Giorgakis Olympios
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Giorgakis Olympios (Greek: Γιωργάκης Ολύμπιος) (1772 - 1821) was a Greek armatolos and military commander during the Greek War of Independence. He was born in the village of Livadi, near Mount Olympus and is considered to be a leading figure of the Greek Revolution.
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[edit] Life
Olympios arount the age of 20 jointed the Armatolikia of the Olympus area and became a prominent member of the local society by protecting villages from the Ali Pasha's raids when the powerful Pasha started expanding his authority out of Epirus in the start of the 19th century.
In 1798 although, he was forced to abandon his birthplace due to Ali Pasha's hostily towards him, resorting to Serbia were he collaborated for some time with Karađorđe Petrović. Supporter of Rigas Feraios ideas of a common Balkan revolution against the Ottoman Rule he then moved to Wallachia where with the help of Constantine Ypsilantis he composed a military force of Greeks to fight with Russians in the Russo-Turkish War of 1806. After the Battle of Ostrova he was named Colonel of the Russian Army and tsar Alexander included him to the Russian military escort during the Congress of Vienna, where he met with Alexander Ypsilantis.
[edit] Greek War of Independence
Olympios entered Filiki Eteria in 1812, taking the high rank of shepherd. He initiate many others in the Eteria, specially Greeks from Wallachia including Tudor Vladimirescu. At the beginning of the Revolution he was appointed by Alexander Ypsilantis leader of Greek forces in Bucharest. When Tudor Vladimirescu distance himself from Fililiki Eteria, Olympios was responsible for his arrest on June 1, in Goleşti. He later continued the fight taking part to the Drăgăşani Battle on June 19, where Greek forces where defeated. Ottoman forces chased him and with Giannis Farmakis and a small force of 400 men they retreated to Secu Monastery in Neamţ county where they made their last stand. Olympiou died during the Ottoman raid of the monastery.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Paroulakis, Peter H., "The Greeks: Their Struggle For Independence”, Hellenic International Press (1984). ISBN 0-9590894-1-1.
- Stratiki, Poti, “To Athanato 1821”, Stratikis Bros, (1990). ISBN 960-7261-50-X.
