Fireships: How Greece’s Daring Sailors Destroyed the Turkish Fleet

Greek fireships during the Greek War of Independence
The painting ,”The Burning of a Turkish Frigate,” by Konstantinos Volanakis shows Greek sailors setting fire to a Turkish vessel during the War of Independence. Credit: Konstantinos Volanakis/Public Domain

Silently, with mute prayers to St. Nicholas and the Virgin Mary during the Greek War of Independence, Greece’s islanders—from the small islands of Hydra, Spetses, and Psara—  pilot their floating bomb towards a Turkish frigate.

The bomb, an old, aging ship stripped of its fittings and filled with gunpowder and pitch with tangling yardarms and tinder-dry canvas, only awaits the spark.

These were the fireships of the Greek War of Independence.

In early modern naval warfare, fireships had been used in many naval encounters, as a way for smaller, more nimble, better-skilled fleets to counter the large traditional warships with their rows of cannon.

The technology is simple, and, indeed, fire as a naval weapon is as old as warfare itself.

Certainly, by 1821, most navies had countermeasures, and the fireship was obsolete.

It was a weapon of necessity, which although technically obsolete, was still used by the skilled sailors of the Greek Navy to a devastating, asymmetric effect.

Fireships tended to be older, smaller vessels, which were refurbished with combustibles, such as gunpowder and pitch, to basically become floating bombs.

All the rigging, along with their sails, might be doused with various materials both to stoke the flames and to entangle with the target ship.

The fireship would have a skeleton crew who were among the most skilled and dedicated sailors and who would be able to escape using a small rowboat towed behind the fireship.

Hatches were cut at various intervals in the ships’ hulls to allow for air intake to further feed the flames.

Fireboats attack Turkish flagship in Greece
“Kanaris Burns the Turkish Flagship,” by Nikiforos Lytras. Credit: Public Domain

Fireships decisive in naval encounters during the Greek War of Independence

While Hydra and its fellow “nautical islands” in Greece, Spetses, and Psara, possessed many ships manned by well-skilled crews, they did not possess naval ships in the traditional sense.

Many of their merchant ships were armed with cannons; this was the Mediterranean Sea, of course, which was filled with pirate ships.

The Aegean islanders were not above piracy and blockade-running themselves, but the armed merchantmen, though common in nineteenth-century naval warfare, lacked the punch of frigates.

Fireships were the obvious solution for the Greek islanders. They were easy to procure, and the islanders had the skills and courage to use them effectively despite their clear limitations as weapons.

The proof was in the results for Greece

Greek fireships time and again proved decisive in naval encounters, destroying key Turkish naval assets, and just as importantly, causing panic amongst Turkish sailors.

Beyond the destruction of valuable Turkish vessels, the threat of Greek fireships kept the Turks from effective movement in the Aegean.

They prevented the more active reinforcement of Turkish attempts to defeat the Greek Revolution on the Greek mainland, which held out in spite of great odds (and plenty of internecine fighting).

The pilots of fireships were renowned for their dash, courage, and faith; they even attempted to burn the Egyptian Fleet (allies of the Turks) at Alexandria.

The day of the fireship was past; even at the end of the Greek War of Independence, steam-powered warships came onto the scene, as did ironclads a few decades later.

The new Greek Navy would spend considerable amounts of the state budget to procure the ships needed for the country’s defense and expansion, at times assisted by her diaspora.

This was most notable in the purchase of the Battle Cruiser “Averoff,” which, commanded by a Hydriot admiral, battered the Turkish fleet in the Balkan Wars and made land victories against the Turks more certain.

The fireship elan remains

In the Balkan Wars, too, a bit of the fireship elan remained when another Hydriot, Captain Nicholas Votsis, snuck a torpedo boat into the Thessaloniki harbor, still under Turkish control at the time, and sunk the Turkish cruiser Fetih Bulend.

Hydriots honor the legacy of the fireships in the annual “Miaouleia” Festival, a celebration in Hydra’s beautiful amphitheatrical harbor that culminates in the burning and fireworks on a small ship.

Today, the Greek Navy is one of the world’s finest fleets, drawing on the skills of an ancient maritime nation and the inspiration of three thousand years of victories at sea.

Its ships tend to be nimble and smaller, its sailors skilled and courageous, and its tactics daring and asymmetric, as has always been the case.

Honor is due.

Montreal Celebrates Greek Independence Day With Huge Parade

Montreal Parade
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau led the parade along with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Montreal’s Jean Talon Street. Credit: Press Office Canada PM

Thousands of Greek Canadians gathered at Montreal’s Park-Extension on Sunday to celebrate Greek Independence Day with their annual parade.

The prime minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took part in the celebrations. A mix of Greek, Canadian, and Quebec flags waved above the crowd on Jean-Talon Street.

“We figure about 2,000 to 3,000 participants [took part] in it, and about 5,000 spectators were present,” said Chris Adamopoulos, director general at Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal.

Montreal parade
A mix of Greek, Canadian, and Quebec flags waved above the crowd. Credit: Press Office Canada PM

Patriotism, cultural heritage, and unity were at the heart of the event. “It’s always good that Greece and Canada can collaborate on different projects and investments,” said Adamopoulos. “So we’re extremely excited to have both prime ministers here with us today.”

Former Liberal MP Eleni Bakopanos told Montreal City News it’s been forty-one years since a Greek prime minister visited Montreal.

“So it’s a unique occasion and so everybody’s happy, [and] we’re happy,” Bakopanos said. “We wanted everybody to share in that today and I think most of Montreal is really proud of the Greek community in Montreal. What we’ve built together with them.”

Montreal Greek Parade
It’s been 41 years since a Greek prime minister visited Montreal. Credit: Press Office Canada PM

Greek songs and dance at the Montreal parade

There are nearly 300,000 Canadians of Greek origin and many Canadians living, working, and studying in Greece, which is why Canada is investing in a brand-new Laval Community Complex alongside the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal.

The complex will be a space for the public, including the Greek community, to celebrate culture, tradition, and heritage. It will include a theater, sports complex, library, offices, and other spaces to bring the community together and host commemorative events.

Parade Montreal
A Greek traditional dance in Montreal during the parade. Credit: Press Office Greek PM
Parade Montreal
Women in traditional costumes parade in Montreal. Credit: Press Office Greek PM

Earlier, a joint statement between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau confirmed the Greek acquisition of seven state-of-the-art DHC-515 firefighting aircraft from the Canadian Commercial Corporation.

The acquisition of the firefighting aircraft is a sign of the dynamic trade and economic partnership that Canada and Greece enjoy.

“The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has created significant opportunities for both Greek and Canadian businesses and workers,” the two leaders said in their statement. “Since its provisional application in 2017, trade between Canada and Greece has grown by 80 percent.”

The two countries are planning to explore a Memorandum of Understanding in tourism promotion that looks at sharing data on how to best increase tourist flows between Canada and Greece. They will also collaborate on best practices to deal with the impact of natural disasters and climate change on the tourism sector.

Blinken: Partnership With Greece “Stronger Than Ever”

Blinken Greece
“The United States and Greece benefit from deep and enduring ties between our people,” Blinken said. Public Domain

On Greece’s Independence Day anniversary, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken that relations between the US and Greece are stronger than ever.

“I look forward to deepening our partnership and friendship, and I wish the people of Greece a year of peace, prosperity, and good health,” Blinken said in a statement.

Full text of Blinken’s statement on Greece’s Independence Day

In speaking of Greek Independence Day today, on March 25th, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken had the following to say:

On behalf of the Government and people of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Greece and Greeks around the world as you celebrate the 203rd anniversary of the founding of the Hellenic Republic.

It was an honor to meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at his family home [on] Crete in January and to host Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgios Gerapetritis at the U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue in February. Together we underscored our growing bilateral and transatlantic relationship founded on shared democratic values.

On Europe’s southeastern frontier, bilateral partner and NATO Ally Greece has served as a principled proponent of peace and prosperity, and I thank you for your continued leadership. Further, we share a common vision for peaceful, sustainable, and transparent cooperation in space under the Artemis Accords.

The United States and Greece benefit from deep and enduring ties between our people including a profound commitment to democracy, innovation, and expanding educational opportunities for all people, regardless of background or ability. As the birthplace of democracy, Greece serves as an inspiration to the principles we hold dear and draw upon to address today’s global challenges.

The United States applauds Greece’s continuing support of Ukrainian sovereignty, humanitarian aid to Gaza, support of Israel, and participation in Operation Prosperity Guardian. We value Greece’s partnership on issues like climate change, and for its leadership in hosting this year’s Our Ocean Conference. As we look toward another year of challenges and opportunities, I am heartened that our partnership is stronger than ever.

I look forward to deepening our partnership and friendship, and I wish the people of Greece a year of peace, prosperity, and good health.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken

Biden issues proclamation

On Friday, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation marking Greek Independence Day on March 25th as “A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy.”

The proclamation, issued by the White House, commemorated the deep historical bonds between Greece and the US. It highlighted their shared efforts during World War II, when both nations fought against the forces of fascism. Additionally, it underscored their unity during the Cold War, as they worked together to overcome the threat of communism.

The US has the largest population of Greeks outside of Greece itself with a diaspora population of roughly three million. On Monday, March 25th, many Greek-Americans will mark Greek Independence Day, particularly in cities such as New York, where a parade is held annually.

March 25th Marks the Annunciation, a Feast for Orthodoxy and Hellenism

Annunciation
Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Annunciation,” c. 1472–1475. Credit: Public Domain

March 25th is one of the most important dates of Hellenism throughout the world since it marks both the anniversary of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottomans and the Feast of the Annunciation, a significant celebration in Christianity.

The Feast of the Annunciation marks the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during which he told her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

More importantly, since it occurs nine months before the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, the Annunciation marks the actual incarnation of Jesus Christ, or the moment that Jesus was conceived and the Son of God became the son of the Virgin Mary.

The feast day celebrates two things:

  • God’s action in entering the human world as Jesus in order to save humanity, and
  • humanity’s acceptance of God’s will in Mary’s freely-given acceptance of the role of being the Mother of God

March 25th is the name day of all those called Evangelia, Evangelos, Angela, Angelo, Maria, Marie, Maree, Mariah, Mario, Theotokis, Panayiota, Yiota, Panayiotis, and other derivatives of “Evangelismos” (Annunciation).

Besides Evangelia and Evangelos, the rest of the names are also celebrated on August 15th or November 8th.

The Greek War of Independence began on the important holy day

greek war of independence
“Episode from the Greek War of Independence,” Eugene Delacroix, 1856. Credit: Public Domain

The revolutionary fighters in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire chose the holy day of the Annunciation as the symbolic start of their struggle.

On March 13, 1821, Metropolitan Germanos of Old Patras (Palaion Patron Germanos), accompanied by Greek fighters, had declared war against the Ottomans at the Agia Lavra Monastery, blessing the efforts of the freedom fighters.

March 13th is the day identified by historians for this event. Yet Greeks chose March 25th as the historical day of the beginning of the war in earnest, so that the outbreak of the Revolution would coincide with the feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

The Virgin Mary is the second-most sacred figure in the Greek Orthodox Church after Jesus, and the choice of the day inextricably connects Orthodoxy with the Greek War of Independence.

When Palaion Patron Germanos raised the flag with the cross and blessed it, he signified that this was not only a war for freedom but also a war of faith.

The Annunciation in Luke’s Gospel, 1:26-38.

According to Luke’s Gospel, 1:26-38, “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

“Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.'”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

As per the gospel, the angel answered: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel is said to have left her.

The History of the Greek War of Independence

Greek war of independence
Reenactment of the battle of Lalas Credit: Elias Pergantis.

As Greece counts 203 years from the beginning of its War of independence, the mind travels back to the glorious days of 1821.

Those were times of bravery and battle, of blood and retaliation, rebels fighting against organized Ottoman armies, of total sacrifice and rebirth.

The new nation was conceived and born on the battlefield, nourished by the blood of its heroes, its ground a living monument of courage.

Watch our short documentary, narrated by Nasos Papargyropoulos and featuring unique photography by Elias Pergantis telling the quintessential story of Greece:

The heroes’ names echo through the decades, still inspiring awe, like the countless statues across the land, along with the battlegrounds:

Kolokotronis, Karaiskakis, Nikitaras, Androutsos, Diakos, Papaflessas, Kanaris, Bouboulina, Tombazis; Alamana, Dervenakia, Gravia, Missolonghi, Maniaki, Chios, Navarino.

Greek War of Independence
“Rigas,” by Peter von Hess, (left) and the Thourios manuscript. Public Domain

Rigas Feraios, Filiki Eteria pioneers of Greek war of independence

It all started decades before 1821, when Rigas Feraios a writer and political theorist, a man who was active in the Modern Greek Enlightenment, killed an important Ottoman figure and fled to the mountains, at least according to the legend.

Feraios, whose real name was Antonios Rigas Velestinlis, may have fled Greece for a better future abroad as many young Greeks were doing at the time.

In any case, he formed the vanguard of the Greek War of Independence. His writings called on Greeks to rebel and fight for their freedom.

His epic poem “Thourios” contains a line that brings a tear to the eyes of Greeks, even today: ῾Καλύτερα μίας ώρας ελεύθερη ζωή παρά σαράντα χρόνια σκλαβιά και φυλακή.’

(“It is better live for one hour as a free man than forty years as a slave.”)

Feraios travelled in the Balkans, Italy and Austria in an attempt to drum up support for the Greek cause of liberation. Tragically, while in Austria he was betrayed and was later arrested and handed it over to the Ottomans.

He was then thrown into the Danube River to drown. His last words were: “I have sown a rich seed; the hour is coming when my country will reap its glorious fruits.” It was 1798.

Indeed, the seeds had been sown. In 1814, three like-minded Diaspora Greeks came together in Odessa, in present-day Ukraine, at that time home to a thriving Greek community.

The three men formed a secret society called the Filiki Eteria (The Society of Friends)  with the decidedly “unfriendly” purpose of initiating an armed uprising to rid Greece of the Ottomans.

The three founders were Nikolaos Skoufas, from the province of Arta, Emmanuil Xanthos, from Patmos and Athanasios Tsakalov, from Ioannina.

The Filiki Eteria recruited mostly Phanariot Greeks from Russia, local chieftains from Greece, and Serbs into its ranks.

Two of its early outstanding members were Alexandros Ypsilantis, a prince and high-ranking officer of the Imperial Russian Cavalry, and Moldovan lord Michael Soutzos.

Future Greek War of Independence leaders such as Theodoros Kolokotronis, Odysseas Androutsos, Dimitris Plapoutas and the Metropolitan Germanos of Old Patras joined the effort as well.

In 1818, the Filiki Eteria moved to Constantinople, the year was marked by the death of founding member Skoufas. Xanthos and Tsakalov then tried to find a new leader to take over the reins.

Alexandros Ypsilantis became the head of the Filiki Eteria in April of 1820, starting preparations for the armed uprising immediately, setting up a military unit he named the Sacred Band.

Initially it was proposed to begin the revolution in Constantinople, but the idea was scrapped in favor of the Peloponnese (called the Moreas at that time).

The Filiki Eteria created a fund in which a large sum of money was deposited to meet the needs for arms, ammunition and supplies for the revolution.

They called on diaspora Greeks to contribute in any way they could to the war of liberation from the Ottomans. Ypsilantis sent fiery letters to all the centers of Hellenism across the world, asking them join in the fight.

Greek War of Independence
“The Exodus of Missolonghi,” by Theodoros Vryzakis. Public Domain

In October of 1820, Ypsilantis decided to begin the revolution in Moldova. He issued a declaration on 8 October 1820, announcing that he would soon be starting a revolt against the Ottoman Empire, which later would prove catastrophic because the Greek leader expected support that he never received.

The powers that Ypsilantis counted on — predominantly Russia — stayed clear of his ambitious campaign.

At the same time, the Ottomans were gathering a huge army and entered Moldova in order to suppress Ypsilantis’ nascent army and an uprising in Moldova.

The Turkish army met Ypsilanti’s men at Iasi. The Sacred Band and the army of volunteers were slaughtered in the Battle at Iasi.

Nevertheless, the revolutionary seed of the Filiki Eteria was planted, and the slogan “Liberty or Death” began to be uttered more and more on the lips of Greeks. The tide had turned.

Greek War of Independence
“Palaion Patron Germanos raises the flag at Agia Lavra,” by an unknown artist. Public Domain

Agia Lavra Monastery: March 25, 1821

The defeat of Ypsilantis’ army in Moldova did not deter the eager Greeks in Moreas, however. They wanted to start the War of Independence as soon as humanly possible.

On March 13, 1821 Metropolitan Germanos of Old Patras (Palaion Patron Germanos) declared war at Agia Lavra Monastery, blessing the efforts of the freedom fighters.

March 13 is the day given by historians for this event. Yet Greeks chose March 25th as the historical day of the beginning of the war in earnest, so that the outbreak of the Revolution would coincide with the feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

The Virgin Mary is the second-most sacred figure in the Greek Orthodox Church after Jesus Himself, and the choice of the day inextricably connects Orthodoxy with the Greek War of Independence.

When Palaion Patron Germanos raised the flag with the cross and blessed it, he signified that this was not only a war for freedom, but also a war of faith.

The slogan was “Liberty or Death” and the Greeks, who had been organizing their forces for months, went into the War of Independence with only that in mind.

Yet the very first flag of the revolution was actually raised on the island of Spetses on March 13 — by a woman. no less — Laskarina Bouboulina.

Bouboulina was a prominent shipowner on Spetses. Twice widowed with seven children, she was extremely wealthy, owning several vessels.  

Once Spetses revolted against the Ottomans, the islands of Hydra and Psara followed suit. Between them, the islands had a fleet of over 300 ships to fight any naval battles that came their way.

The Greek heroine managed to capture the fortress at Monemvasia. She also took part in the blockade of Pylos and brought supplies to the revolutionaries by sea.

On March 17, the Maniots — descendants of the Spartans — declared war in Aeropolis and advanced to Kalamata with 2,000 men under their leader Petros Mavromichalis.

There, they joined forces with the troops of chieftains Theodoros Kolokotronis, Nikitaras and Papaflessas. Kalamata fell into Greek hands on March 23.

By the end of March, the rebelling Greeks controlled the whole countryside of the Moreas, while the Turks were confined to the forts in the cities.

The provincial capital of Moreas was Tripolitsa (today’s Tripolis), where many Muslims and their familes had fled.

Greek War of Independence
“Theodoros Kolokotronis and his Warriors,” by Peter von Hess. Pubic Domain

The Greeks, led by Theodoros Kolokotronis, besieged Tripolitsa for months. Finally, the city fell on September 23 and was unfortunately given over to the mob for two entire days.

By January of 1822 the entire Moreas region was liberated and became Greek territory once again.

The news that the Greeks had revolted naturally infuriated the Ottomans. In the seat of the Ottoman Empire, Constantinople, the Sultan ordered the massacre of the city’s Greek population in retaliation.

The Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, Gregory V, was publicly hanged despite the fact that he had condemned the revolution and preached obedience to the Sultan.

Mass executions of Greeks took place along with an extensive pogrom, including the destruction of churches, and widespread looting of Greek properties.

The war of Independence in Central Greece

Central Greece joined the war, with Phocis and Salona being first, on March 24 and 27 respectively. Athanasios Diakos captured Livadeia on March 31 and Thebes two days later.

The revolutionaries moved south to Athens in mid-April and forced the Turks to fortify themselves in the Acropolis. The Greeks then laid siege to the holy mountain of the Acropolis.

At the time, Athens was populated by only about 10,000 people, half of whom were Christian Greeks and the other half were Muslims, being either Turks, Albanians or Greek Muslims.

The response of the Ottomans to the Central Greece revolt was to send Commander Omer Vrioni with his sizeable army to supress it and then, they hoped, move to Moreas to do the same.

Greek War of Independence
“Athanasios Diakos,” by Dionysios Tsokos. Public Domain

The army of Athanasios Diakos met with Omer Vrioni’s troops at Alamana on April 23, 1821. The outnumbered Greeks fought heroically, but tragically succumbed to the Ottoman forces.

Diakos was wounded and taken prisoner. He was then asked by Vrioni to denounce his Christian faith and collaborate with the Ottomans. Diakos naturally refused.

Diakos’ loyalty to Greece and devotion to his faith became legendary. His horrific punishment — death by impalement — became a symbol of Ottoman barbarism and brutality.

In Alamana, Greeks lost a great military leader. They also lost another battle at Eleftherohori. But thankfully, Vrioni’s army was not invincible.

The Greeks soon managed to halt the Ottoman advance at Gravia Inn under the leadership of Odysseas Androutsos.

When the Ottomans approached, they sent a messenger to demand the surrender of the rebelling Greeks.

Not only they did not surrender, but Androutsos shot the messenger dead, and along with his men they took cover at the Gravia Inn.

Forcing the Turkish Army to pass through a narrow passage where Gravia Inn was, Androutsos and his handful of men inflicted heavy casualties upon the enemy.

After the defeat, Vrioni postponed his advance towards Moreas while awaiting reinforcements. However, he invaded and captured Livadeia and was able to lift the siege of the Acropolis in Athens.

The Greeks then regrouped, and a force of 2,000 men managed to destroy a Turkish relief army on its way to Vrioni at Vassilika, forcing him to abandon Attica and retreat to Ioannina.

By the end of 1821, the revolutionaries had managed to temporarily secure their positions in Central Greece.

Greek War of Independence
“First National Assembly,” by Ludwig Michael von Schwanthaler. Wikipedia/Public Domain

The provisional Constitution of 1822

The first day of 1822 was marked by the approval by vote of the first Constitution of the Revolution by the National Assembly of Epidaurus.

Better known as the “Provisional Polity of Greece,” it proclaims the nation’s decision for “political presence and independence.”

The text is influenced not only by the French Constitutions of 1793 and 1795, but also by the American Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776 and the 1787 Constitution of the United States.

Members of an executive and a legislative body that were to govern the liberated territories were then appointed. Alexandros Mavrokordatos became president of the executive body.

Dimitrios Ypsilantis, who had called for the Assembly, was elected president of the legislative body.

However, in the regions of Greece that had not been liberated, the Ottomans retaliated against the rebels, while some islands were still reluctant to join the cause.

When Greeks from other islands landed on Chios and attacked the Turks in the citadel, the majority of its residents refused to participate.

The Ottomans responded vengefully to the killing of their soldiers and sent thousands of troops to the island.

The Chios Massacre was one of the darkest moments of the entire Greek War of Independence. The Turks slaughtered 42,000 residents and took 52,000 as slaves.

Greek War of Independence
“The Chios Massacre,” by Eugene Delacroix. Public Domain

The massacre of thousands of Christians by the Ottoman hordes provoked international outrage and led to increasing support for the Greek cause worldwide.

Greeks could not allow for the Chios Massacre to pass and felt that they had to retaliate. On June 6, 1822 Admiral Constantinos Kanaris served justice in the best way possible.

As Turkish admiral Kara-Ali Pasha was holding a celebration on his flagship on Chios, Kanaris and his men approached with a fire boat and left it next to where the powder was stored on the ship.

All the Turks aboard the ship, including Kara-Ali Pasha, were instantly killed in the resulting explosion, with the fire spreading to the adjacent ships.

Several ships were destroyed, while the Ottoman casualties reached 2,000, including naval officers and seamen.

Greek War of Independence
“Kanaris burning the Turkish flagship,” by Peter von Hess. Public Domain

Philhellenes support the Greek War of Independence

The Chios Massacre brought international attention to the Greek struggle for liberation. From Europe to America, the scope of philhellenism grew wider as more and more academics and others became enamored of the Greek cause.

The English romantic poet Lord Byron was surely the best known philhellene of the time. Byron joined the Greek War of Independence actively and became a national hero for all Greeks, although he did not fall in battle.

Byron gave his life for Greece, dying in 1824 at the age of 36 from a fever contracted after the first and second siege of Missolonghi.

Greek War of Independence
“Lord Byron,” Credit: Unknown/Wikimedia Commons

Inspired by Byron, American philhellene Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe sailed for Greece as soon as he earned his medical degree from Harvard  University in 1824.

Howe, just 23 at the time, joined the Greek Army as a surgeon. His services, however, were not confined to surgery, because he fought in battles showing great bravery and skill in commanding troops.

Greek War of Independence
Philhellene Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe was called “The Lafayette of the Greek Revolution.”

His enthusiasm and humanity soon won him the title “the Lafayette of the Greek Revolution.”

Even after returning to America in 1827 he engaged in campaigns to raise funds and supplies to help alleviate the desperate famine and widespread suffering in Greece, sending the equivalent of $16,000,000 in today’s money to the country.

Jonathan Peckham Miller, George Jarvis and George Wilson are three other great American philhellenes who were inspired to travel to Greece to fight in the war of liberation.

The Greek civil wars (1824-1825)

The momentum of the Greek uprising was such that by mid-1822 the whole of the Moreas and a big part of Central Greece were free.

The destruction of the Turkish Army at Dervenakia on July 26, 1822 sealed the Greek victory and recapture of a large part of the homeland — albeit temporarily.

The outcome of the victorious Battle at Dervenakia, also known as the Dramalis Massacre, was the destruction of a significant part of the Turkish Army.

Coming from Drama in the north of Greece to the Peloponnesian peninsula with 30,000 men, Dramalis (known as Drama Ali) wanted to take back Tripolitsa and Moreas.

The Turks took Corinth by storm and moved toward Argolis. Kolokotronis and his men were positioned in two of the four small mountain passes, called Dervenakia.

Trapped in the narrow passages, the Ottoman soldiers became the prey of the hidden Greeks. After the Ottomans counted 2,500-3,000 dead and wounded they were forced to retreat.

Unfortunately, solidarity between the victors was not as easily won.

Confident that they could govern the part of Greece that was free, the differences between military captains and politicians soon turned into conflict. The conflict had both political and regional dimensions, as the leaders of Central Greece (Roumeli) and island shipowners turned against the leaders of the Moreas.

The disputes led to a Second National Assembly that gathered in March 1823 in Astros. At that meeting, central governance was strengthened at the expense of regional bodies.

A new constitution was voted on, and new members were elected for the executive and legislative bodies.

Theodoros Kolokotronis and Petros Mavromichalis were elected to the executive body and Alexandros Mavrokordatos was elected president of the legislative body.

The first war started in March 1824, when the government asked Panos Kolokotronis to surrender the city of Nafplion. Panos refused and the government decided to besiege the city.

On March 22, 1824, the forces loyal to the new executive body besieged Tripolitsa, and after two weeks of fighting an agreement was reached between the two sides.

However, in the elections of October 1824, Peloponnesians who comprised the executive body took most of the government posts, shutting out their rivals.

New negotiations then began, but they led to armed conflict. Kolokotronis roused the residents of Tripolitsa against the local tax collectors of the government.

Papaflessas and Yannis Makriyannis failed to suppress the rebellion of the Kolokotronis followers, which spread throughout the Peloponnese.

Kolokotronis’ son, Panos, was killed by his opponents, and that devastated the great general, who could not overcome his son’s death and laid down his arms for a some time.

While the Peloponnesians were undecided about their further moves, the government regrouped its armies, which now consisted mainly of Roumeliots and Souliots.

The plan was to invade the Moreas and suppress Kolokotronis’ rebels. Roumeli chieftains like Georgios Karaiskakis, Kitsos Tzavelas and Ioannis Gouras led the campaign.

Kolokotronis was arrested and jailed and Mavrokordatos assumed the position of the President of the executive.

In May 1825, under the pressure of the Egyptian intervention, during the army of Ibrahim Pasha campaign, those imprisoned were released and granted amnesty.

During the civil war, on the mainland, where Greeks fought against other Greeks for petty political reasons, a major massacre took place on Psara Island.

The destruction of Psara on July 5, 1824, was one of the most moving tragedies of the entire Greek Revolution, as the the Ottomans decimated the civilian population of the island.

At the time, the entire population of Psara had been about 7,000 souls. After the massacre, the population of the island never rose over 1,000.

Second phase of the Greek war of Independence

While the Greeks were involved in their own war, the Ottomans started a major campaign to recapture the cities and countryside now governed by the revolutionaries.

On February 26, 1825, the Egyptian Army of Ibrahim Pasha landed undisturbed in Methoni, in the Moreas, with 4,000 infantry and 400 cavalry, and took over the city’s castle.

His plan was to take back the entire Peloponnesian peninsula from the Greeks. In the following days his men were reinforced with more troops.

The total number of Ibrahim’s infantry reached 15,000. By the end of April he had occupied the strategic castles of Koroni and Pylos (Neokastro).

On May 20, the Greek war hero Papaflessas decided to repulse the Egyptians himself. With a force of 3,000 Greeks, Papaflessas marched south to attack Ibrahim.

However, half of his troops deserted when they saw the massive Egyptian Army approach. Papaflessas then proclaimed an eloquent speech that shored up the morale of the remaining men.

The Greeks fought bravely and held their positions but were eventually overwhelmed. About 1,000 Greeks, including Papaflessas, fell that day.

Ibrahim ordered his men to recover the head and body of Papaflessas and place it upright on a post, as a mark of respect for a valiant foe.

Legend has it that Ibrahim kissed Papaflessas’ head and said “If all Greeks were like him, I would not take charge of this campaign.”

Greek War of Independence
“Papaflessas at Maniaki,” Unknown artist. Public Domain

Ibrahim’s army advanced and on June 7 recaptured Tripolitsa, which had been abandoned by the Greeks.

Ibrahim Pasha then sent 5,000 troops to take over Nafplion, the seat of the Greek government.

On June 24, 1825 Greek forces of about 500 men, led by Captain Yannis Makriyannis and Demetrios Ypsilantis, met Ibrahim’s army at the Lerna Mills, a few miles from Nafplion.

It was a suicide mission — and Makriyannis acknowledged that fact. Yet he claimed that since God was on their side, they would win. If they died, it would be a good death, he added.

The outnumbered Greeks somehow defeated the Egyptian army. This, the first Greek success against Ibrahim, saved the city of Nafplion.

Greek War of Independence
“The Exodus of Missolonghi,” by Theodoros Vryzakis. Public Domain

The heroic exodus and fall of Missolonghi

On April 1825, Reshid Mehmed Pasha received the following order from the Sultan: “Either Missolonghi falls or your head falls.” This meant the third siege of the western Greece city.

It was a difficult task to take over the fortified city, which was surrounded by lakes. The brave chieftains Notis Botsaris and Kitsos Tzavellas led the defense of Missolonghi.

The city was defended by about 3,000 men, with several philhellenes among them.

The siege lasted an entire year, with Ibrahim Pasha joining the attack after the first months. Yet what the vast Egyptian army could not achieve, starvation and disease did.

The defending captains decided to lead the starving civilians to a heroic exodus, while those who could not follow would stay and defend the city to the death.

When the Greeks charged heroically out of the city gates, they were fired upon by Turks and Egyptians.

Many panicked and fled back inside the walls, while the Turkish-Egyptian forces had already entered the city, killing, looting and raping.

Of the 7,000 people who attempted to escape, only 1,000 made it to safety. The rest were slaughtered or sold into slavery.

Many of the surviving Greek Christian women became sex slaves to Egyptian soldiers. In an especially grisly act, the Turks displayed 3,000 severed heads on the city walls.

Yet the Missolonghi massacre proved a victory for the Greek cause in the end, and the Ottomans paid dearly for their harsh treatment of Missolonghi.

After this atrocity, many Western Europeans felt increased sympathy for the Greek cause, while they were outraged against the barbaric Ottomans.

The horrific event influenced the eventual decision of Britain, France and Russia to intervene militarily in the Battle of Navarino one year later.

Greek War of Independence
“Georgios Karaiskakis,” by Georgios Margariris. Credit: Public Domain

Karaiskakis beats the Turks in Central Greece

After the fall of Missolonghi the Turks continued their campaign to recapture the rest of Roumeli (Central Greece). Turkish troops under Mustafa Bey started their moves.

Upon receiving intelligence of the Ottoman Army’s maneuvers, Georgios Karaiskakis prepared a surprise attack near the village of Arachova.

On November 18, Mustafa Bey’s 2,000 troops were blockaded in Arachova by the Greek Army. An 800-man force which attempted to relieve the defenders three days later failed.

On November 22, Mustafa Bey was mortally wounded and Ottoman morale plunged, as cold weather and heavy rainfall plagued the hunger-stricken defenders.

At midday on November 24 the Ottomans made an attempt at breaking out. Most were killed in the fighting or perished from the cold.

The Greek victory at Arachova gained the rebels valuable time before the Great Powers came to their assistance one year later.

The Battle of Arachova brought the name of Georgios Karaiskakis to the forefront, making him one of the most well-known heroes of the Greek War of Independence.

Greek War of Independence
“Battle at Navarino,” by Ambroise Louis Garneray. Credit: Wikipedia/Public Domain

The Battle of Navarino

October 10, 1827 was a fateful day for Greek independence as British, French and Russian squadrons entered the harbor at Navarino Bay on the west coast of the Peloponnesian peninsula, in the Ionian Sea.

An Ottoman armada which, in addition to imperial warships, included squadrons from Egypt and Tunis, was destroyed by the Allied forces.

Virtually the entire Ottoman fleet was decimated, despite the fact that the Ottoman ships’ crews put up an extraordinary fight.

In another amazing turn, this was to be the last major naval battle in history to be fought entirely with sailing ships, although most ships fought at anchor.

The Allied naval forces essentially put an end to Turkish plans to recapture the parts of Greece they had lost after centuries of rule.

The casualties of the Ottomans were extremely high and morale was at the lowest point after that day.

Russia declares war on Turkey

The Greek War of Independence sparked the Russo-Turkish war that was long due, according to historians.

On April 26, 1826 the war broke out after Sultan Mahmud II closed the Dardanelles to Russian ships and revoked the 1826 Akkerman Convention.

The Turkish move was related to the Greek War of Independence because the closing of the Dardanelles was in retaliation for the Russian participation in the Battle of Navarino.

Greeks welcomed the war, of course, because the Ottoman troops would be leaving the newly-founded state to concentrate on the war against the Russians.

Greek War of Independence
Map of Greece after the Treaty of London. Credit: Lassner/Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

May 7, 1832: The Treaty of London establishes the state of Greece

The Treaty of London, signed by Britain, France and Russia, established a new Greek state, appointing Otto of Bavaria the King of Greece, defining Greece as an independent kingdom.

The Arta-Volos line was delineated as Greece’s northern frontier. The Ottoman Empire was indemnified in the sum of 40,000,000 piastres for the loss of their former territory.

The exact parameters of the Kingdom’s borders were confirmed again in the London Protocol of August 30, 1832, signed by the Great Powers, which ratified the border between Greece and the Ottoman Empire.

The London Treaty marked the formal end of the Greek War of Independence, creating modern Greece as an independent state, finally free of the Ottoman Empire.

Tempi Disaster: Allegations of Tampered Audio Spark Political Turmoil in Greece

Tempi train disaster, Greece
A Greek newspaper alleged that audio recordings from the night of the Tempi train disaster were edited in a way to point towards human error rather than negligence by officials. Credit: AMNA

A leading story by Greek newspaper To Vima, alleging that audio recordings related to the deadly Tempi train collision were tampered with before being leaked to the media, has triggered political developments in Greece, as opposition is preparing a no-confidence vote against the government.

The newspaper report alleges there has been manipulation of evidence through the deliberate editing of the audio conversations between the station master and train driver on the night of the crash, with the aim to claim that the fatal collision in February 2023 was caused by human error rather than by negligence at official level.

The newspaper quotes documents from the latest research conducted by the forensic labs of the Hellenic Police that confirm the editing took place in the first hours after the disaster.

Opposition reacts with non-confidence proposal

The latest cover-up allegations about the disaster triggered fast response from the opposition.

PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis called on the other opposition parties to propose a no-confidence vote against the government.

“I take on the institutional initiative and call on all parties of the democratic spectrum to rise to the occasion,” Androulakis said.

“It is infuriating that at a time when 57 people lost their lives in an unjust and tragic way, when their families were grieving and millions of Greeks were thinking that their own children could be on the fatal train, some persons had as priority to remove the conversations of the station master in question, to alter them and feed them to friendly media to boost the narrative of human error,” he added.

Main opposition leader Stefanos Kasselakis of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance called on Prime Minister Mitsotakis to resign “so Greece can be led in an orderly manner to democratic elections.”

In a video statement posted on social media, Kasselakis also touched on the wiretapping scandal and recent leak of diaspora voter email addresses to claim that new national elections should take place under international observation and challenged the Prime Minister to respond within twenty-four hours.

Nea Aristera and the Greek Communist Party (KKE) said they will support the no-confidence vote proposed by PASOK.

Government denies editing of Tempi train disaster recordings

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis expressed his surprise at how soon the opposition had reacted to the newspaper’s publication and responded that the justice system had the entire original conversations before the accident, provided through the Hellenic Police criminal unit.

“It is now becoming obvious that this antigovernment campaign based on a national tragedy and using the cynical manipulation of pain was nothing but part of an effort to destabilize Greece itself,” Marinakis said.

He claimed that the newspaper’s story had already been addressed by the Greek public broadcaster ERT as early as March 2, 2023.

“Nikos Androulakis rushed to adopt right away the propaganda of a publication with unfounded data, which was countered immediately,” the government spokesperson added.

Greece Secures 7 Firefighting Aircraft From Canada During Mitsotakis-Trudeau Meeting

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Justin Trudeau
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau in Montreal during an official visit. Credit: Greek Prime Minister’s Office

A joint statement between the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, has confirmed the Greek acquisition of seven state-of-the-art DHC-515 firefighting aircraft from the Canadian Commercial Corporation.

The two state leaders met in Montreal on Sunday to celebrate Greek Independence Day. This was the first visit of a Greek Prime Minister to Canada in 41 years.

“Canada is honoured to host Greece on this occasion, reaffirming the enduring friendship between our countries, as reflected in the strength and extent of our close strategic, economic and cultural ties,” the joint statement says.

There are nearly 300,000 Canadians of Greek origin and many Canadians living, working, and studying in Greece, which is why Canada is investing in a brand-new Laval Community Complex alongside the Hellenic Community of Greater Montréal.

The complex will be a space for the public, including the Greek community, to celebrate culture, tradition, and heritage. It will include a theater, a sports complex, a library, offices, and other spaces to bring the community together and host commemorative events.

Greece, Canada enjoy successful economic partnership

The acquisition of the firefighting aircraft is a sign of the dynamic trade and economic partnership that Canada and Greece enjoy.

“The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has created significant opportunity for both Greek and Canadian businesses and workers. Since its provisional application in 2017, trade between Canada and Greece has grown by 80%,” the two leaders said in their statement.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Justin Trudeau
The Greek and Canadian PMs discussed opportunities for cooperation of the two countries in a variety of fields. Credit: Greek Prime Minister’s Office

“Moreover, investors, in industries like health, renewable energy, infrastructure and mineral resources, have injected billions of dollars into our respective economies. The potential for further growth in trade and investment between our countries remains strong, including in sectors such as aerospace, defense and security, professional training, and tourism,” they add.

The two countries are planning to explore a Memorandum of Understanding in tourism promotion that looks at sharing data on how to best increase tourist flows between Canada and Greece, and collaborating on best practices to deal with the impact of natural disasters and climate change on the tourism sector.

The recent negotiations between Canada and the European Union towards Canada’s association in the EU’s flagship research and innovation program, Horizon Europe, will also open new opportunities for Canada to work with Greece on projects and initiatives in emerging technologies such as AI.

The 20 Events That Defined the Greek War of Independence

Greek War of Independence
Metropolitan Germanos of Patras raises the flag of the Greek Revolution during the War of Independence. Credit: Public Domain

The Greek War of Independence, which brought about the birth of the modern Hellenic nation, is full of memorable events, most of them bloody battles and incredible feats of heroism.

The war cry “Freedom or Death” echoed across Greece as a smattering of heroes fought against the vast army and navy of the Ottoman Empire, the underarmed against the well-armed, those desperate for freedom against their complacent overlords.

The spark was provided by enlightened Greeks living mostly in Europe and Russia, thirsty for the rebirth of a once-glorious nation that had been deliberately reduced to a land of poor, uneducated masses subservient to their Ottoman rulers.

1814: The founding of the Filiki Eteria sparks Greek War of Independence

Insignia of Filiki Eteria.
Insignia of Filiki Eteria (Society of Friends). Public Domain

The Filiki Eteria, or Society of Friends, was a secret organization founded in 1814 in Odessa, Russia (now in Ukraine) with the purpose of overthrowing Ottoman rule in Greece and establishing an independent Greek state.

The Society’s members were mainly educated, young Phanariot Greeks from Constantinople and the Russian Empire, but also included Greek politicians and military leaders and affluent academics as well as several Orthodox Christian leaders from other nations.

March 13, 1821: Bouboulina raises the flag of revolution

Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence heroine Laskarina Boubourina. Credit: Public Domain

The first flag of the revolution was actually raised on the island of Spetses by Laskarina Bouboulina. Twice widowed, with seven children, she was extremely wealthy, owning several ships.  

On April 3 Spetses revolted against Ottoman rule, followed by the islands of Hydra and Psara. Between them the islands had a fleet of over 300 ships to use in the War. Bouboulina and her fleet of eight ships sailed to Nafplion and took part in the siege of the impregnable fortress there.

In the attack on Monemvasia later, she even managed to capture the fortress. She also took part in the blockade of Pylos and brought supplies to the revolutionaries by sea. 

Bouboulina became a national hero, one of the first women to play a major role in the Greek War of Independence. Without her, and her ships, the Greeks might not have won the war.

March 17, 1821 Mani declares war of Independence on the Ottomans

On March 17, 1821, the Maniots, descendants of the Spartans on the Mani peninsula in Peloponnese, declared war in Areopoli. The same day, a force of 2,000 Maniots under the command of Petros Mavromichalis advanced on the Messenian town of Kalamata.

There, they joined forces with the troops under the command of the revolutionaries Theodoros Kolokotronis, Nikitaras and Papaflessas. Kalamata fell to the Greeks on March 23, while in Achaia, the town of Kalavryta was besieged on March 21.

March 25, 1821: Greek War of Independence is declared

The Greek War of Independence was declared on March 25, 1821 by Metropolitan Germanos of Patras, who raised the Revolutionary banner with its cross in the Monastery of Agia Lavra, near Kalavryta.

Although some historians doubt the historicity of this event, the date is part of the consciousness of Greeks as the official date of the declaration of Greece’s War of Independence.

It is also said that such was the determination of those present, that they shouted “Eleftheria I thanatos (Freedom or death).”

Greek War of Independence
“Athanasios Diakos at the Battle of Alamana.” Credit: Public Domain

April 23, 1821: The brutal killing of Athanasios Diakos

Athanasios Diakos
Portrait of Athanasios Diakos by Dionysios Tsokos. 1861. Credit: Dionysios Tsokos / Public Domain / Wikimimedia Commons

Athanasios Diakos, whose real name was Athanasios Grammatikos, starred in the revolution of Eastern Central Greece, triumphing in many battles against the Ottomans in the region.

He had even managed to take over Livadia, Thebes and Atalanta as a result of his perspicacity and courage. At the Battle of Alamana, Diakos and his band of just a few men confronted Kiose Mehmet and Omer, who had been ordered to suppress the revolution in Roumeli (as Central Greece was named then).

After a heroic battle, Diakos was wounded and taken prisoner. He was then asked to renounce his Christian faith and collaborate with the Ottomans; but he refused.

The defiance of the Greek hero and his devotion to Greece and his faith became legend. His extraordinarily gruesome punishment — death by impalement — became a symbol of the Ottomans’ barbarism and brutality.

May 8, 1821: Battle at Gravia Inn

Just one month after that, Omer Vryonis with his troops continued his advance in Central Greece, while Chieftain Odysseas Androutsos and his men were locked up in Gravia Inn, a strategic, narrow spot on the road.

When the Ottomans approached, they asked the rebelling Greeks to surrender, sending a messenger to negotiate. Androutsos then started fighting the attackers, shooting the messenger dead.

The Ottomans attacked the inn but were repulsed with great ease. Vryonis, seeing his men falling from the Greek bullets, ordered for cannons to blow up the inn.

But before the cannons arrived, the Greeks somehow managed to flee the inn. More than 300 Ottomans were killed and 600 were wounded, while the Greeks lost only six warriors as a result of the action that day.

Greek War of Independence
Statue of Kolokotronis at Nafplion. Credit: C Messier CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikipedia

May 13, 1821: The battle at Valtetsi

The Greek Army under General Theodoros Kolokotronis then began to approach Tripolitsa (today’s Tripolis), the most important fort of the Ottomans, which was the center of their power in Morias in the Peloponnese, with Kehagia Bey ruling at the time.

On May 12, Kehagia Bey left Tripolitsa with 12,000 men, heading for Kalamata to take back the city from the Greeks. Kolokotronis was notified and attacked the Ottomans — with just 700 men.

The battle continued until night without any side retreating. In the early hours of May 13, the Ottomans launched a new offensive. After 23 hours of fighting, Kehagia Bey ordered a retreat and Kolokotronis forced them to flee erratically, dropping their weapons.

In total, the Ottomans had sustained 300 fatalities and there were more than 500 wounded, while the Greeks had only two deaths. The Greeks, who for the first time fought in an organized manner and using real strategy, then gained confidence, realizing their tactical superiority over the Ottomans.

September 23, 1821: Greeks capture Tripolitsa

After months of siege, 15,000 Greek troops had surrounded Tripolitsa, waiting for the right moment to take over the main fort of the enemy in Morias.

On September 23, the two sides were negotiating the conditions for the Ottomans to surrender, while the Albanian troops who fought on the side of the rulers were ready to leave the city.

Because of the turmoil, the cannon tower of the Nafplia gate of Nafplia was left unguarded. In the morning, fifty men, on their own initiative, started climbing the wall by standing on top of each other’s shoulders. Once in, they opened the gate and raised the Greek flag.

The Greeks then opened other gates, and the entire army rushed into the city. The massacre that followed was horrific. “My horses hooves did not touch the ground from the walls to the palace”, Kolokotronis wrote later in his memoirs.

The Greeks killed thousands of Ottomans. The real gain for the rebelling Greeks was 11,000 weapons, while their morale was boosted to the skies.

In another important milestone, the Greek victory was hailed in the international press as a turning point in the Greek War of Independence.

January 1st, 1822: The provisional Constitution

This first day of the year marked the date when the National Assembly of Epidaurus voted for the first constitution of the Greek War of Independence, better known as the “Provisional Polity of Greece.” Its preamble proclaims the nation’s decision for “political presence and independence.”

The text is clearly influenced not only by the French Constitutions of 1793 and 1795, but also by the American Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776, and the American Constitution of 1787.

Greek War of Independence
“Le Massacre de Chios,” by Eugene Delacroix. Credit: Public Domain

March 30, 1822: The Chios Massacre

Greeks from neighboring islands had arrived on Chios and encouraged the Chians to join the national revolt. Several Greek troops from Samos landed on the island and attacked the Turks in the citadel.

Even though many Chians joined the cause, the vast majority of the island’s population did not want to join the revolution.

Nevertheless, the Ottoman rulers responded vengefully to the killing of the soldiers and sent thousands of troops who landed on the island and killed an estimated 42,000 – 52,000 Chians.

The massacre of Chios provoked international outrage and led to increasing support for the Greek cause worldwide.

Greek War of Independence
“Kanaris Burns the Turkish Flagship,” by Nikiforos Lytras. Credit: Public Domain

June 6, 1822: Constantine Kanaris destroys Turkish flagship

At Chios, Greek forces under the command of admiral Constantine Kanaris destroyed the flagship of the Turkish admiral Nasuhzade Ali Pasha (or Kara-Ali Pasha) in retaliation for the Chios Massacre.

While the Turkish admiral was holding a celebration, Kanaris and his men managed to place a fire ship next to it. When the flagship’s powder store caught fire, all the men aboard were instantly killed in the resulting explosion.

The Ottoman casualties were 2,000 men, including both naval officers and common sailors, as well as Kara-Ali himself.

July 26, 1822: The Battle at Dervenakia

The outcome of the victorious Battle at Dervenakia, also known as the Dramalis Massacre, was the destruction of a significant part of the Ottoman forces under General Mahmut Pasha Dramalis.

Coming from Drama in the north of Greece to the Peloponnesian peninsula with 30,000 men, Dramalis (Drama Ali) wanted to take back the city of Tripolitsa. They  took Corinth by storm and moved towards Argolis.

Kolokotronis and his men were positioned in two of the four small mountain passes, called Dervenakia, between Corinth and the Argos valley.

Trapped in the narrow passages, the Ottoman soldiers were soon the prey of the hidden Greeks. The Ottomans counted 2,500-3,000 dead and wounded, while Kolokotronis established his name as a great general in the action.

July 5, 1824: The destruction of Psara

The destruction of Psara was one of the most moving tragedies of the Greek War of Independence, as the Ottomans completely laid waste the civilian population of the island of Psara.

At the time, the entire island’s population was about 7,000. After the massacre, the population of the island never rose over 1,000.

Greek War of Independence
Papaflessas at Maniaki. Credit: Public Domain

May 20, 1825: The fall of Papaflessas at Maniaki

On February 26, 1825, the Egyptian army of Ibrahim Pasha landed undisturbed in Methoni, in the Peloponnese, with 4,000 infantry and 400 cavalry and took over the city’s castle. His plan was to take back the entire Peloponnesian peninsula from the Greeks.

In the following days he was reinforced with more troops and the total number of his infantry reached 15,000. By the end of April he had occupied the strategic castles of Koroni and Pylos (Neokastro).

On May 20, the Greek hero Papaflessas decided to repulse the Egyptians himself. With a force of 3,000 Greeks, Papaflessas marched south to attack Ibrahim. However, half of his men unfortunately deserted when they saw the Egyptian Army approaching.

Ibrahim was leading a force of over 6,000 soldiers. Papaflessas gave an eloquent speech that shored up the morale of the remaining Greeks who had decided to stay and fight.

As the Egyptians attacked, the Greeks bravely held their positions but were eventually overwhelmed. About 1,000 Greeks, including Papaflessas, fell.

The head and body of Papaflessas were recovered and placed upright on a post, as a mark of respect for a valiant foe. Legends say that Ibrahim even kissed Papaflessas’ head and said “If all Greeks were like him, I would not take charge of this campaign.”

June 13, 1825: The victorious Battle at the Lerna Mills

The battle at the Lerna Mills in Argolis, Peloponnese, was one of the most crucial, yet little known, victories of the Greek rebellion.

By early June, the Ibrahim Pasha’s mighty army had beaten Papaflessas’ Greek Army at Maniaki and on June 7 recaptured Tripolitsa, which had been abandoned by the Greeks.

Ibrahim Pasha then sent 5,000 troops to take over Nafplion, the seat of the Greek government.

Yet, somehow, the Greek forces of about 500 men, led by Captain Yannis Makriyannis, Demetrios Ypsilantis, Andreas Metaxas and Konstantinos Mavromichalis, defeated the Egyptian army. This, the first Greek success against Ibrahim, saved the city of Nafplion.

Greek War of Independence
“The Exodus of Missolonghi,” by Theodoros Vryzakis. Credit: Public Domain

April 10, 1826: The heroic exodus and fall of Missolonghi

In April 1825, Reshid Mehmed Pasha received the following order from the Sultan: “Either Missolonghi falls or your head falls.” It would be the third siege of the western Greece city, after two failed attempts.

It was a difficult task to take over the fortified city, which was surrounded by lakes. The brave chieftains Notis Botsaris and Kitsos Tzavellas led the defense of the city with forces comprised of 3,000 men — with several philhellenes among them.

The siege lasted an entire year, with Ibrahim Pasha joining the attack after the first months. Yet, what the vast Egyptian army could not achieve, was in the end achieved by starvation and disease.

The defending captains decided to lead the starving civilians to a heroic exodus, while those who could not follow would stay and defend the city to the death.

When the Greeks charged out of the city gates they were fired upon by Turks and Egyptians. Many panicked and fled back inside the walls while the Ottoman-Egyptian forces had already entered the city, killing, looting and raping.

Of the 7,000 people who attempted to escape, only 1,000 made it to safety. The rest were slaughtered or sold into slavery, with many of the surviving Greek Christian women becoming sex slaves to Egyptian soldiers. In an especially grisly act, the Turks displayed 3,000 severed heads on the walls of the city.

Yet the Missolonghi massacre proved a victory for the Greek cause in the end, and the Ottomans paid dearly for their harsh treatment of Missolonghi. After this atrocity, many Western Europeans felt increased sympathy for the Greek cause.

The horrific event influenced the eventual decision of Britain, France and Russia to intervene militarily in the Battle of Navarino.

Greek War of Independence
“Georgios Karaiskakis,” by Georgios Margariris. Credit: Public Domain

November 18-24, 1826: The Battle of Arachova

The Battle of Arachova brought the name of Georgios Karaiskakis to the forefront, making him one of the most well-known heroes of the Greek Revolution.

The Turkish troops under the command of Mustafa Bey were about to recapture a big part of Roumeli (today’s Central Greece). Yet, after receiving intelligence of the Ottoman army’s manoeuvres, Karaiskakis prepared a surprise attack near the village of Arachova.

On November 18, Mustafa Bey’s 2,000 Ottoman troops were blockaded in Arachova by the Greek Army. An 800-man force that attempted to relieve the defenders three days later failed.

On November 22, Mustafa Bey was mortally wounded and Ottoman morale plunged, as cold weather and heavy rainfall plagued the hunger-stricken defenders.

At midday, on November 24 the Ottomans made an attempt at breaking out. Most were killed in the fighting or perished from the cold. The Greek victory at Arachova gained the rebels valuable time before the Great Powers came to their assistance a year later.

Greek War of Independence
“Battle at Navarino,” by Ambroise Louis Garneray. Credit: Wikipedia/Public Domain

October 20, 1827: The Battle of Navarino seals victory in the Greek War of Independence

On that fateful day, British, French and Russian squadrons entered the harbor at Navarino Bay on the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, in the Ionian Sea.

An Ottoman armada which, in addition to imperial warships, included squadrons from Egypt and Tunis, was destroyed by the Allied forces. Virtually the entire Ottoman fleet was decimated, despite the great bravery of the Ottoman crews.

It was to be the last major naval battle in history to be fought entirely with sailing ships, although most ships fought at anchor.

The Allied naval forces essentially put an end to Turkish plans to recapture the parts of Greece they had lost after centuries of rule. The casualties were extremely high and morale was at a low point after that day.

April 26, 1828: Russia declares war on Turkey

The Russo-Turkish War was sparked by the Greek War of Independence, breaking out after the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II closed the Dardanelles to Russian ships and revoked the 1826 Akkerman Convention.

The Turkish move was related to the Greek War of Independence because the closing of the Dardanelles was in retaliation for the Russian participation in the Battle of Navarino. Greeks welcomed the war because the Ottoman troops would be leaving the newly-founded state to fight the Russians.

May 7, 1832: The Treaty of London establishes the state of Greece

The Treaty of London, signed by Britain, France and Russia, established a new Greek state, making Otto of Bavaria the new King of Greece, and defining Greece as an independent kingdom.

Greek Students From Athens to Sydney Celebrate Independence Day

Student Parade Greece
1,500 school students paraded at Athens’ Syntagma Square on the eve of Greek Independence Day on Sunday. Credit: AMNA

1,500 school students paraded before officials at Athens’ Syntagma Square on the eve of Greek Independence Day on Sunday in honor of the Greek War for Independence.

229 schools from Athens, from primary to secondary education, took part in this year’s celebratory event. Leading the parade were the high school students of Kalavryta, wearing traditional costumes and carrying a banner of the Greek Revolution.

The students’ parade was joined by the City of Athens Philharmonic Orchestra and music bands of the Hellenic Police, Hellenic Air Force, and the Fire Brigade.

Officials in attendance included Education Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis and Athens Mayor Charis Doukas, who laid wreaths at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier before the parade.

Minister Pierrakakis commented that the historical day “teaches us how our country and our people can achieve miracles through faith, boldness, and fortitude.”

Athens’ Mayor Doukas cited a Greek Independence fighter Makrygiannis’s memoirs that spoke of serving ‘the We, not the Me,’ for a brighter future with justice and the protection of human rights.

A celebration for all Greeks

Greek Independence Day parade, Athens, 2024.
Greek Independence Day parade, Athens, 2024. Credit: AMNA

A students’ parade attended by hundreds of citizens also took place on Sunday in Thessaloniki.

In faraway Sydney, Greek-Australians celebrated Greek Independence Day with a parade for the first time since the breakout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Parades in US cities are scheduled for Monday, March 25.

50th anniversary of the restoration of democracy

The anniversary of Greece’s historic declaration of war for independence on March 25 is a celebration of all Greeks that will always draw up a sense of liberation, independence, and justice, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou said in a message on Sunday.

“The Greek uprising against the 400-year Ottoman rule in 1821 garnered the admiration of the world,” she said, stressing that the anniversary also calls for its timeless message, that “passion and self-denial may be the yeast for every national effort, but the guarantee of its success lies with consensus, unity, and agreement, as recorded by the herculean struggle of the heroic revolutionaries against an all-powerful empire”.

President Sakellaropoulou noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece after the military dictatorship. During this period, Greece became a member of, and established its presence in the European Union, confirming its position among its partners and allies and being a guarantor of security and peace in the eastern Mediterranean and the wider region.

Greece is not forgetting Cyprus, as a part remains under Turkish occupation, she added.

In a world of multiple speeds and uncertainties, consecutive crises, wars, and an environment of divisive speech, where intolerance and totalitarianisms are on the rise, Greece’s challenge today is “to defend, with the contribution of all of us, the ideals of freedom, human rights and democracy, which we secured with struggles and sacrifices in our long existence, as we did our unnegotiable national sovereignty,” the Greek president concluded.

Apple TV Now Offers Ertflix, Greek Public Broadcaster Streamer

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Ertflix desktop view
Greek public broadcaster’s OTT streamer Ertflix is now accessible on Apple TV for international viewers to enjoy. Credit: ERTFLIX Website Screen Capture

ERTFLIX, the OTT streaming service of the Greek Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), has become available to international audiences on Apple TV.

The launch is “an important step that brings ERT closer to the diaspora and Greeks around the world,” the Greek public broadcaster says.

Creating an ERTFLIX account to watch on Apple TV allows users to pause and resume watching their favorite programs, while they also have the ability to create their own favorites lists and have access to parental control.

The launch of an international version of ERTFLIX was first announced in October 2023. At the time, ERTFLIX became available on all smart devices, phones, and tablets with iOS, Android or Huawei HarmonyOS operating systems, through browsers, on smart TV apps (Samsung Tizen, LG WebOS, Google Android TV etc.), on Set Top Boxes and on ROKU, with a casting option as well.

International access to TV and radio content from the Greek public broadcaster

“Content for international audiences is constantly enriched and available 24/7 anytime (On Demand), while selected programs are broadcast with Greek and English subtitles,” ERTFLIX’s Apple TV launch announcement reads.

“Users will be able to watch their favorite fiction series, entertainment shows, classic and contemporary Greek short and feature films, documentaries, as well as special selections from ERT’s unique archive,” it adds.

All news programs and bulletins from ERTNEWS, the new 24-hour news channel of public television, are prominently featured on the international version of ERTFLIX, alongside sports broadcasts highlighting matches from various sports and major sporting events.

Besides the rich TV content, radio listeners can tune in to “Voice of Greece,” ERT’s worldwide radio station tailored for Greeks abroad. In addition, specific programs such as an English-language news bulletin and a Greek music show in English cater to those interested in Greek culture and current affairs.

ERT streaming service revolutionized Greek TV

The Greek public broadcaster, ERT, launched its OTT streaming service, ERTFLIX, in April 2020, with the ambition to create “a pillar of culture and entertainment.”

The streamer became an immediate success, featuring ERT’s own shows and productions besides foreign acquisitions that include plenty of international films, fiction series and documentaries.

By August 2020, ERTFLIX had also launched as an app on Android and iPhone.

In December 2023, ERTFLIX premiered its first own drama production, Erimi Chora (Desert Land), an 8-part mini series executive produced by NEEDaFIXER and described as a powerful family drama with “western movie” elements.