Michael Sionidis
Encyclopedia
Michael Sionidis was a prominent Greek
leader in the Macedonian Struggle
.
He was born in the village of Grciste, Ottoman Empire
(nowadays in Bogdanci
, Republic of Macedonia
) in 1870. At the outbreak of the Macedonian Struggle in 1904, he organized a troop against the pro-Bulgarian
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization komitadji
s, acting in an area covering Grciste, Gevgelija
and Doirani
. In the autumn of 1904, Bulgarian komitadjis came to Grciste (which means "village of the Greeks") and killed many Greek inhabitants, including the teacher Chatzigeorgiou, who was a cousin of Captain Michalis, teacher Konstantinos Sionidis, his daughter, and another relative, Leonidas Sionidis. When captain Michalis returned, he organized a troop and went to the village of Mervintsa, where the komitadjis were hiding. In the subsequent battle, he was wounded and went to Gevgelija
to recuperate (January 1905).
After the First Balkan War
, Grčište came under Serbia
n control, and Sionidis moved to the village Matsikovo (modern Evzoni
), on the then Greco-Serbian border. During the Balkan Wars, King Constantine I of Greece
established his headquarters in his house. Sionidis participated in the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
, where he was injured. Sionidis also participated in the Battle of Skra-di-Legen during World War I
, and worked as a secret agent of Third Army Corps behind enemy lines, in the area of Strumica
.
Following the end of World War I, Sionidis, as president of Matsikovo community, retrieved the remains of nine evzones
who had been killed by the Bulgarians during the Second Balkan War
, and buried them in his village. In 1927, the Renaming Committee renamed Matsikovo as Evzoni. Michael Sionidis died in 1935.
For his services, he was awarded the Golden Cross of Valour
, Greece's highest bravery award, with the War Cross, and with the Commemorative Medal of the Macedonian Struggle.
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....
leader in the Macedonian Struggle
Macedonian Struggle
The Macedonian Struggle was a series of social, political, cultural and military conflicts between Greeks and Bulgarians in the region of Ottoman Macedonia between 1904 and 1908...
.
He was born in the village of Grciste, Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
(nowadays in Bogdanci
Bogdanci
Bogdanci is a small town in Republic of Macedonia, close to the border with Greece. It is located at around , and is the seat of Bogdanci Municipality.-Location:...
, Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
) in 1870. At the outbreak of the Macedonian Struggle in 1904, he organized a troop against the pro-Bulgarian
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization komitadji
Komitadji
The term Komiti meaning "a rebel, member of a secret revolutionary society", refers to members of rebel bands operating in the Balkans during the final period of the Ottoman Empire, fighting against Turkish authorities in Macedonia...
s, acting in an area covering Grciste, Gevgelija
Gevgelija
Gevgelija is a town with a population of 15,685 located in the very southeast of the Republic of Macedonia along the banks of the Vardar River, situated at the country's main border with Greece , the point which links the motorway from Skopje and three other former Yugoslav capitals with...
and Doirani
Doirani
Doirani is a former municipality in the Kilkis regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kilkis, of which it is a municipal unit. It is situated on the shores of Dojran Lake, which marks the border between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. It...
. In the autumn of 1904, Bulgarian komitadjis came to Grciste (which means "village of the Greeks") and killed many Greek inhabitants, including the teacher Chatzigeorgiou, who was a cousin of Captain Michalis, teacher Konstantinos Sionidis, his daughter, and another relative, Leonidas Sionidis. When captain Michalis returned, he organized a troop and went to the village of Mervintsa, where the komitadjis were hiding. In the subsequent battle, he was wounded and went to Gevgelija
Gevgelija
Gevgelija is a town with a population of 15,685 located in the very southeast of the Republic of Macedonia along the banks of the Vardar River, situated at the country's main border with Greece , the point which links the motorway from Skopje and three other former Yugoslav capitals with...
to recuperate (January 1905).
After the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
, Grčište came under Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n control, and Sionidis moved to the village Matsikovo (modern Evzoni
Evzoni
Evzoni is a town in Kilkis Prefecture in Central Macedonia, Greece. The main border crossing between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia is located here. The Macedonian town opposite Evzoni is Bogorodica, in Gevgelija municipality....
), on the then Greco-Serbian border. During the Balkan Wars, King Constantine I of Greece
Constantine I of Greece
Constantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...
established his headquarters in his house. Sionidis participated in the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
The Battle of Kilkis–Lahanas took place during the Second Balkan War between Greece and Bulgaria for the town of Kilkis in Macedonia. The battle lasted three days from 19 to 21 June 1913 and ended with a Greek victory.-Background:...
, where he was injured. Sionidis also participated in the Battle of Skra-di-Legen during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and worked as a secret agent of Third Army Corps behind enemy lines, in the area of Strumica
Strumica
Strumica is the largest city in eastern Macedonia, near the Novo Selo-Petrich border crossing with Bulgaria. About 100,000 people live in the region surrounding the city. The city is named after the Strumica River which runs through it...
.
Following the end of World War I, Sionidis, as president of Matsikovo community, retrieved the remains of nine evzones
Evzones
The Evzones, or Evzoni, is the name of several historical elite light infantry and mountain units of the Greek Army. Today, it refers to the members of the Proedriki Froura , an elite ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier , the Hellenic Parliament and the Presidential...
who had been killed by the Bulgarians during the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
, and buried them in his village. In 1927, the Renaming Committee renamed Matsikovo as Evzoni. Michael Sionidis died in 1935.
For his services, he was awarded the Golden Cross of Valour
Cross of Valour (Greece)
The Cross of Valour is the second highest military decoration of the Greek state, awarded for acts of bravery or distinguished leadership on the field of battle...
, Greece's highest bravery award, with the War Cross, and with the Commemorative Medal of the Macedonian Struggle.