Grigorios Konstantas
Encyclopedia
Grigorios Konstantas was a Greek
scholar and figure of the modern Greek Enlightenment. He was actively involved in various educational issues as well as participated in the Greek War of Independence
.
, Thessaly
, modern Greece
, where he received early schooling. At the age of 20 he went to Mount Athos
, Chios
and Constantinople
(Istambul) where he attended courses in ecclesiastical schools. In 1780 he moved to Bucharest
and in 1784 he started his teaching activity in the local Princely Academy. In 1788 he went in a number of European cities (Vienna
, Halle, Padua
) to continue his studies, while in 1803 he negotiated with Anthimos Gazis
the establishment of an advanced educational institution in his birthplace, which would contain a library of 4,000 volumes. His initiative was supported by Anthimos Gazis
and was only partially realized in 1814-16 because the Ottoman authorities limited the school's functions. In the meantime he rejected an offer to teach at the Academy of Iasi and another one to become head of the Patriarchical Academy
in Constantinople.
Before the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence
(1821-1830), Anthimos Gazis suggested Konstantas to join the patriotic organization Filiki Etaireia. Konstantas rejected the offer, however, when the revolution broke up he joined the revolutionary forces. He also became one of the delegates in the Fourth National Assembly
at Argos
, 1829. When the Greek independence was established he worked as a teacher in the orphanage of Aegina
, a institution founded by the head of the newly formed Greek state, Ioannis Kapodistrias
. With the arrival of Prince Otto
he left the orphanage and in 1835 he returned to his hometown, which was still under Ottoman rule. There he continued his teaching activity until his death, in 1844.
wrote the Geographia Neoteriki
, which is considered as one of the most remarkable works of the modern Greek Enlightenment. It reflected a new revolutionary era in European history after the outbreak of the French Revolution
and aired sharp social criticism castigating the corruption of the church authorities, the idleness of the monasticism and popular superstition. This work was welcomed with enthousiasm by western intellectual cycles, especially in France, however, it was largely neglected among Greek scholars, mainly due to the vernacular (Demotic) language the authors used.
Konstantas also edited an anonymous work attributed to Nicholas Mavrocordatos
, Φιλοθέου Πάρεργα (The Parerga of Philotheos), printed in Venice, 1800. Moreover, he translated a number of works including:
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
scholar and figure of the modern Greek Enlightenment. He was actively involved in various educational issues as well as participated in 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...
.
Life
Konstantas was born in the village of MiliesMilies
Milies is a village and a former municipality in Magnesia, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality South Pelion, of which it is a municipal unit. It is a traditional Greek mountain village, at a height of 400 m on Mount Pelion. It is 28 km from...
, Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
, modern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, where he received early schooling. At the age of 20 he went to Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
, Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
and Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
(Istambul) where he attended courses in ecclesiastical schools. In 1780 he moved to Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
and in 1784 he started his teaching activity in the local Princely Academy. In 1788 he went in a number of European cities (Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Halle, Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
) to continue his studies, while in 1803 he negotiated with Anthimos Gazis
Anthimos Gazis
Anthimos Gazis was a scholar, a philosopher during the Greek Enlightenment, a cartographer and one of the heroes of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. He was born in Milies in Ottoman Greece in 1758 and died in 1828...
the establishment of an advanced educational institution in his birthplace, which would contain a library of 4,000 volumes. His initiative was supported by Anthimos Gazis
Anthimos Gazis
Anthimos Gazis was a scholar, a philosopher during the Greek Enlightenment, a cartographer and one of the heroes of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. He was born in Milies in Ottoman Greece in 1758 and died in 1828...
and was only partially realized in 1814-16 because the Ottoman authorities limited the school's functions. In the meantime he rejected an offer to teach at the Academy of Iasi and another one to become head of the Patriarchical Academy
Phanar Greek Orthodox College
-See also:*Fener*Greeks in Turkey*Zografeion Lyceum*List of schools in Istanbul*Ottoman Greeks...
in Constantinople.
Before the outbreak of 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...
(1821-1830), Anthimos Gazis suggested Konstantas to join the patriotic organization Filiki Etaireia. Konstantas rejected the offer, however, when the revolution broke up he joined the revolutionary forces. He also became one of the delegates in the Fourth National Assembly
Fourth National Assembly at Argos
The Foutth National Assembly at Argos was a Greek convention which sat at Argos from 11 July to 6 August 1829, during the Greek War of Independence....
at Argos
Argos
Argos is a city and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 11 kilometres from Nafplion, which was its historic harbour...
, 1829. When the Greek independence was established he worked as a teacher in the orphanage of Aegina
Aegina
Aegina is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.-Municipality:The municipality...
, a institution founded by the head of the newly formed Greek state, Ioannis Kapodistrias
Ioannis Kapodistrias
Count Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias |Academy of Athens]] Critical Observations about the 6th-Grade History Textbook"): "3.2.7. Σελ. 40: Δεν αναφέρεται ότι ο Καποδίστριας ήταν Κερκυραίος ευγενής." "...δύο ιστορικούς της Aκαδημίας κ.κ...
. With the arrival of Prince Otto
Otto of Greece
Otto, Prince of Bavaria, then Othon, King of Greece was made the first modern King of Greece in 1832 under the Convention of London, whereby Greece became a new independent kingdom under the protection of the Great Powers .The second son of the philhellene King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Otto ascended...
he left the orphanage and in 1835 he returned to his hometown, which was still under Ottoman rule. There he continued his teaching activity until his death, in 1844.
Work
In 1791 Konstantas together with another cleric and scholar, Daniel PhilippidisDaniel Philippidis
Daniel Philippidis was a Greek scholar, figure of the modern Greek Enlightenment and member of the patriotic organization Filiki Etaireia. He was one of the most active scholars of the Greek diaspora in the Danubian Principalities and Western Europe...
wrote the Geographia Neoteriki
Geographia Neoteriki
Geographia Neoteriki is a geography book written in Greek by Daniel Philippidis and Grigorios Konstantas and printed in Vienna in 1791. It focused on both the physical and human geography features of the European continent and especially on Southeastern Europe, and is considered one of the most...
, which is considered as one of the most remarkable works of the modern Greek Enlightenment. It reflected a new revolutionary era in European history after the outbreak of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and aired sharp social criticism castigating the corruption of the church authorities, the idleness of the monasticism and popular superstition. This work was welcomed with enthousiasm by western intellectual cycles, especially in France, however, it was largely neglected among Greek scholars, mainly due to the vernacular (Demotic) language the authors used.
Konstantas also edited an anonymous work attributed to Nicholas Mavrocordatos
Nicholas Mavrocordatos
Nicholas Mavrocordatos was a Greek member of the Mavrocordatos family, Grand Dragoman to the Divan , and consequently the first Phanariote Hospodar of the Danubian Principalities - Prince of Moldavia, and Prince of Wallachia...
, Φιλοθέου Πάρεργα (The Parerga of Philotheos), printed in Venice, 1800. Moreover, he translated a number of works including:
- Στοιχεία της Λογικής, Μεταφυσικής και Ηθικής (Elements of Logic, Metaphysics and Ethics, by Francesco Soave), Venice, 1804
- Γενική Ιστορία (General history by Abbe Milliot), Venice, 1806