Kitsos Tzavelas
Encyclopedia
Kitsos Tzavelas was a fighter in the Greek War of Independence
and later Greek Army
General and Prime Minister of Greece
.
, Epirus
in 1800, the son of Fotos Tzavelas and grandson of Lambros Tzavelas, both of whom were famous for their roles in the Souliot
struggles against Ali Pasha
, the Pasha of Yanina. He grew up in exile in Kerkyra
. He played a leading role in the Greek War of Independence in 1821, alongside Georgios Karaiskakis
, distinguishing himself especially during the siege of Messolonghi. After the arrival in Greece of Ioannis Kapodistrias
, during the latter part of the war, Tzavelas was responsible for liberating a large part of Central Greece
. He was a long-time rival of fellow Souliot Markos Botsaris
.
which was the conservative and arch-Orthodox
political faction in the period of King Otto
. Accused of planning a revolt against the king in 1834, Tzavelas was imprisoned by the Regency Council head by von Armansperg
along with other politicians of the Russian Party. When King Otto reached the age of majority and took over the reins of government, Tzavelas was released and later was named aide-de-camp to the king.
He was subsequently appointed Minister of War in 1844 and, in 1847-1848, Prime Minister. In February 1854 he became the leader of the Epirus revolt
, with the revolutionaries demanding union with Greece. Kitsos Tzavelas died in Athens
on March 21, 1855.
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...
and later Greek Army
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...
General and Prime Minister of Greece
Prime Minister of Greece
The Prime Minister of Greece , officially the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic , is the head of government of the Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Greek cabinet. The current interim Prime Minister is Lucas Papademos, a former Vice President of the European Central Bank, following...
.
Early years and Greek War of Independence
Tzavelas was born in SouliSouli
Souli is a municipality in Epirus, northwestern Greece. It was originally settled by both Greek and Albanian refugees who were hunted by the Ottomans in Thesprotia, Greece and Laberia, Albania. In early modern times, it was inhabited by about 12,000 Souliotes. After their expulsion the population...
, Epirus
Epirus (periphery)
Epirus , formally the Epirus Region , is a geographical and administrative region in northwestern Greece. It borders the regions of West Macedonia and Thessaly to the east, West Greece to the south, the Ionian Sea and the Ionian Islands to the west and the country of Albania to the north. The...
in 1800, the son of Fotos Tzavelas and grandson of Lambros Tzavelas, both of whom were famous for their roles in the Souliot
Souliotes
Souliotes were a warlike community from the area of Souli, in Greece, who became famous across Greece for their resistance against the local Ottoman Pashalik of Yanina ruled by the Muslim Albanian Ali Pasha...
struggles against Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina...
, the Pasha of Yanina. He grew up in exile in Kerkyra
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. He played a leading role in the Greek War of Independence in 1821, alongside Georgios Karaiskakis
Georgios Karaiskakis
Georgios Karaiskakis born Georgios Iskos was a famous Greek klepht, armatolos, military commander, and a hero of the Greek War of Independence.- Early life :...
, distinguishing himself especially during the siege of Messolonghi. After the arrival in Greece of 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...
, during the latter part of the war, Tzavelas was responsible for liberating a large part of Central Greece
Central Greece
Continental Greece or Central Greece , colloquially known as Roúmeli , is a geographical region of Greece. Its territory is divided into the administrative regions of Central Greece, Attica, and part of West Greece...
. He was a long-time rival of fellow Souliot Markos Botsaris
Markos Botsaris
Markos Botsaris was a Souliote captain and a hero of the War of Greek Independence. Markos Botsaris is among the most revered national heroes in Greece.-Early life:...
.
After Independence
After Independence, Tzavelas became a supporter of Kapodistrias and eventually a leader in the Russian PartyRussian Party (Greece)
The Russian Party , one of the Early Greek Parties, was an informal grouping of Greek political leaders that formed during the brief period of the First Hellenic Republic and lasted through the reign of King Otto...
which was the conservative and arch-Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
political faction in the period of King 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...
. Accused of planning a revolt against the king in 1834, Tzavelas was imprisoned by the Regency Council head by von Armansperg
Josef Ludwig von Armansperg
Josef Ludwig, Graf von Armansperg served as the Interior and Finance Minister and Foreign and Finance Minister under King Ludwig I of Bavaria in the government of Bavaria...
along with other politicians of the Russian Party. When King Otto reached the age of majority and took over the reins of government, Tzavelas was released and later was named aide-de-camp to the king.
He was subsequently appointed Minister of War in 1844 and, in 1847-1848, Prime Minister. In February 1854 he became the leader of the Epirus revolt
Epirus Revolt of 1854
The 1854 revolt in Epirus was one of the most important of a series of Greek uprisings that occurred in the Ottoman-occupied Greek world during that period. When the Crimean War broke out, many Epirote Greeks, with tacit support from the Greek state, revolted against the Ottoman rule...
, with the revolutionaries demanding union with Greece. Kitsos Tzavelas died in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
on March 21, 1855.
Sources
- John A. Petropulos; Politics and Statecraft in the Kingdom of Greece; Princeton University Press, 1968
See also
- Greek War of IndependenceGreek War of IndependenceThe Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
- History of Modern GreeceHistory of modern GreeceThe history of modern Greece covers the history of Greece from the recognition of independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1832 after the Greek War of Independence to the present day.- Background :In 1821, the Greeks rose up against the Ottoman Empire...
- List of Prime Ministers of Greece