The Battle of Doliana took place during the Greek War of Independence

Greek War of Independence

The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...

 on May 18, 1821.

Battle

The Ottoman army met up with a Greek force of 200 men under Nikitas Stamatelopoulos, better known as "Nikitaras

Nikitaras

Nikitaras was the nom de guerre of Nikitas Stamatelopoulos , a Greek revolutionary in the Greek War of Independence. Due to his fighting prowess, he was known as the "Τουρκοφάγος" , literally "Turk-Eater"....

". The Greeks, though outnumbered, managed to knock out the Ottoman artillery and spread panic among their enemies who left 300 dead on the battlefield and much booty. Nikitaras, who had up to that point lived in the shadow of his uncle Theodoros Kolokotronis

Theodoros Kolokotronis

Theodoros Kolokotronis was a Greek Field Marshal and one of the leaders of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire....

, earned a name for himself and the nickname "Tourkofagos" (Turk-eater). Legend has it that after the battle his sword had become stuck to his hand and could not be removed.

Significance

The Battle of Doliana was a big morale booster for the irregular Greek army. It marked the last time the besieged Ottoman army left Tripolis and it opened the way for the fall of that city and the firm establishment of the independence movement in the Peloponnese.