Vasos Mavrovouniotis
Encyclopedia
Vasos Mavrovouniotis was voivode from Montenegro
, who played a significant role in the Greek revolution against the Ottoman Empire
in 1821.
, modern day Montenegro
, of Serb
origin. Since his early youth he joined the Montenegrin and other rebel forces and regularly commanded raids across the Balkans
. In 1821 he led a force of 120 men of Serbia
ns, Montenegrins and Greeks, and joined the early stages of the Greek revolution. His first stop was in central Greece where he met with Arvanite Nikolaos Kriezotis, an old time Greek fellow warrior, leader of the Greek Revolution in Euboea
with whom he was a “Vlami” (a spiritual brother, an ancient Balkan practice of blood brotherhood). In 1822 he participated in the fight against the Turks
in Athens
where he showed bravery and was widely accepted as one of the best fighters of its period.
In 1824 a Greek civil war erupted and Mavrovouniotis joined forces with the government mainly composed by Greeks he knew since the early stages of the revolution. For his commitment to the side that finally won the domestic conflict he was assigned the rank of the General
and was given a force of 1,500 men; a considerable army at that period. In the period between 1826-27 he was one of the few guerilla fighters not to be defeated by the Egypt
ian forces led by Ibrahim Pasha
, that nearly destroyed the Greek forces. In the newly established Greek state in 1830’s he became a member of the elite that surrounded the first Greek King Otto
, prince of Bavaria
. He was both a member of the Privy Council
and adjutant
to King Otto. He died on 9 June 1847 and was widely admired by the Greek people as one of the leaders of the Cause and as one of the leading figures of the independent state.
. She died in 1891 and they had two sons, Alexandros and Timoleon
, both of whom became generals in the Greek Army.
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, who played a significant role in the Greek revolution against the 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...
in 1821.
Life
Vaso Brajović was born in 1797 in Mojdež, BjelopavlićiBjelopavlici
Bjelopavlići is a strip of fertile lowland in Montenegro. It stretches along the Zeta river, being wider in river's lower end, down to the confluence with Morača river near Podgorica...
, modern day Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, of Serb
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
origin. Since his early youth he joined the Montenegrin and other rebel forces and regularly commanded raids across the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. In 1821 he led a force of 120 men of 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...
ns, Montenegrins and Greeks, and joined the early stages of the Greek revolution. His first stop was in central Greece where he met with Arvanite Nikolaos Kriezotis, an old time Greek fellow warrior, leader of the Greek Revolution in Euboea
Euboea
Euboea is the second largest Greek island in area and population, after Crete. The narrow Euripus Strait separates it from Boeotia in mainland Greece. In general outline it is a long and narrow, seahorse-shaped island; it is about long, and varies in breadth from to...
with whom he was a “Vlami” (a spiritual brother, an ancient Balkan practice of blood brotherhood). In 1822 he participated in the fight against the Turks
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...
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...
where he showed bravery and was widely accepted as one of the best fighters of its period.
In 1824 a Greek civil war erupted and Mavrovouniotis joined forces with the government mainly composed by Greeks he knew since the early stages of the revolution. For his commitment to the side that finally won the domestic conflict he was assigned the rank of the General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and was given a force of 1,500 men; a considerable army at that period. In the period between 1826-27 he was one of the few guerilla fighters not to be defeated by the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian forces led by Ibrahim Pasha
Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt
Ibrahim Pasha was the eldest son of Muhammad Ali, the Wāli and unrecognised Khedive of Egypt and Sudan. He served as a general in the Egyptian army that his father established during his reign, taking his first command of Egyptian forces was when he was merely a teenager...
, that nearly destroyed the Greek forces. In the newly established Greek state in 1830’s he became a member of the elite that surrounded the first Greek 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...
, prince of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. He was both a member of the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
and adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
to King Otto. He died on 9 June 1847 and was widely admired by the Greek people as one of the leaders of the Cause and as one of the leading figures of the independent state.
Family
Mavrovouniotis married Helena Pangalou from the well known Pangalos family, in 1826. Helena followed him throughout the harsh campaigns in the Greek mountains against the TurksOttoman 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...
. She died in 1891 and they had two sons, Alexandros and Timoleon
Timoleon Vassos
Timoleon Vassos or Vasos was a Greek Army officer and general. He was born in Athens in 1836, the younger son of the hero of the Greek Revolution Vasos Mavrovouniotis. He studied at the Hellenic Army Academy and continued his studies in France, before being appointed as aide de camp to King George I...
, both of whom became generals in the Greek Army.
See also
- Hadži Prodan Gligorijević, Serbian revolutionary in the First Serbian UprisingFirst Serbian UprisingThe First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
that joined the Greek War
External links
- A. Chrysologi, Biography of Vasos Mavrovouniotis, 1876, Athens, Greece, retrieved November 5, 2006 from Michaletos Blog http://serbianna.com/blogs/michaletos/