1. The strategic importance of Porto Kagio and the actions for the erection and demolition of the castle in the period 1569-1570

“In 1569 some important events turned the attention of the sultan to Peloponnese. The rebellion of the Maniots in Peloponnese led captain pasha to bring back the order. Ten ships arrived to Mani in order to rebuild a castle that would control the descendants of Sparta (according to the 24th May 1569 report of the Venetian Barbaro, as it is mentioned in the work of the Austrian Hammer: ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΩΜΑΝΙΚΗΣ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΙΑΣ, volume 5, page 39)”.

The castle which was built in 1569 (Turciotogli-Olimnionas or Monige as it was called by the Venetians and Castro di Maina as it was called by the locals) was occupied by the Venetian admiral Querini in June 1570. The occupation took place during his way from Hania towards Corfu with landing operation from the sea but also with the simultaneous attack of a force from land with the help of the Maniots of the area. The operation was rather easy under the combined fires from sea and land. The Turks in the beginning gathered in one of the towers of the castle and, following, under the pressure of the attackers who turned the rest of the canons against them, they surrendered with a treaty. After its occupation, the castle was demolished so as not to be used again in the future nor impede the sail of the Venetian fleet towards the Aegean and Crete, whereas Querini took with him all the ammunition of the castle and its defendants as prisoners.

The fact of the demolition of the castle is indirectly attested by Turkish documents which were published in the following years and to which there are mentioned cancellations of sending soldiers there. For this reason, in the next period the Ottomans in their operations from the sea use mostly landings to the bay of Kolokythia (Kotrona).

The demolition of the castle which equals with the eviction of the Ottomans from the only secure place of surveillance of Mani is accompanied by intense rebellious feelings; the first sign being the intrusion to the neighbouring Turkish areas, such as Kalamata to the west and Sidirokastro and Bardounia to the east. The military actions were victorious and forced the Turks to deprive themselves in the castles of those areas. During this revolutionary period 1570-1571 the Maniots asked from the Venetians arms in order to achieve the occupation of a castle that would protect them in case of counterattack of the Ottomans with powerful troops as well as their protection from the sea in case there showed up in the area a Turkish fleet.

During this period there are two operations of the Maniots mentioned in the sea centred in the area of Porto Kagio. In the first one, the inhabitants of Lagia imprisoned the Turkish commercial ship (fousta), which transferred wheat and fat. The attackers Maniots from Lagia apart from the merchandise arrested 12 prisoners. In the second one, while the Venetian ship which was at porto Kagio was after a small Turkish boat that had approached Marmari coming from Hania the three passengers came out to the shore to save themselves and were arrested by the Maniots. One of them was the agas of the castle Porto Kagio which had been conquered the year before. It seems that he was set free from the first imprisonment but came back to the area to evaluate the possibility of rebuilding the castle and he was imprisoned again by the Maniots this time.

1. The Pasha of Ioannina Aslan campaigns in 1614 to Mani. Events that happened before and after.

Ba. The “supervision” of the movements of the Maniots by the Turks.

The participation of the Maniots in all the revolutionary movements during the 17th century had led the Turks to the formation of a system of supervision with the construction or maintenance of castles at the borders of Mani. This system, after the demolition of the castle built in Porto Kagio by the Venetians and the Maniots, included the castles of Passava, Bardounia, Arna and Sidirokastro. The first one closely observed the movements of the ships in the sea, whereas the rest aimed at the control of the attacks outside Mani to the areas that were under the Turkish rule. The Passava castle due to the close distance from the sea was rather vulnerable to assaults. As mentioned by Hammer to his work History of the Ottoman Empire, it was occupied in 1600 by the Maniots. From the files that came out to the light of research there is information relevant to this event regarding the time that its occupation lasted.

However, we can assume that this movement resulted from the encouragement of the Maniots by the presence of the Christian fleet at their coasts, either Spanish or of the knights of Saint John that before a few decades had been defeated by the Turks and were evicted to Rhodes and were in search of a secure dwelling and at that time they ended up in Malta after the permission of the French. In order to deal with all these leagues the Turks appointed duties to the pirates of North Africa having formed a long lasting cooperation with them. After the death of the famous pirate Hairedin Barbarosa, the control of the seaways to the Mediterranean on behalf of the Turks passed on to the Muslim pirate Musolin Reis.

Bb. The battles of 1614 and the strategic success of Musolin Reis.

In 1614 a new military success of the Maniots started, although it ended up with a strategic defeat. The area where the events took place was the bay of Kolokythia (Kotronas) for the naval operations and the northern mountainous area for the land operations. The encouragement of the Maniots by the arrival of a great number of Spanish ships to Porto Kagio led them to attack the neighboring Turkish castles that resulted to the occupation of Passava and the loss of the life of 500 Turks. This event, though, pushed the sultan to send powerful force of army headed by the pasha of Ioannina Aslan and fleet headed by the Muslim pirate Musolin Reis, who knew the land of Mani due to pirate operations in the previous years.

The last one with a strategic ploy, faking withdrawal, surrounded the combatant Maniot bodies, whereas the Turkish forces occupied a large part of the Maniot land (four out of the seven big mountains), whereas in the battles almost 600 Maniots lost their lives. After the pursuit of the Maniot troops and their push off to the mountainous areas, the Turkish army returned to their bases collecting many of the animals the Maniots had taken with them when they had left for the mountains. They also arrested hundreds of prisoners, even those who came for negotiation. The loot of the campaign was collected at the Turkish ships that had anchored below the fortress of Neokastro at the port of Pylos.

For this success, Musolin Reis was rewarded with the administration of Mystras (that apart from Laconia went up to Messinia, up to the area of Methoni). The Maniots afterwards pulled back to the mountains (shelters and cages), and those that were left in the lowland temporarily accepted the situation and the payment of tax that was imposed on them. These events took place in August and September 1614 and the winner Musolin Reis had already planned in the following year to campaign from Mystra in order to occupy the rest part of Mani. (Characteristic narration of the events derives from the files of Venice, where from the historian K. Mertzios drew documents with the relevant information that were collected by the Venetian officers from their spies in Mani and from sailor men who realized the commercial trips amongst Zante that was under the Venetian rule and the neighboring areas. In the appendix three of them are published)

APPENDIX

1614. Zante 8th September 1614. The Intendant submits to the Doge the report of the sent spy as soon as he came back from Mani.

Testimony of Dionysios Athinaios sent to Moreas: “Eight days ago I arrived to the arm of Mani at the location Passava, where the Turkish army was. They told me that the Turkish fleet sailed off to Navarino, where they arrived after two days and saw 75 Turkish galleys anchored there. I heard that within a distance of 15 miles at the location Prodano, two Turkish ships had been sent by Kapoudan Pasha in order to spy the movements of the Spanish fleet. They were attacked by two Spanish ships and after a short fray the Turkish ships were captured by the Spanish. They say that the Turkish army consisted by 30.000 men and that amongst them there are 7 Greeks, Turkish subjects. They arrived from the neighboring places and 2000 more Turks with guns and they were all ready to campaign against the Maniots, as the Turks were furious against them since the Maniots had killed in the recent time almost 500 Turks, whereas they only had lost 60 men dead or prisoners. Asked how many were the Maniots that can carry guns, he replied that they are about 20.000, under different captains who are waiting with great eagerness the Spanish fleet without the help of which they cannot do it as they don’t have enough ammunition and if it is needed they will escape to the mountains. When he was asked where the Maniots keep their families, he replied that they are secured in the caves. It is said that the Turks lack food and that the Maniots have burnt the grass of the plains in order to deprive the animals of the Turks from food and poisoned some of the wells, whereas they kept for their own use other hidden wells, unknown to the Turks….”

Bc. The military events of 1615 (new intrusion and defeat of Muselin Reis and return of Aslan Pasha). The luck of the Maniot prisoners in 1614.

The first months of 1615, Muselin Reis set off from Mystras with 1000 armed soldiers in order to complete the occupation of Mani and to collect the submission taxes in the areas he had conquered the previous year. In the areas of Mani, he passed from, he asked the inhabitants to surrender their guns. In one of these visits, according to what is described by the spies of Venice, a priest replied to him that Maniots were not women and they wouldn’t surrender their guns. Then, Muselin Reis ordered his men to beat the priest and then hang him. This event infuriated the Maniots who attacked the armed soldiers and after a vicious battle, beat them, killing 800 of them and massacred Musolin Reis. Only 200 of them managed to escape.

In order to deal with the situation after the murder of Musolin Reis by the Maniots, Aslan the Pasha of Ioannina was ordered to come back to Mani so as to bring back the order in the area. For this reason he waited apart from the land forces and reinforcements via sea from the Pashas of Evia and Nauplio according to the promise of the Bezir Xalil who was at that time Kapoudan Pasha.

The Spanish who were informed about the success of the Ottomans in 1614 in Mani and the military events at the beginning of 1615 sent to the Maniot waters at the end of the summer, their ships for nautical surveillance and obstruction of the Turkish fleet. Aslan Pasha who had gathered 25.000 armed men attempted with this excessive military force to submit the west areas of Mani that were still free. He attempted to come close to the mountainous regions starting from Kalamata, whereas the centre of his operations was the Byzantine Zarnata (Kabos Avias). The Spanish fleet that from Porto Kagio entered the Messinia Bay (Koroni Bay, as it was called at that time) with an intelligent plan decimated the Turkish troops that took the ships for their own. This Spanish contribution and the fact that winter was approaching, during which all military operations, especially in the mountains, stopped.

Finally, all though he approached the hideouts where the Maniot soldiers had escaped to, he didn’t manage to have a battle and so the situation after his departure remained with the Ottoman occupation in its typical form, considering that the majority of the inhabitants had left to the mountainous areas of Taygetus and lived free.

It is certain that Aslan Pasha after the definite withdrawal from Mani took with him the Maniots as his prisoners in 1614. In combination with another information for the actions of the bishop of Mani for the liberation of his compatriots in 1616, but also with a relevant tradition of the inhabitants of the island of the lake of Ioannina, they are the descendants of the Maniot prisoners of 1614.

Appendix: a) report of the Intendant of Zante to the Doge of Venice relative to the narrated events, b) extract relevant to the bishop of Mani from a report of the Intendant of Corfu to the Doge and c) publication of Con. Mertzios for the inhabitants of the island of Ioannina to «Ηπειρωτική Εστία» In 1961.

1. Introduction

The development of Gythion (Marathonisi according to the medieval name) during the recent past starts with the occupation of the Passava castle  in 1781 and the expansion of the borders of Mani up to Trinisa and the area over there. Then, they realized the great importance of the port and vast migration started from other areas of Mani and also from Lacedaemon and other areas in further distances. The migrations, at the 40 years that followed, up to the revolution in 1821 but also in the following decades after the foundation of the new Hellenic state are directly connected to the need to find a building place. This would be preferable to be close to the port where from the commercial activity of the general area of Laconia took place. Under these necessities social events are formed in this period which are connected to the Sacred Monastery of Agios Jeorgios in Gythion which nowadays is Agios Jeorgios, the Metropolitan cathedral of Gythion.

1. The beginning of the foundation of the Monastery

The Monastery of Agios Jeorgios was the glebe of the sacred Monastery Zerbitsa, which in its turn was Stavropigian Monastery under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The devoting action of the families Grigorakis and Kalkandis who were the main donators of the land from which the monks made a living goes back to 1759 (in the appendix A the devoting action is published, as it was saved at the monastery Zerbitsa). The area of Gyhtion where the monastery was, submits to the Episcopate Karyoupoli, whereas  close to Zerbitsa Monastery was the Episcopate Maltsini, in the village Melitini of Bardounohoria. These Episcopates didn’t have administrative jurisdiction to the Monasteries, the Abbots of which were appointed by the Sacred Congress of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the administrative and spiritual activities were realized after the agreement of the Patriarchate.

The reason that led to the particular action of donation is not known, it is inferred by the condition that exists in it, according to which the donators wished that the administration of the assets of the monastery is done by the abbot to appointment of whom they would agree. It seems that the passing of this jurisdiction to the Patriarchate and the Congress created safety for the handling of the donations according to the purposes for which the donation took place.

1. Actions for the change of use to the land of the Monastery

From the pre-Revolutionary texts which are maintained at the files of the Sacred Monastery Zerbitsa, it is obvious that the big real estate fortune of the Monastery of Agios Jeorgios in combination to the great demand of land  near the port led to attempts to offer the land without the agreement of the abbot-council. The ones who acted like that were the Metropolitan of Lacedaemon Daniel and one of the fallen Patriarchs. It seems that these actions didn’t come through until the revolution in 1821 and the monastery preserved its assets. This is realized by the will of the monk Paisios (published in the Appendix B) which gives at the same time important information about the life at Gythion in 1808.

1. The developments after 1821

The ecclesiastic organization in the liberated new-Hellenic state soon ended in the foundation of the independent church of Greece which consisted of the Episcopates and the Monasteries in the geographical area of the Greek State at that time. The Monastery of Agios Jeorgios became part of the Episcopate Karyoupoli, its center was Karyoupoli in the beginning and Gythion later on. Soon it was renamed to Episcopate of Gythion in the first years of the 20th century and was united with the Episcopate Vytilo to which the Episcopates of West Mani had merged and became the Metropolis of Gythion and Vytilo which is the ecclesiastic expression all over Mani.

APPENDIX A

THE DEVOTING ACT TO THE MONASTERY OF GRIGORIANOS AND KALKANDIDOS FAMILY

13th February 1759, the monastery Agios Jeorgios in Marathonisi.

With the present letter, we, the following committee of Gligorianos and Kalantianis family certify;  today we found it reasonable and because of our good will and the memorial service of our parents and ours, and we offer all that there is at the monastery of Marathonisi of the respectable monastery of the sacred monastery of so called Theotokos Zerpiztiotisa and with the present abbot priest Joachim Mavrodakis and we bonded both so that the saint abbot takes care of it with the guidance of God and the grace of the saint Jeorgios. We make it clear with the death of the abbot that we are asked, the above committee, for the management, in order to record the belongings of the monastery one by one; cows 11, sheep and goats 30, sauce pan with lid 1, frying pan 1, gun 1 and fishing boat 1 and the land of the monastery at the old town 2 pieces; at Kotzirianika 1 piece.

This is how the present document ends and is signed and was given to the widow of the above abbot

We declare the above Gligorianos and Kalkantianos family

Kolokotronis (and Nikitaras) in Mani

On the 6th January 1821, Kolokotronis after a written order by Ypsilantis arrived in Mani from Zante, where he served in the English army from the rank of major. He was accompanied by 6 fellow soldiers who were hosted in Kardamyli by the captain Panagiotis Mourtzinos. He was followed in February by Nikitas Stamatelopoulos (Nikitaras). The Ottoman administration was really upset by this event, as they thought that after the eviction of the klephts 15 years ago and the extermination of the majority of them and the flee of the rest of them they had put down the tendency of the enslaved Greeks to throw off the yoke. They asked for information from the Bey of Mani Petros Mavromihalis about the reasons of Kolokotronis’ stay in Mani. Petrobeys replied to the agha of Kalamata that Kolokotronis came to Mani persecuted and to save his life that was threatened. Kolokotronis stay in Mani contributed, due to his reputation, to the formation of a warlike climate in the area. At the end of February 1821, Papaflessas arrived in Mani as a supporter of Philiki Eteria (Society of Friends) so as to boost in his own volcanic way its goals regarding the revolt of the enslaved Greeks against the ruler. One of the promises he gave to Mani was a ship filled with guns.

The invitation of the potentates and priests in Tripoli

The Ottomans seeking for security and to quiet down the rumours for a revolt, invited the potentates and priests of Peloponnese in Tripoli. The first to arrive in Tripoli, in order to dissolve the rumours, was the second son of Petrobeys Anastasios, on the 22nd February. He took the place of his father, as he was initially called, and he claimed health reasons. There followed eight priests (along with Daniel from Tripoli), Filotheos from Dimitsana, Grigoris from Nauplio, Germanos from Christianoupoli, Chrysanthos from Monemvasia, Joseph from Androusa, Cyril from Corinth, Filaretos from Oleni, Grigorios from Lacaedemon. Also the potentates: Alexios Oikonomos, Theodoros Deligiannis, Ioannis Perroukas, Sotirios Notaras, Meletis Kopanitsas, Andreas Kalamogdartis, Ioannis Vilaetis, Jiannoulis Kyriakos, Ioannis Karamanos, Ioannis Tomaras, Antonios Karapatas and Nikolaos Georgakopoulos. The response to the invitation of the commandant of Tripoli who substituted Choursit Pasha due to the campaign of the last one against Ali Pasha of Ioannina led to the abortion of the extensive massacre they would go to in order to prevent the rumored revolt in Peloponnese. Unfortunately, the development was not good for the coming representatives in Tripoli of the enslaved Greeks of Peloponnese. After they were initially put in restriction after the outburst of the revolution, they were put in prison and finally after the liberation of Tripoli from Greeks only few of them were found alive.

The events before the battle

The pasha of Ioannina Alis Tepelenlis defected and by the order of the Sultan was being closely besieged at Ioannina by numerous Turkish troops since July 1820. Pasombeys was initially the commander in chief and later Hoursit. Then, Ali for his own interest called for help the Souliotes, who were at that time in exile in Corfu, and promised them the eternal freedom of their country.

After the defeat and the death of Ali Pasha (24-1-1822), Omer Vryonis by the order of Hoursit attacks Souli with the force of 14.000 Turk-Albanians. Souliotes couldn’t resist anymore due to lack of food and ammunition and so they asked for the help of the government of Mavrokordatos. It was decided, then, by the government to send foot soldiers through Arta under the command of Al. Mavrokordatos. On 4th July 1822, close to Peta of Arta, Mavrokordatos’ forces that moved by land were utterly annihilated.

The landing of the Maniot troops at Splantza and the relevant battle

It was immediately decided to supply to the besieged ones food and ammunition. This difficult and of great importance mission was taken over, in the middle of June, by Kyriakoulis Mavromichalis with 500 compatriots from Mani along with Ioannis Rozikotsikas and men from Mesologi. Aiming to help the besieged Souliotes at Kiafa, he moved to Mourtou’s port, where due to his unexpected actions many Turks were captured and sent to Peloponnese.

In the meantime, though, he was asked by the English commissioner at Eptanisa Thomas Maitland to move away from these waters, which were in the area of Parga, which was an English occupation. He was forced, then, to move and to occupy Splantza at the river mouth of Acheron (Kalama) and chose for a base the Church of Agia Eleni. The preparation for the first dash launched, but his actions were made known to the Turks because of treachery. For this reason, in the morning of 16th July 1822, almost 4000 Turk-Albanian horse riders, experienced and skilled in battles within swamps (as is the specific one near the mouth of Acheronta), under the command of Moustafabey of Tripoli, they attacked without warning against the Greek military camp. The battle started and went on really fiercely. The warriors who surrounded Kyriakoulis had their locations near the customs station and effectively fought off the attackers and caused them big losses. The Turks at the sunset after being disillusioned got defensive locations in the area Valanidorahis, planning to impede any movement towards Kiafa. In one of his exits from the entrenchments, where according to tradition he appears to have massacred six Aghas, in his effort to capture their commander, Mavromichalis was heavily wounded and fell. There was a bloody battle around him until his lads managed to pull him back inside again. However, after the defeat in Plaka and Peta and the retreat of Markos Botsaris, the fortress of the Maniots was surrounded by all the Turkish army. Consequently any further resistance was impossible.

For this reason, Kyriakoulis having distributed all the guns to his companions advised them to mind only their salvation and escape, while he started bleeding from his wounds he crawled to the big rampart to die in front of the enemy right at the moment when the Turks were planning to attack again. The remaining besieged  Maniots, especially warriors, after the loss of their commander realized their weakness for replenishment  and so they boarded on their ships and embittered returned to Mesologi with the mortal remains of their captain who was buried with full military honours at Mesologi. The death of the hero inspired the popular muse the song

“Petrobeys was sitting high at Petrovouni

and wiped his eyes with a golden handkerchief.

-Why are you sad and spread your tears bey?

Since you are asking me Kyriakaina and want to know

Tonight I had letters from Mesologi

Kyriakoulis was killed, the first lad

And my eyes drip and black tears run”

In the memory of the heroic sacrifice of the Maniots, there is outside the Holy Church of Agios Nicolaos Pargas a stone in the shape of the book which symbolizes the history and has on the back the date (1822) and at the front the following:

MAVROMICHALIS KYRIAKOULIS FELL HERE

16th JULY 1822

*Splantza (Italian word which means beach, coast, which today means sandy coast) is the name of place which became the witness of the heroic sacrifice of the hero from Valtetsi Kyriakoulis Mavromihalis.

At the southwest part of Taygetus, a little bit before the mountain is cut by the col that leads to Areopoli, at the area of Polyaravos (the village at the southwest edge of the territory of Gythion Municipality, close to the borders of the territories of Lefktron and Vytilo Municipality) the third and last battle of the Maniots against Ibrahim took place. The outcome of the battle was decisive, because after that he resigned from his intention to submit Mani.

We have already referred to this battle in the columns of our newspaper (issue 8-November 1999). We thought it would be advisable to republish a “document” about the battle which has been published many years ago by Donald Mc Fail with a foreword who was at that time publisher-director of the newspaper ΚΑΠΕΤΑΝ ΖΑΧΑΡΙΑΣ published by Lygeras Association. This document was written after the dictation of the disinterested fighter of the struggle for the national liberation Elias Tsalafatinos and was send along with his biography by Elias Zeritis. Honouring the anniversary of this epos (August 1826) we present it in order to estimate the information mentioned in it (the preserved extract of this narration mainly refers to the preparatory stages of collecting troops) considering that they describe also the course of the troops of Ibrahim to the area Bardounia and Malevri during their course to the east side of Taygetus after their failure at Verga and Diros, their passage from Alagonia and the submission of the county of Mystras.

“Polyzaravos Battle in Mani at the county of Malousiou (1) at the borders of Bardounia”

Narration (and biography) by Elias Tsalafatinos.

The numbers refer to the notes published at the end of the narration.

“Elias Tsalafatinos (2) being in Vytilo, found out that Ibrahim was heading to Mani so he came with thirty Spartans to the village Agios Nicolaos where he found Stamatis Rozos and his men; they all went to the castle of Bardounia and waited for Ibrahim, but he came from the left side close to Gythion and camped at Basava. Jeorgios Mavromihalis was in Miniakova. The Turks  attacked against the Spartans who were there, but could not resist and so retreated to the straits of Lagada and Trikefaloi. The Turks chased them and some went to Kotzia monastery, but since they found resistance they went back. Jeorgios and the rest of the chieftains occupied the straits where it was impossible for the Turks to go through. Coming from there, they camped at Polyzaravos and tried to open the way in order to go down to the county of Mesa Mani (Kakavoulia). Being in Skamnitza, Salafatinos to whom Zygiotes came headed by Panagos and Stefanos Christaias and Skyfianoi headed by Ioannis Fioretis and Dimitrios Boutzoulis (3) the number of whom exceeded the 350 men, suddenly heard gunshots against Polyzaravon and shouting. “Turks at Polyzaravon”.  Those in Skamnitza ran to help. Salafatinos coming to Polyzaravon met Petropulakis on the way with his men and convinced him to take to the battle. But pretending he had foot ache, he left (4). At the same time, P. Giatrakos being in Desfina with his compatriots came to Polyzaravo, whereas Jeorgios Grafakos with forty men fighting against the enemy from the village Desfina came to Polyzaravo, too. There was Vasileios (name difficult to read) with his mother and sister who got scared and decided to leave (5). “Here, it will be grave of everybody; there is no way you will leave alive from the house”, said his mother. Then, Giatrakos went up to the mountain opposite Polyzaravos. The Turks had already entered the village and the Greeks took cover. Venetzanakis Moutzirakos took cover in the upper houses at Plagiana. At that moment, men from Skamnitza came who entered Vavoulis’ house. Seeing people coming all the time, although only a few, the villagers took courage. Some of the Turks wanted to take cover at a rock in order to stop those who were coming to help the village but since it was already taken by Giatrakos they retreated and came back to their camp” (6).

________________

(1)          The right one is “Malevriou”. It is a mistake which shows that the writer of the text didn’t know the area.

(2)          The fact that the text starts with the name of the glorious fighter from Vytilo makes it clear that he described the events and somebody else took notes and that he possibly wrote the text later. Elias Salafatinos never wrote texts, because he was illiterate.

(3)          Maybe it means Boutseli.

(4)          I believe that Salafatinos belittles D. Petropoulakis, because he is talking about him. He gives the impression that Petropoulakis didn’t take part in the battle of Polyaravos. On the contrary, Karakasonis in his book “Η Τριήμερος μάχη του Πολυάραβου”, mentions: “Dimitris Petropoulakis in the body and soul handsome along with other Maniots, in the night 13th August went to reinforce the parts that till that moment confronted the enemy attacks….D. Petropoulakis had caught with Tsalafatinous, Skyfianos, Mavromichalaioi and Troupakis the center of this line…..D. Petropoulakis was really brave in this battle………… For his virtues, he was honoured with the medallion of bravery. It is obvious that at the time this narration was written, Salafatinos was influenced by the friendly position of Petropoulakis family towards the government and the opposite position of Mavromichalis family. Maybe this is why he throws dirt at Petropoulakis.

(5)          The incident is unknown because nobody else would know about it since it took place between the mother and sister and if it had happened they would never make it known so as not to be defamed.

ELIAS SALAFATINOS

He was born at Vytilo around 1780-1782. He was the son of the big family of Stefanopoulos. There is darkness about his past. His present descendants claim that their grandfathers left for Messini of Italy during their eviction in1675 by Lyberakis Gerakaris. They came back later changing their Italian name Lavarenti and taking the Greek name Katsanos due to their dark skin. At Vytilo their relatives know them as Lavourentoi. Salafatinos took this last name by a nick name tsalafos-salafos which means thoughtless and warlike due to his character. In the age of 40 he was found by the revolution of 1821. His activity was impressive from the first moment of the struggle. He started as a small captain of the bodies of the family of Mavromichalis. Petrobeys trusted him and always sent him to battle with one of his sons and brothers.  He was the guardian angel of all the relatives of the Mavromichalis house, whom he served faithfully, timidly and silently.

A few information is scattered in stories and memoirs for his activity. As usual the historians neglected the contribution of Mani. That is why Salafatinos is not known. He took part in many battles against the Turks and his activity was multidimensional. It starts from Areopoli after he swore with Elias Mavromihalis to come back to Mani only if all Greece is liberated. In order to keep their vow they promise not to have a haircut. In the beginning of 1822 he follows Elias Mavromihalis to Evoia. Unfortunately, the operation failed and the worst Elias was killed at the battle of Kokkinomylos on 12th January 1822. He comes back to Morea and goes wherever the mother country calls him always with someone of Mavromihalis family. He was always in the front side and a great fighter, he inspires fear to the enemy and courage to the Greeks. The other chieftains asked for loans from Mavromihalis family. In Mani he came back in 1826. Of course his vows were not fully fulfilled. He had glorified his name in many ways, though. He becomes Aias at Verga and stops Ibrahim with the Egyptians at Polyaravos. Although some historians haven’t written his military deeds but they wrote about his disinterestedness. When in June 1823, his country was grateful about his services he was offered 200 grosia, which he denied saying that he didn’t want it because the country was poorer” . Sp. Melas at «Γέρος του Μοριά» writes. Bring me diamonds to write Salafatinos name. There is further honour. He is offered the rank of Lieutenant-General but he denies saying that the stadium of the struggle is still open and those who don’t fight till the end take honours illegally and out of time. The minister of war Christos Perraivos, when the text sent by Salafatinos was transferred to the parliament along with the diploma of the Lieutenant-General said “He was the first to show in action the real work of the good patriot he was beyond glory for the glory of his country, whereas worthy and unworthy men everyday seek for glory in promotions”.

Elias Salafatinos died in Athens on 15th November 1856.

The preparations and the arrival to Crete

In consultation with the Greek government Dimitrios Petropoulakis, officer of the Greek army from Rahes Githion made an appeal for volunteers in order to go to Crete and to reinforce the struggle for freedom. The departure of 800 volunteers, the 600 of whom were Maniots, took place at Christmas in 1866 with the steamboat “Ydra”. At Syros, other volunteers who were on the steamboat “Panellinio” joined them.

The landing of the volunteers, the food and the ammunition they had with them, took place at the bay of Agia Pelagia where from for security reasons, due to the nearby fortress with Turkish forces, they moved fast to Kamariotes. On the way, there was a successful battle against the Turks, although a big quantity of food was taken by the enemy.

The military body, in communication with the local chieftains, moves to the east counties Lasithi and Milopotamos where the revolution was uninspired. When Dimitrios Petropoulakis arrived to the area of Lasithi, he was appointed by the temporary government of the Cretans the military chief of the east counties.

The Battles at Milopotamos

The biggest part of the maniot military body camped at Keramoi and headed to Melamvi, close to the monastery of Prevelis. There it was united to the 1000 Cretans and the military body of captain Koraka in a united camp.

Close to the camp to the area Tibaki, there was the body of the Turkish soldiers and one corvette. In order to secure food, the different teams moved to the mountainous areas to get food from the shepherds, such as the Petropoulakis party to the area of Idi.

The Turks under Resit Pasha attacked the military troops of Petropoulakis, Korakas and Koronaios at the straits of Tilisos. Initially, Koronaios’ team was attacked and was under a lot of pressure. For this reason, a team of the maniot military troops came to help headed by Leonida, the son of Dimitrios Petropoulakis, whereas the father with his own team was shooting the enemy from the sides.

Under this coordinated pressure the Turks were forced to withdraw. They came back, though, helped by the Egyptian cavalry, but they were again stopped.

Under these circumstances, the attacks ceased and the military bodies withdrew to safe locations. As to what the rebels ate, it is described in a representative verse of a poet from that period:

“Give me too brother this half locust to pass this day too.”

The maniot military troops took the locations at Krousona where from they attacked the Turkish troops, as well as at the nearby plains and supported the women and children from the attacks of the Turks.

The battles at Lasithi

The volunteer cheifs and chieftains who took part in the battles of Lasithi that followed the ones in the area of Milopotamos were Dimitrios Petropoulakis and Elias Dimitrakarakos from Mani,Jeorgios Kourmoulis captain of the Greek army and Christos Vyzantios colonel of the Greek army on retirement. The armed Cretan fighters were about 2-3000.

So, the number of the Turks was great and it is estimated to be 1 to 8 approximately. The chiefs Korakas and Sfakianakis along with the other chieftains ran to the plain to stop the Turkish cavalry. This is the first impact. The battle lasted from 5 in the morning until 10 at night, that is to say for seventeen hours and the rebels despite the shortage in guns and number of men were the winners. The dead and wounded Turks were around 700 and from the rebels only 40 were killed or wounded. Amongst the dead men, there was Mihalis Petropoulakis. This battle of the 21st May was one of the cruelest and unforgettable battles of the revolution of 1866 because for the first time the rebels fought in a plain one to one. Constantinos Sfakianakis remembers in his report that:

“Also Korakas and everybody else admitted, that this is a most important and glorious battle after Arcadi. Everybody at the battle fought with bravery and enthusiasm”.

Dimitrios Petropoulakis (Rahi Gythion, around 1800- Athens 1870)

Dimitrios Petropoulakis has been a fighter in the revolution in 1821 and distinguished mainly in the battles against Ibrahim. He supported Kapodistria and Otto against the revolts against them. In 1844, when he failed to be elected deputy he rebelled against Kolettis’ government whom he considered as responsible for his failure. In 1850, he was elected deputy on Mani. In 1862-63, he was evicted by the temporary government and was ordered to leave Laconia. Soon the evictions got less. Parallel to his political activity there was his military career, whereas in 1870 he became colonel. In 1854, he took part in the revolution in Thessalia, head of a body of volunteers and was wounded in Kalabaka on the 10/5/1854. In 1866-7, he realized his first campaign to Crete. In the end of 1868, he was sent for a second time to the island by the Boulgaris government, head of 1000 volunteers aiming to revive the struggle. He was defeated, though, at the battle in Vryses (8/12/1868) and got imprisoned. He was set free after the interference of the Great Forces and retreated. In the archives, there is material mainly about his eviction (1862-1863) and the campaign to Crete in 1868

The second campaign (1868-69)

After the revolutionary events in 1866, the Turks pushed the Cretans with all the means they had, but mainly with the construction of more than 80 small fortresses with guards (Kouledoi) along the shores and impededany external help.

There are only a few rebellious locals and volunteers who are still on inaccessible peaks also ready to leave with the first chance they have. The Greek government

turned again to Dimitrios Petropoulakis in order to organize a new campaign. However, after the promises to send more campaign bodies and the reassurance

that Cretans after the olive harvest would restart the fight against the conqueror he was finally convinced.

The goal of the mission was to revive the revolution although the government knew that its conviction was already signed by the Big Forces and that every effort was hopeless.

Petropoulakis organizes the first team of volunteers in Athens and leaves on the 7th November 1868 with 300 volunteers for Gythion in order to get more help.

He got organized finally with a team of 1000 men and at the end of November they embarked with the ship «Η Ένωσις», to Rethimnon Crete where he was appointed

the General Leader. The father was accompanied by the son Leonidas, his brother Anastasios and his grandson Petros Zervompeakos. Due to the seclusion

of the island by Turkish military ships the landing of the men and supplies was divided in two parts.

The first team was concluded by 300 men headed by Dimitrios Petropoulakis and then, the second and larger by his son Leonidas. The two bodies after some difficulties finally, met at Merona. While they were looking for the supplies they brought with them and left the locals for transfer, they withdrew to the fortified

locations, they were in constant pursuit by the Turkish detachments which they confronted with success.

As it is mentioned in the Report submitted to the Greek Government after his return Dimitrios Petropoulakis it was decided “… to follow to the Bistagi road and head west to the places of Agios Vasilios and from there to Sfakia.”

They set off on the 8th December but dreadful moments waited

for them. They walked all night from the 8th to the 9th constantly fighting

against the Turks who had taken the locations at Asomatoi-Leukogia-Moni

Preveli-Plakia. They fell from the one ambush to the other and in the morning after losses in dead and wounded they arrived at Selia. There being tired and sleepless

before even taking a breath they received a vicious attack by the forces of the enemy losing 60 men. This difficult course went on until the night of the 9th December

when they arrived at Kallikratis. The arrival of the Maniots at Sfakia was first announced to the president of the temporary Government in Crete Stamatis Hionoudakis who was at Asi Gonia with locals from Sfakia, Apokorona

and Rethimno and ran to introduce them to his men.

However, before the rebellions could even rally they were attacked by large forces. They fought all day and at night with the help of darkness they escaped

to the mountain hills between Kallikratis and Αskifos.

The Turks pillaged all the villages Kallikratis, Asfendos, Imbro and massacred those who didn’t manage to escape. However, they didn’t stop pursuing the rebellions

that had lost contact with each other. The moral of the fighters after this vicious pursuit was very low; especially of the volunteers who had left from the operational

bodies of 1866 and many asked for a decision to be taken to surrender.

In those days, the French ambassador in Chania sent a letter to Petropoulakis informing him that the continuance of the fight was hopeless since “….the

mood of the European Forces doesn’t share the demands of Greece on the island Crete and on the contrary they are in favor of the preservation of the Ottoman

state. So it is certain that there will be no help what so ever. Being in this position I believe that going on with the fight is hopeless. For this reason I’m willing in the name of charity to negotiate your return to Greece…”

After this letter and the burden of the cruel reality in a meeting of all the captains (volunteers and locals) with Petropoulakis they decided to stop the attacks and to

depart; basically the Maniots and all those who wanted to from Crete and so they signed the protocol below:

“Today on the thirteenth of month December 1868 in the location Mavrorahi Askifos all the under mentioned leaders and captains, locals and volunteers…

. Under high strength and difficulty for the maintenance of means and supplies have decided in common to accept the proposed interference of the French ambassador who proposed to intervene in order to facilitate our departure from the unlucky

Crete…”

The General Leader of the team of Rethimno D. Petropoulakis

The leaders of the counties of this team

The leader of the volunteers Leonidas D. Petropoulakis

The captains A. Mitsas, G. Zikos, K. Dimitriou, A. Tsakonas, P. Zervompeakos, etc.

This was the end of the second campaign of the Maniots to Crete where many of them left their bodies on the land of Crete while they crossed the area of Rethimni from north to south through the White mountains.Leonidas Dimitriou Petropoulakis (Rahi Gythion, 1829- Athens 1887)

Son of Dimitrios. His luck and activity followed to a great extent that one of his father. He took part in the revolution in Thessalia, he was evicted in 1862-63 and followed his father to Crete in 1868 along with his son Jeorgios. In 1859, he was elected the deputy of the county of Gythion. After 1869, he joined Deligiorgis party. In 1878, he came back as the major in the army and in 1881 with the rank of colonel. He was appointed the officer of the center of the army in Thessalia. In 1886 his part in the encounters with the Turks was determinative in Gritzovali and Melouna. He died in Athens in

After the liberation of Kalamata (23.3.1821) the military council disagreed on the military operations that would follow. Petrobeys wanted the operation to go on with the siege and occupation of the Messinian fortresses, such as Koroni, Methoni and Niokastro at Navarino. Kolokotronis believed that the main target should be the occupation of the administrative and military center of the Ottoman administration, that is to say, Tripolitsa, in order to boost the Fight. Since, he didn’t have the troops, he took from his close friend Panagiotis Mourtzinos who could not come with him since his son Dionysios was seriously ill,  300 fighters from his operations body headed by his nephew Panagiotis Troupakis-Boukouvaleas, a keen fighter. Kolokotronis with this troop headed inside Peloponnese having with him Papaflessas and Nikitaras. On the way, he was informed about the precipitate flight of the Turks at the area of Fanari (Olympia) Ilia, who were afraid of the Greek rebellions of the area and were planning to go to Tripoli with their belongings in order to protect themselves inside the walls. Although the Turks were heading through the road that goes from Andritsaina to Tripoli, the small team of the Maniots with Kolokotronis took the hill of Agios Athanasios above the road, a little bit out of Karytaina. On the 17 March there was the first battle of the Fight. When the Ottomans of Karytaina, got informed about the arrival of the Greek army, got afraid and locked themselves up in the castle.

They were 300 like Leonidas’ men and they confronted 1800 Turks at the strait of Agios Athanasios in Karytaina. The Turks see that the straits are occupied. They are all well armed, they defend their lives and fight vigorously. This is the first gun shooting of 1821. The Maniots fight heroically. They revive after many centuries the old glory of their military virtue. They fight without arms, standing like beasts. Kolokotronis will not forget their courage, so he says in his narrative that “Maniots fought a war and imitated the 300 men of Leonidas”. They strike the Turks at the front. At the back there are men from Andritsaina headed by Christopoulos. Plapoutaioi arrive, too. The Turks try desperately to double their furry.

Kolokotronis screamed himself hoarse, when he saw the unexpected help, whereas in the meantime there were more coming. He attacks the Turks from the front and the gun is fiercer. The Turks are amazed, so more come out from the castle of Karytaina to help them. The Greeks strike back, the Turks helpless, get killed attacked by all sides, so 500 souls died. Horses and loot were taken by the Greeks. The victory smiles at them at the beginning of the battle. From Kolokotronis troop, two men fall heroically. One of them is Petros Faseas, the son in law of Panagiotis Troupakis and his first lad. “Petros Faseas was killed at the first collision of the military Body of the Maniots with the Turks at Karytaina. He became non-commissioned officer 2nd Rank (Record No 4597 “Δίπτυχον της Εθνεγερσίας” V. Patriarcheas, page 729) he was killed during the first battle of the Revolution. Two more were wounded, Voidis and Dourakis. The Turks had more than 200 men killed in the battle. (Panagis Troupakis-Boukouvaleas the leader of the military body of Maniots became Major after the recommendation of Kolokotronis who gave credit to his work and great contribution to the Struggle. In his file, which is inside the archive of the Fighters of the National Library it shows that when he retired he had become a chiliarch). However, the ammunition of the Maniots ran out, so they have to fight with the stones of the hill. The reinforcement with another military troop headed by Elias Mavromichalis gives new boost to the battle. The Ottomans fall back and attempt to cross the bridge. Those who don’t drown at Alfeios River (almost 500 drowned) lock themselves up in the castle. They can stand the siege but lack food, so they inform with messengers the Turks in Tripoli who send powerful reinforcement. The Greek troop retreats and the besieged ones move inside the walls of Tripolis to have the same end with the rest of the people of the same religion, after a few months when it fell.