She was widowed twice and as she inherited a lot of wealth from her second husband, she commanded a big fleet. She was known as “the Captainness” and “the Lady”. She often joined assemblies of war chiefs to discuss all affairs militaire, where she was treated as an equal and her opinion was valued. During the Greek Civil War she was mistreated too, expelled to her island Spetses and briefly imprisoned on false charges. She was unfairly killed in 1825 over an irrelevant family feud. Her son and a girl had eloped, as the latter was forced to marry a man she did not want. Her father and brothers went to Bouboulina’s house believing the couple was hiding there. Bouboulina supported the couple’s choice and showed up in her balcony to confront the girl’s family. She was shot by the armed men.
Alexander Ypsilantis (1792 - 1828). Ypsilantis was member of a very old and noble Greek family from Constantinople. He was a Prince of the Danubian Principalities and the senior officer of the Imperial Russian cavalry. He lost one of his arms in the Battle of Dresden against Napoleon at the age of 21. He was appointed as the Leader of the secret Friendly Society, the association coordinating the Greek Revolution, a position he accepted with great enthusiasm. Ypsilantis attempted to raise all the Balkan people against the Ottomans and to even involve the Tsar of Russia and Austria but he failed and his army was defeated by the Turks. He was kept confined in Austria for 7 years. After his release, he retired to Vienna where he died in extreme poverty and misery. His last wish that his heart be removed from his body and sent to Greece was fulfilled. Ypsilantis’ own operation might have failed, however he offered a great distraction to the Turks as the revolt in the Peloponnese (the one that led to the successful revolution) broke out at the same time the Turks were busy fighting him. His brother Demetrios was luckier - he led many victorious battles inside Greece, including the very last one before the official establishment of the Independence.
Nikitas Stamatellópoulos (1782 - 1849). Known as Nikitarás (big/great/fearsome Nikitas), he was notorious for his fighting prowess and for the “body count” attributed to him. There are many tales of his skills and ferocity. He once defeated a Turkish army of several thousands with a few hundreds of men. Another time it was reported he broke three swords during the same battle. He would also often keep fighting wounded. Despite his violent character in battle, outside the battlefield Nikitaras was known to be a man of integrity and decency. He was the fighter who furiously refused the bribery to kill Androutsos. He also always refused to take booty from the defeated, explaining his only motivation was the liberation of his nation. After the war, he was imprisoned alongside his uncle Theodoros Kolokotronis for the same reason, opposing Otto’s regency. Upon his release, he had serious undiagnosed diabetes which turned him blind. He was also in a state of destitution. The Greek state ignored him, giving him only a permission to be a beggar on Friday mornings! After some time, civilians complained to the state for the neglect of the great hero and the state gave him a honorary title and a tiny pension. Nikitaras’ last wish to be buried next to his uncle Kolokotronis was granted.
Grigórios Díkeos or Papaflessas (1788 - 1825). Papaflessas was a priest, ordained to the rank of archimandrite, a politician and a warrior. He was defiant by nature and had personal hatred for the Turks, because they had killed his family. Papaflessas travelled to Mount Athos and Constantinople to study Ancient Greek and Theology, aiming to become an archbishop. There he met many patriots and he was recruited by the Friendly Society. After that he took his role very seriously and he travelled throughout Greece to raise Greeks against the Ottomans and convince them it was the right time. He is considered the most influential in spreading the desire for a revolution. During the war he fought in many battles and offered to confront Ibrahim’s newcoming Egyptian army with his 3000 men. The two thirds abandoned Papaflessas when they saw the size of Ibrahim’s army (17,000 men), however Papaflessas and his remaining 800-1000 men stayed and fell. It is said Ibrahim ordered his body to be cleaned and he kissed him on the cheek, stating that if Greece had another ten men like him, he would never be able to take Peloponnese. Papaflessas loved women and gold too much to be good for a cleric but his unwavering love and passion for freedom is indisputable.
Konstantinos Kanaris (1790 - 1877). Kanaris was an admiral and three times PM of Greece. He was very successful in naval combats and he repeatedly caused utter destruction to Turkish fleets and flagships. He had the idea to burn the Egyptian fleet in Alexandria before it set sail for Peloponnese and he would have succeeded, had the winds not changed direction as he was approaching. Kanaris would always prepare himself before a battle, saying: “Konstantí, you are going to die!”. However, he did not. He survived to become a prominent and popular politician and died at the age of 87, while still serving as Prime Minister!
Count Ioannis Kapodistrias (1776 - 1831). Coming from a very old deeply wealthy family and without a doubt one of the most brilliant Greek politicians and diplomats, Kapodistrias was a lawyer, a doctor, a diplomat affiliated to the Russians, later Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia and honorary citizen of Switzerland as he was the one who added two more cantons to the Swiss dominion with his diplomatic maneuvers. After the Independence he was appointed Governor of Greece. Kapodistrias tried to create a functioning state out of thin air. Britain and France loathed him and turned rich clans against him because he was so friendly with Russia. Therefore they also refused to give him loans. Kapodistrias essentially had zero funds and therefore he started building foundations, hospitals, schools, museums and sometimes entire towns out of his own fortune. Moreover, he refused to take a salary because he thought it was his duty to serve the Greek people. He also took money from the rich and gave it to the poor and tried to put an end to the feudal system the Greeks were used to during the Ottoman occupation. A Sunday morning on his way to the church, he was assassinated by family members of a well known fighter coming from a rich clan which had revolted against him. Kapodistrias was buried with the clothes he wore during his assassination, as he had no other clothes left. In fact, he had given his very last possessions to orphans and widows. For more details about this great man, check this post.
Rigas Velestinlís or Fereos (1757 - 1798). Fereos was a teacher, writer, political thinker and revolutionary. He was a pioneer of the Greek War of Independence. He envisioned an uprising of all Christian populations against the Ottoman Empire and he came to touch with Napoleon Bonaparte and the general of the Army of Italy, hoping for aid. As the man agreed to meet Fereos, the latter set out to travel to Venice. He was betrayed to the Austrian authorities (then an ally of the Ottomans) by another Greek. Austrian authorities handed him over to the Ottomans, who imprisoned him, tortured him and eventually strangled and threw him to Danube river.
Mantó Mavroyenous (1796 - 1848). The educated daughter of a very wealthy Greek merchant in Trieste, Italy, with descent from Mykonos island, she gave her entire fortune for the Greek cause. She also encouraged many of her influential friends to offer money and weapons to the Greek revolutionaries. She was beautiful, had studied Ancient Greek philosophy and History and also was fluent in Italian, French and Turkish besides Greek. Once the struggle began, she moved to Mykonos island where she persuaded the locals to join the war. She led them successfully in a battle against the Turks and then also equipped men and sent them to aid in Samos island and the Peloponnese. She led expenditions in western Europe, especially addressing the women of Paris, to side with the Greek cause. She moved to Nafplion, where she met Demetrios Ypsilantis and they were soon engaged. A great part of the political world didn’t want two so powerful and pro-Russian families to unite. The aforementioned politician Ioannis Kolettis took it upon himself to destroy their relationship. Mavroyenous eventually returned to Mykonos, heartbroken and destitute. When the war ended Governor Ioannis Kapodistrias awarded her the rank of the Lieutenant General and granted her a dwelling in Nafplion, where she moved.
Athanásios Diakos (1788 - 1821). Diakos’ real surname was Grammatikós. Diakos refers to him being a Greek Orthodox deacon from an early age. Diakos was particularly good looking. It is said that the reason he abandoned the church and became a brigand was that he reacted too violently one time that he attracted the unwanted attention of a Turk. He was forced to flee his monastery and joined irregular troops in the mountains. He quickly distinguished himself in fights against the Ottomans, eventually becoming a commander. In the first year of the war, he liberated a large part of Sterea Hellas. However, in his last stand near Thermopylae (which parallels him to Ancient Spartan King Leonidas), he was captured by the Turks and suffered a most gruesome death by impalement. Two famous quotes are attributed to him. Before they killed him, the Turks offered him an officer’s position in the Turkish army as long as he converted to Islam. Diakos responded: “I was born a Greek, I shall die a Greek”. Then, according to tradition, as he was led to his horrible death, it is said he sang: “ Behold the time Charon (ancient deity who led the dead to the underworld) chose to take me, now that the branches are flowering, and the earth sends forth grass”. It is believed this had a double meaning, as he was killed in April 24th but it was also the very first year - the Spring - of the Revolution.
Ioannis Makriyannis (1797 - 1864). Makriyannis was a merchant, political officer and general of the Greek Independence War. He led the Greek armies to many victories, the most important being the defence of Nafplion, then capital of the Greek state, from Ibrahim pasha. It was the first success against Ibrahim and his enormous Egyptian fleet. Makriyannis is also known for later coordinating a revolt against King Otto, which forced the King to grant the first Constitution of Greece. Makriyannis had very active political presence and his actions were generally motivated by reason and integrity. However, he is mostly known for writing his memoirs, which remain to this day the most reliable and informative source about the Greek revolution. He also worked with an artist to create 24 drawings depicting loyally historical events as experienced by Makriyannis himself. Makriyannis’ memoirs are not only a source of information but the first great literary work in Demotic Greek. Nobel awarded Giorgos Seferis stated Makriyannis was one of the greatest masters of Modern Greek prose.
Andreas Miaoulis (1765 - 1835). Miaoulis was originally a corn trader who gained a lot of wealth. When the war broke out, he used this money to aid the fighters and command his own fleet. He was trying to help in any way possible. He was appointed admiral and had many victories in naval combats throughout all of Greece. He was the one who was secretly supplying the sieged city of Missholonghi with stores and reinforcements through its lake, a very delicate task. Soon he retired but he returned to his position as admiral once Kapodistrias became governor, fighting the piracy in the Aegean sea effectively. However, his relationship with Kapodistrias grew hostile because Kapodistrias did not favor the (rich) clans of former warriors and was loathed by the British, whom Miaoulis favored instead of the Russians. So much that Miaoulis eventually participated in a revolt against him, ending up burning Greek ships, although it is not known whether it was by his own choice or he was told to. He has been heavily criticized both then and now for this deed. Kapodistrias was ready to pardon him and his men but his assassination came first. Miaoulis’ reputation was officially restored upon King Otto’s arrival in Greece. It is known he expressed some regret over his action, confessing to politician Spyridon Trikoupis that if he had a wise man like him by his side to advice him, he wouldn’t have done it. Furthermore, he was appointed again as an admiral but this time Miaoulis refused, which historians believe it was due to feelings of guilt. When he died, he was buried in the coast of Piraeus where it is believed the Ancient Athenian general and admiral Themistocles was buried too. His heart is kept in a silver urn in the Museum of Hydra.