Lesson 3 - The Greek War of Independence Flashcards
Which Greeks within the Ottoman Empire had kept a particularly strong identity?
Phanariot Greeks - they lived in Phanar - part of Constantinople
What played a large role in the rise of Greek Nationalism?
1) Language played an important role (in the early 19th century, Greek literature experienced a revival)
2) Ancient Greece and Byzantine Empire, whose monuments were
everywhere to be seen and reminded Greeks (above all educated ones) of their prestigious past.
3) The development of philhellenism in Europe.
During the 2nd half of the 18th century and early 19th century, western Europeans rediscovered Ancient Greece. Lord
Byron, who called on Greeks to free themselves from Ottoman yoke.
4) Economic development of Greece during 18th century also played role in national awakening:
What lead to the Economic development of Greece during the 18th century?
1) Since 1699 Treaty of Karlowitz had opened trade between Ottoman Empire and Austria, Greece became, thanks to her location, wealthy intermediary.
◦2) The Treaties of Kuchuk Karnaidji in 1774 and Jassy in 1794 opened Straits not just to Russian ships but also to Greek ones under the protection of Russian flag.
3) Wars between France and Britain between 1793 and 1815 weakened both British and French commercial fleets in the Mediterranean. Their place was then taken by enterprising
Greeks, who came to dominate sea trade between Ottoman Empire and Europe. At the same time, their position benefited Greek agriculture and nascent industries.
4) Increased links with outside world and growing prosperity made Greek communities much more aware of European ideas than the other subjects of the Sultan. Sons of wealthy Greek families were sometimes sent to Western Europe or Russia to study.
What did Greek merchants found in 1814?
Philike Hetaireia (Society of Friends). Aim of the secret society was to create a state dominated by Greeks, modelled on the Byzantine Empire.
What did it’s leaders envisage?
The liberation of the whole Balkans from Ottoman rule
Who were the members?
It recruited new members in virtually all the cities where Greek
communities were present, in particular among Constantinople’s Phanariot Greeks. It also attracted non-Greek Orthodox Christian leaders, including Karađorđe in Serbia.
In 1820 who became the leader of the society?
Alexandros Ypsilantis, member of influential Phanariot family with strong links to the Danubian Principalities.
Why did many believe that Russia would support the cause?
The fact that Ypsilantis was a general in the Russian army and that one of its supporters Phanariot Ioannis Kapodistrias, served from 1816 as joint Foreign Minister of Russia, led many in Philike Hetaireia to believe that Russia would intervene once uprising had begun.
What happened in 1821?
Taking advantage of the conflict between Sultan and Ali Pasha of Jannina, Ypsilantis led small troop across Prut River and into Moldavia.
What was an uprising in Moldavia and Wallachia supposed to do?
It was supposed to divert the Ottomans from revolution that
Ypsilantis was preparing in Greece.
Why did this fail?
1) Ypsilantis could only rely on 3,000 men, who lacked discipline;
2) Serbian leader Miloš Obrenović refused to take part in rebellion;
3) in both Moldavia and Wallachia, people rebelled to denounced abuses of power, but these were committed not by Porte or Muslims, but by Phanariot hospodars (princes).Thus, leader of revolt, Tudor Vladimirescu, was not inclined to side with Ypsilantis, himself Phanariot.
4) Russia refused to endorse rebellion. Actually, Tsar Alexander dismissed Ypsilantis from the Russian army and allowed Ottoman army to enter Principalities to crush rebellion.
As result, by June 1821, rebels had been defeated and Ypsilantis fled to Austria, where he was detained.
Who in Greece repressed Philike Hetaireia ?
Ali Pasha of Jannina, whose rule extended from Albania in north to Morea (Peloponnese) in south.
How did this situation change in 1820?
In spring 1820, Sultan was convinced that Ali Pasha represented menace to his authority. In April, Ali Pasha and his sons lost their official positions and Porte prepared sea and land expeditions against them.
To counter Sultan’s forces, Ali Pasha sought help of Greek nationalists. As result, Philike Hetaireia was free to recruit 1,000s of members across region.
After defeating Ali Pasha at end of siege of Jannina in Jan. 1822, Ottoman troops returned to Constantinople. As result, there was now no force strong enough to suppress members of Philike Hetaireia.
Where did a national uprise start in March 1821?
Even before Ali Pasha surrendered, nationalist uprising began in Morea in March 1821.
What had Greek Nationalists taken by the summer of 1822?
Within a few weeks, several Aegean islands had rebelled against Ottoman rule. In spite of a lack of coordination and central direction, By the summer of 1822, Greek nationalists had taken
control of most of Morea, Athens, Thebes, and Missolonghi.
How did the Ottomans respond?
1) They attacked from the north, defeating nationalist cells in Macedonia and Thessaly, and retaking Athens, but they were unable to progress into Morea.
2) repressing Greeks in other part of empire:
3) many lost their official positions;
4) several massacres were perpetrated, in Constantinople, Smyrna and other cities of empire;
What happened when the Ottomans retook cities and islands?
Upon retaking control of cities and islands, Ottomans massacred adult male population, while women and children were sold as slaves, as happened in Chios in 1822.
What happened to the Greek Patriarch of Constantinople, Gregory V?
Even though the Greek Patriarch of Constantinople, Gregory V, had condemned the revolt, to avoid reprisals against Greeks in the capital, on Easter Sunday 1821, he was taken out of Church of St George and hanged outside by the Ottomans due to his failure to stope the revolt. His murder infuriated especially Orthodox Christians in Greece and Russia.
How did the European press depict this?
These atrocities were widely reported and denounced in Europe, in press, by politicians and leading public figures. At same time, these totally ignored massacres of Muslims perpetrated by Greeks:
How many muslims were killed in Morea [Peloponnese]
23,000 muslims
What happens to Muslims in the Aegean Sea
Greek sailors threw Muslims on board their ships into the sea and attacked coastal villages.
What was the result of this biased presentation in the press?
It cemented in European population the image of Muslims as brutal,
uncivilised barbarians, and reinforced the Philhellenist movement.
News of massacres perpetrated by Ottomans created wave of sympathy across Europe for Greeks. As a result hundreds of volunteers from Britain, France, German states, Italian
peninsula, Switzerland, etc. joined ranks of Greek rebellion. However, many were horrified by the level of violence on both sides and lost their illusions.
Did the Great Powers support intervention on behalf of the Greek Nationalists?
No, this was in line with the position adopted by the Holy Alliance at the Congress of Troppau and the Congress of Laibach. After the uprising in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, members of the Holy Alliance proclaimed their right to intervene in order to suppress any revolutionary movement that might endanger peace.
Were there any Great Powers who were not totally in agreement with this?
Yes, particularly France and Britain.
How did Metternich, the Austrian Foreign Minister feel about the uprising?
The Greek uprising was nothing but yet another
example of a revolutionary attempt to destroy established order: The Greeks had rebelled against legitimate authority and so should be left to their fate.
What about Russia, how did they feel about the uprising?
The position of Russia was more complex. If the Tsar, as head of Holy Alliance, denounced the liberal danger represented by the uprising, as protector of Orthodox Church, he could only be
appalled by massacres and sympathetic to the cause of Orthodox Christians in Ottoman Empire and so of Greeks.
