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A key component of our nation’s greatness lies in our ability to honour, appreciate, and cherish, through our actions and our memories, all those who died to ensure the freedom that Hellas appreciates today. March 25 reminds all of us of our own obligations to one another; it recounts the most precious aspect of our history, it teaches us that in order to prevail in the future we must honour our history that taught us that in order to succeed we have to rise and/or fall together in unity, just like our ancestors did 190 years ago.
On this day, during which we honour all those who died to liberate our nation from Ottoman rule, it would be wise to remember that freedom and liberty are precious gifts whose benefits we all enjoy but too often we give little thought to the price paid for them.
When I reflect to the stories of 1821, the first thing I ask myself is what tugs at a man and/or woman until he or she takes the stand and says “Freedom or Death?” My guess would be honour to their Hellenic blood and the thirst for freedom. To try and explain the personal trait of honour is something that can not be done in a few words, or a sentence. I feel as though honour is made up of different combinations of personal traits depending on the individual.
Certainly a time that honour is displayed more often than any is during a time of war. This is evident through feats of valour, and heroism. Looking at this aspect of honour I feel as though a person who would fight and die for their country would have more loyalty, and commitment to presenting such honour.
We only know that too well in Hellas. Honour is essential for us and life would not be worth living without it. When a warrior or hero is advised to avoid risking their life in battle it almost drives us even further towards the deed, and there are countless stories throughout our rich history to prove this theory. For Hellenes it is better to be killed in action rather than to live and be thought a coward.
Such is the case of our unsung heroes of 1821. There was never any second thinking these men bravely waged war so that we today might know peace. They braved hardship so that we today might know opportunity and they ultimately paid the price so we know freedom. They overthrew an empire and gave birth to revolution. They strained to hold a young union together, and rolled back the creeping tide of tyranny, and stood post through a long twilight struggle. Their stories are etched into our history books and recounted by family and friends and their legends are silently observed by the mighty oaks that stand over their final resting areas. They are real and inspirational legacies of an unbroken chain of proud men and women who served their country with honour and pride.
Certainly, Hellas was a much more moral and honourable place then, where men saw their duty to their God to their nation and towards the fight for freedom.
They taught us to pledge our lives to something that is bigger than ourselves, to recognize tyranny and evil and call it for what it is. They taught us that some things are worth dying for and most importantly that the freedom of one’s nation is worth dying for. They also taught us that democracy is worth dying for because it is the most deeply honourable form of government ever devised by man.
This is what we must teach our children, for our children are patterning their lives after us. From us they are learning how to deal with the imperfections of life and society. Will they become bitter and angry at life's structure of authority? Or will they be free to relate to imperfect authorities over them, and do so with honour? And finally ask yourselves this... are you, or better yet, do you want to breed generations of slaves or generations of free men and women? My guess is the second choice.
Remember that our children will be the torches to pass on the Hellenic legacy in the future. They will become the new carriers of democracy who will become leaders in our churches, in our communities, in government and in industry, and thus be the teachers to their children about the same stories of honour.
Friends, I cannot know what it is like to walk into battle. I'm a woman who is afraid of the very essence of war. Only those who have seen the brutalities and horrors of war firsthand can ever truly know what these brave men went through during that time as well as in their final moments. However, I do know the meaning of valour. I also know that if push comes to shove that I too will pick of the courage and stand tall in the fight for our nation if ever needed, without a second thought, because history has shown me the value of honour, the most encompassing virtue and value of all.
And I know this because I, just as you, respect our history and heritage. We know we are obligated to our 1821 heroes to complete the mission for which they gave their lives to, and we also know that we are bound to uphold freedom and democracy in the motherland. Your stance, now more then ever, is necessary, for our nation has become corrupted by greed, pettiness and arrogance and if this plague is not abolished then the bones of Kolokotronis will rumble because it will ultimately be our own downfall.Honour and valour, have become sheer words in this country...
That is why we need to get in touch with our roots again. If we do not dig deep into our history and appreciate heroes such as those of 1821, uphold their memory and the values they taught us, then we will once again see people that will feed off of others for their own benefit. It is simple folks we will witness the loss of virtue if we do not seek honour because without virtue, without honour, we doom ourselves to total destruction.
So tomorrow, following the parades, the bakalario and the skordalia traditionally served every March 25, I urge you all to take a moment and reflect on those who sacrificed their lives so we can enjoy the Greece we all love and know today. It is something each of us can do to keep their memory alive in our hearts for we owe them nothing less than to remember. Bluntly put, it is a matter of honour and national pride.
The unsung heroes of 1821
- Theodoros Kolokotronis (1770 – 1834) - He came from a family of kleftes and escaped to Zakynthos where he served in the English Army. He returned to Peloponnesos on the eve of the revolution and due to his military experience and knowledge he soon became the leading figure in organising the Greek fighters. He led the siege of Tripolis and its surrender marked the first success of the Greek revolution. The following year (1822) with his courage, determination, patience and military acumen defeated the army of Dramalis. He was imprisoned by his political opponents but was freed when Ibrahim invaded Greece, against whom Kolokotronis applied guerrilla tactics and was able to inflict major blows to his army. Kolokotronis is considered as the most important figure of the Greek revolution.
- Georgios Karaiskakis (1782 – 1827) - He grew up in poverty and was forced to the mountains as kleftis. He was one of the first to take part in the Greek revolution and his military genius became apparent during the last years of the struggle. He was appointed by the first Greek government as chief marshal of Eastern Greece and made Elefsina as his headquarters. Following a clash with the Turks at Haidari, he was planning to cut off Kioutachis supplies, during the siege of Acropolis. His initial failures followed two famous victories at Arachova and Distomo. He was killed in a clash with the Turks at Faliro. Karaiskakis is considered the second most important military figure of the revolution, after Kolokotronis.
- Constantinos Kanaris (1793 – 1877) - He came from the island of Psara. He blew up the Turkish armada at Chios and at Tenedos and other Turkish ships at Mytilene and Samos (1824). He attempted to burn the Turkish ships at the port of Alexandria in order to destroy Mehmet Ali’s preparations against Greece and failed only due to the fact that at the time the wind was blowing from opposite direction. He became one of the most important naval figures of the revolution. With the liberation of Greece he became involved with politics opposing king Othon. He served several times as a minister and became prime minister. He was brave, courageous and modest man.
- Makriyannis - General Makriyannis was born at Lidoriki, in Eastern Greece. When in June 1825, Ibrahim Pasha attacked the mills of Argos with a force of 4,000 foot-soldiers and 600 cavalrymen from his regular army, Mkriyannis, together with Ypsilantis, Mavromichalis and 300 men, defended the position, which commands the approaches to Naples of Romania. They had already repulsed four fierce attacks by Ibrahim when, towards evening, they were reinforced by a detachment of the first regular Greek regiment. Its arrival decided the outcome of the battle and the Turko-Egyptian forces retreated in great disarray, with heavy casualties. The gallant Makriyannis, who was gravely wounded in the fighting, was invited aboard the French Admiral de Rigny’s frigate, where he was received by the admiral. At the battle of Faliron on the 5th February, 1827, Makriyannis commanded the corps of Athenians, under the orders of General Gordon. He distinguished himself again and again in the defence of his position, by bravery in number of minor engagements.
- Manto Mavrogenous - Amongst the heroines of the Greek revolution was Manto Mavrogenous. She was educated at a college in Triestio and spoke Italian and Turkish. She studied ancient Greek philosophy and history. In 1809 her family returned to Mykonos, the island of their origin. She learned with excitement from her father that Philiki Etairia was preparing the Greek revolution. When the news arrived that the struggle for freedom began, Manto invited the leaders of Mykonos to a meeting and persuaded them to join the revolution. This was declared in April 1821.
- Laskarina Boumboulina - Yet another heroic woman of the Greek uprising for freedom. Boumboulina came from a rich family from the island of Spetses. This ‘Archontissa’ (Lady) of Spetses used her wealth to build a navy and became one of the most famous leading figures in the Greek War of Independence. After the success of the revolution in Peloponnesos and Sterea Ellada, the uprising spread in the islands. Spetses was the first of the islands to join the revolution and this was mainly due to Boumboulina’s leadership and courage. The example of Spetses was followed by many other islands and therefore the freeing of the Island of Spetses was one of the initial major steps towards victory for the Greeks. Thereafter Boumboulina, with her fleet took part in many naval battles and dominated the Aegean creating problems to the, by far superior, Turkish fleet.
- Andreas Miaoulis (1769 – 1835) - He was born in the Hydra. At the age of 17 he became captain of a commercial ship. During the Napoleonic wars he managed due to his courageous sea operations to accumulate considerable wealth. From the second year of the revolution he was appointed admiral of the Greek fleet. He defeated the Turkish navy near Patra and the Turko-Egyptian navy near Geronda, and on many occasions he was able to provide supplies for Greek cities besieged by the Turks (e.g. Mesologhi).
- Nikitaras - He was born at Leontari, in Arcadia, the son of a poor peasant farmer. He was a nephew of Kolokotronis and he too served in the army of the Ionian Islands. In 1821 he became head of a band of pallikaria. He fought Kiaya Bey at Kaki Scala and in March and April 1822, at Ayia Marina, Nikitas fought successfully under the leadership of Odysseus against Dramali, who was threatening Thermopylae. After Dramali’s invasion of the Morea, Nikitas took up a position commanding the narrow passes on his route back to Corinth. There the Greeks inflicted a terrible defeat on the enemy, killing 3,000 Turks. The result of this battle won for him the nickname of Tourkophagos. At the siege of Mesolonghi, Nikitas gave further proof of his pure and selfless patriotism. The sailors bringing reinforcements to the besieged town demeaned payment in advance. But there was no money. Then Nikitas flung down his sword, a priceless weapon which he had won from a high-ranking Turk, and cried out, “All I have is this sword. I offer it to my country!” His fine example had an immediate effect. All present stepped forward eagerly to donate whatever they could afford.
- Papaflesas or Gregorios Dikaios (1788 – 1825) - Papaflesas was born at Messinia in 1788. In his teens he became a monk. The Turks, knowing his revolutionary character forced him to leave Greece. At Constantinople, where he went, became one of the key members of “Filiki Etairia”. Under Ypsilantis orders he returned to Peloponnesos and started preaching the ideal of freedom, preparing so the people for the revolution. He was a key figure of the Greek Revolution. When in 1825 Ibrahim landed with thousands of Turkish army in Peloponnesos, Papaflesas leading 2000 men marched against him. During the battle which took place at a place called Maniaki, on 20 May 1825, Ibrahim with 6000 Turks attacked and killed 600 Greeks and their leader Papaflesas, who fought bravely to the bitter end.
Signed
Marina SpanosSources: Wikipedia.
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