Greek war of independence

Philiki Etairia

secret society founded by merchants in 1814 to overthrow Ottoman rule and to establish an independent Greek state. Alexander Ypsilantis was their leader

Alexander Ypsilantis

An officer in the Russian army who took leadership over the Philiki Etairia. He planned uprisings in the Danubian principalities.

Phanariots

A Greek official in Constantinople under the Ottoman Empire. Most of them opposed the Greek revolution because they had many privileges under ottoman rule.

Millet

An autonomous self-governing religious community, each organized under its own laws and headed by a religious leader. The ottoman empire was made up of multiple millets.

Janissary

A member of the Ottoman infantry (army) that formed the Sultan's guard. Many young greeks were separated by force from their parents in the 1500's to join this group.

Klefts

Some Greeks lived in the mountains and called themselves Klefts. They would train to use artillery and occasionally carry out raids on the Turks. They were helpful because they were one of the main groups who physically fought in the revolution.

Armatoloi

Some Greeks who agreed to train and fight under Ottoman command called themselves Armatoloi. They would work to fight Klefts and other bandits. (At times, these Armatoloi worked closely with the klefts for the survival of their species. Both the Klefts and the Armatoloi formed the main source of revolutionary soldiers when the time for revolution came.)

Hospodar

Governor of Wallachia and Moldavia under Ottoman porte (government)

Merchants

Green merchants cause and pushed for the Greek revolt. The Philiki Etairia was started by them. They were unhappy with their situation in the Empire (no equality/privileges).

Tax farmers

Men who bid to collect a district's taxes, and took their profits from excess revenues squeezed out of the peasants. In the ottoman empire they were mostly Greek phanariots. Greek peasants were extremely unhappy with them and the situation. There was an attempt to abolish tax farming but the phanariots found their war around it.

Notables

Local rulers in the Ottoman Empire

Intelligentsia

A social class of people who reformed education which became open to the public. This contributed to the rise in nationalism of the Greek community.

Philhellenes

A group of people who had a passion for ancient Greek. They were of great support to the Greek revolution. Many foreigners like lord Byron were supporters of the Greek cause due to this passion.

Great powers

European countries that included Britain, France and Italy which supported the Greeks throughout the revolution. Eventually they helped them to get the independence they wanted.

Korais

A Greek humanist scholar who helped raise nationalism among the Greeks during the revolution. He thought the Greeks need a self of the past, and one of his big projects was the Hellenic library, which was intended for the Greek audience. It contained books talking about the success of Ancient Greek and the enlightened greek philosophers.

How was nationalism of Greeks gained in the empire?

-Hellenic library

-Church began to baptise with Ancient Greek names

-Promotion of Greek language (books in greek)

Rigas Pheraios

Greek writer, political thinker and revolutionary. Was inspiration for Greek independence movement

Lord Byron

Philhellene from England who was a great supporter to the Greek revolution. Helped Greeks gain support within Europe, as well as financially help the Greek fleet

Ioannis Kapodistrias

Toured Europe seeking financial and diplomatic support for the War of Greek Independence. He negotiated with Great Britain, France, and Russia over the settlement of Greece's frontiers and the selection of its new monarch. He ended up being the first president.

Kolokotronis

A Greek general in the Greek War of Independence. He led many bandits during the war.

Battle of Navarino

1827-Battle in the Greek independence war that made the Greek's European support clear. British, Russian and French fleet destroy Turkish and Egyptian fleet.

Mohhamad Ali of Egypt

Founder of the dynasty that ruled Egypt from the beginning of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th. He encouraged the emergence of the modern Egyptian state. He went to Egypt with a 300 person fleet (in order to get rid of french) and eventually became the viceroy in Egypt under the Sultan on the Ottoman Empire. He helped Egyptian economy especially through cotton (monopoly over industry)

How did westerners inspire the revolution?

-Students abroad were inspired by french revolution

-Importance of education is highlighted, more books were printed and published

-Helped development of Greek intellectual and social life

-People in charge of trade joined the movement

Why didn't phanariots want an independent state?

-It would destroy their privileges

-they took advantage of position to benefit them

-got money through positions in government

Controlled entire greek church

What privileges did Greeks enjoy under the ottoman empire?

-Orthodox church had some power

-Schools and libraries were made just for Greeks

-Patriarch of constantinople and the Bashi of the millet were both Greek

What oppressions did the Greeks experience under the Ottoman Empire?

-Treated as second class citizens

-Couldn't bear arms

-Pay separate tax

-Ottoman word taken over Greek word in court

What happened in Moldavia?

Ypsilantis entered Moldovia expecting to lead the Romanian peasants into battle against the Turks. Romanians ended up ignoring the Greeks and attacking local Romanian rulers.

Why did the Philiki Etairia target the Peloponnese?

-more greeks than turks

-turks there were poor

-geeks basically ruled themselves

What happened in Tripolitsa?

Kolokotronis was determined to take this land. He fought with an army of 300 against an army of 1,300 and still won. 1821 the city was captured.

What happened in Monemvasia?

The Greeks blockaded the area causing starvation and spread of disease, weakening the turkish population. But when the gates opened many managed to escape while some were killed.

Why was Morea easy to capture?

It was an area populated by mostly Greeks

What challenges did the Greeks face after independence?

-Land- country was filled with displaced refugees

-Population- only 800,000 Greeks lived in the kingdom, 2.5 million were still under ottoman empire

-Government- King Otto (first ruler) didn't want to grant a constitution

-Military- coup because of budget cuts

-Politics- political machine was created, they got votes in return for favours, very corrupt

-Constitution- When a constitution was finally made it limited involvement of great powers

-Great powers- did little to help strengthen economy

What happened in Chios?

Community made up of both Greeks and Turks lived there in peace. Neither side wanted to fight but the greeks came in forcing the ottomans to get involves too. Massacre of both sides but greeks were seen as problematic.

What was the London protocol?

1830- agreement signed by Great powers establishing Greece as an independent state