Tag Archives: Revolution of 1821

Beyond the Basics: 1821 Aristeia Online Archive

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The Revolution of 1821, or the Greek War of Independence1, ended 400 years of Ottoman rule and launched the democratic modern Greek state. Although there is not an exact count of the number of men who participated, we do know that the revolutionaries were organized into militias and guerilla groups which were organized at the local level.

Those who fought came from all areas of Greece. They were shepherds and farmers, businessmen and professional men from all walks of life. These men were our ancestors. This book by Kostas M. Pitsiou is one example of an author’s attempt to document the fighters from Lakonia. It was published in Athens in 1971; most likely it can be found in Greece at libraries or bookstores that carry out-of-print books.

Fighters who exhibited excellence in service were elible to receive an award (see this post for details). There were three levels:
1st:  silver medal  — αργυρό μετάλιο
2nd:  bronze  medal —  χάλκινο μετάλιο
3rd:  iron medal  — σιδήρου μετάλλιο

The names of men who received an Aristeia Award for their service are preserved in many thousands of files held by the Greek government in Archives and the National Library. It is a daunting task for researchers to access these files and categorize their holdings. However, there is an online database with some Aristeia Award files that have been digitized. This database can be accessed at: https://1821.digitalarchive.gr/archive.2

A step-by-step guide on searching this 1821 Digital Archive follows.

  • Go to the website: https://1821.digitalarchive.gr/archive.
  • On the left side of the page, click on “Advanced Search.”
  • Check the box, “Documents,” and uncheck the boxes for Art, Songs, Books.
  • In the search box, type a surname in Greek. NOTE: The name must be spelled correctly or the search will yield no results. Example: the surname of Gritis–if spelled Γρίτις, there are no matches. It must have the correct spelling of Γρίτης.
  • Click on the magnifying glass icon to start the search.
  • If there is a result, the name will be in red on the right side.
For the surname Gritis, there is one result, for an Ioannis Gritis.
  • Click on the name in red to open the file.
Record of Ioannis Gritis includes digital copies of the file and a description.
  • Use an onlineTranslate extension to copy the description in English (I have Google Translate installed as a browser extension; I also use DeepL).
  • Look carefully at the description. A synopsis of the file is at the top. Towards the bottom, you will see the word “Place”. This is critically important, as it gives the residence of the fighter so you can correctly identify if this person is the one of interest.
  • The very last line of the description gives a URL. This is the URL to this exact page. For Ioannis Gritis, the URL is: https://1821.digitalarchive.gr/archive/show/node/7580. Be sure to capture this in your notes.
The file for Ioannis Gritis, translated using Google Translate extension. Note the Description and the Place.
  • In a search on the surname of Zarafonitis / Ζαραφωνίτης, there are three results. I cannot assume that all three are people of interest to me. I must pull up each file and read the Description, then look at the Place, to determine if any of these are from my area.
Zarafonitis – 3 results: are any of them mine?
Anastasios Zarafonitis is from Hydra – no
Georgios Dimitrios Zarafonitis is from Sklavochori (Amykes) – this is mine!
Zacharias Dim. Zarafonitis or Kalogeropoulos is from Kranidi – no
  • SEARCH BY VILLAGE: Another option in the “search” box is to type the name of a village, not a surname. If there are files for people from that village, they will appear in the results.
The village of Αγιος Ιωαννης is typed in the search box; results are in red on the right

When you find a file of interest, you must download the images. The URL at the top of the page will not take you back to this exact page.

In summary:

  • The files on this website are strictly for men who received an Aristeia Award. Not everyone who fought received an award.
  • Only some files are digitized. If you do not find a name, do not assume the person does not have a file.
  • Files can be accessed at the National Library, but you must have a researcher’s card and make an appointment to view the files. You must know the exact name and file number of the revolutionary to access his paper file.
  • Remember to download all images. Translate and copy the Description and keep it in the folder with your images.
  • If you know that a revolutionary received an Aristeia Award, keep checking the website. Hopefully the file you are seeking will eventually be digitized.

1Wikipedia, Greek War of Independence. An online search yields hundreds of articles and books on this subject.
2Many thanks to Gregory Kontos of Greek Ancestry for finding and sharing this link.

200 Years of Freedom and Victory

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Today, March 25, 2021, is the bicentennial of Greek Independence after 400 years of Ottoman rule. Social media and websites are flooded with commemorative photos, stories and events to mark this historic and meaningful day. I am celebrating by honoring men in my ancestral families who received Aristeia awards for their service in the Revolution, and by sharing some resources that are especially meaningful to me.

Tracing Freedom: 1821 – The Revolution of 1821 and its impact on your ancestors. My friend and teacher, Giannis Michalakakos, has written this outstanding article which describes conditions during the Revolution and helps us visualize and understand how our ancestors survived this historic yet difficult time. A shortened version of Giannis’ full article has been published today on the GreekAncestry website. Giannis explains the complexities of this period: 

The echo of the Greek Revolution of 1821 was extensive and complicated. Movements, disasters, and changes were created, depending on the prevailing conditions. Each family acted differently, according to its geographic location and economic power. So despite the overall picture, we must be careful. We must study every case separately because each family has followed its own path in history. Only then we will touch the truth.

Photography Exhibit 1821
Elias Pergantis is an extraordinary photographer. He has created a series of photographs depicting scenes from the Revolution that is currently on display in Sparta and will then be taken throughout Greece. His works of art have been captured in this poignant video which moves me to tears.

Honoring My Ancestors
My Spartan Roots post of March 25, 2020 describes the various Aristeia awards received by those who fought with distinction in the Revolution, and has photos of the medals. Today, I honor these men in my ancestral family who have been identified to date as receiving an Aristeia. Many others would have fought without recognition:

  • Mihail Aridakos / Aridas of Agios Ioannis
  • Efstratios and Dimitrios Iliopoulos of Agios Ioannis
  • Christos Kostakos of Anavryti
  • Georgios Christakos of Agios Ioannis
  • Christos Lerikos of Agios Ioannis
  • Dimitrios, Vasileios and Nikolaos Maltziniotis of Agios Ioannis
  • Kalogeros Papagiannakos of Agios Ioannis
  • Ioannis Zacharakis of Sellasia/Theologos
  • Dimitrios, Ioannis and Georgios Zarafonitis of Sklavohori

This post from January 2016 honors Ioannis Zacharakis, one of my ancestors from Theologos, Sellasia. The documents signed on August 4, 1840 in Mystras state that he fought under the mighty Maniate captain, Georgios Giatrakos, and participated in many battles including: Valtetsi, Doliana, Tripoli, Naplion, Argos, and New Kastorio Pylos. I am thrilled to have not only his name, but also copies of the letters which are published in the post and have his signature!

Signature of Ioannis Zacharakis of Theologos, Sellasia about 1840

Celebrations in Athens
What celebration of freedom could be complete without a military parade? This is a video of today’s events in Athens. With Covid-19 precautions in place, soldiers are masked and crowds are forbidden, but the spirit of Greek independence is palpable and inspiring.  Χρόνια πολλά σε όλους τους Έλληνες!

Greek Ancestry Party!
A bicentennial event needs a party! Today, our friends at Greek Ancestry hosted a party which was recorded and is viewable here.  We shared stories, photos and histories to commemorate this special day. Ζήτω η Ελλάδα!!!

 

U.S. President Joe Biden’s Video Message for the Bicentennial

Beyond the Basics: Aristeia Awards, 1821 Revolution

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March 25 is a day of celebration and pride for Hellenes throughout the world, as we celebrate the commencement of the War of Independence from 400 hundred years of Ottoman rule. Men throughout Greece banded as brothers to battle for the freedom of their homeland. Those who fought with exemplary actions and bravery were awarded an aristeia (αριστείο). The word άριστος (aristos) means excellence; and the award is one of great prestige and distinction.* Men who received an aristeia displayed exceptional bravery in battle and were considered heroes.

There are three levels of Aristeia awards: silver, iron, and bronze. These are on display at the War Museum in Athens, which I visited in 2017 with my friend and guide, Giannis Mihalakakos. (Take a virtual tour of the museum here.)

War of Independence Awards, display of Aristeia awards

Many fighters of the Revolution received aristeia awards from the Government of Greece. Among them are members of my extended family. In a previous post, I wrote about Ioannis Zaharakis, born circa 1798 in Theologos, who received an Aristeia for his service. I have since learned of others, and on this commemorative day, I recognize these men of my family with honor and pride:

  • Mihail Aridakos / Aridas of Agios Ioannis
  • Efstratios and Dimitrios Iliopoulos of Agios Ioannis
  • Christos Kostakos of Anavryti
  • Georgios Christakos of Agios Ioannis
  • Christos Lerikos of Agios Ioannis
  • Dimitrios, Vasileios and Nikolaos Maltziniotis of Agios Ioannis
  • Kalogeros Papagiannakos of Agios Ioannis
  • Ioannis Zaharakis of Sellasia/Theologos
  • Dimitrios, Ioannis and Georgios Zarafonitis of Sklavohori

This image shows recipients Kalogeros Papagiannakos (line 42) and Georgios Christakos (line 51) of Agios Ioannis who received the Iron Medal.

Aristeia Awards, Line 42: Kalogeros Pappagiannakis; Line 51: Georgios Christakos, both of Agios Ioannis, Sparta. Research by Konstandinos Koutsodontis, 2020

The General State Archives of Greece is the repository for Aristeia Records. It has thousands of lists, each filled with thousands of names. There are files online at the GAK , but working through them to locate villages and names is beyond my ability. Researching in this collection is best left to Greek genealogy professionals. Those who have examined these archives for me are: Gregory Kontos of GreekAncestry.net, Konstandinos Koutsodontis of Greek Genealogist, and Giannis Mihalakakos of Maniatika. I am grateful to each of them, my colleagues and friends. 🙂

Next year on March 25, 2021, and throughout the year, the 200th anniversary of the Revolution will be celebrated. Konstandinos, Gregory and Giannis will be writing about the men who freed Greece from captivity. Use their resources to find the heroes in your family, and contact them for research help. Gregory Kontos’ “Tracing Freedom: 1821” collection has just launched with searchable lists of captives from Lakonia.

Your ancestors fought and secured the freedom of Greece, thus securing a sovereign nation for the birth of your family. They deserve to be recognized and honored.

*A Hellenic historian shared the following: Aristeia is an ancient Greek word meaning “prize for excellence, prowess, the best and the bravest.”

Amykles Book. Excerpt: The Battle of Machmoutbei

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This is a continuation of the previous post about Machmoutbei. These posts are excerpts from the book, Amykles, by Sarantos P. Antonakos, with translations by Giannis Michalakakos. 

Thirty ordinary men successfully resisting the Egyptian army of Ibrahim Pasha? This is the stuff of action movies! And this story is true. During the Revolution of 1821 the people of Sklavochori, with support from other Laconians and Maniots, wrote a heroic but not well-known page in the history of the Revolution of 1821.

After the catastrophe of Missolonghi, Ibrahim Pasha returned to the southern Peloponnese. Humiliated after three defeats by the Maniots, Ibrahim brought in Egyptian army reinforcements and began a full assault in Laconia.

Ibrahim Pasha; Wikipedia

In 1826, his army of 25,000 men reached Mystras. He found the city abandoned as its citizens had fled, hiding in the caves and crevices of the Taygetos mountains. After looting Mystras, the army spread throughout the Evrotas valley where it did not leave “one rock upon a rock.” Ibrahim devastated the region and burned everything in his path. The villages of Sklavahori, Agios Ioannis, Magoula, Parori and Anogia faced, for the first time, sheer catastrophe.

General Panagiotis Giatrakos and his Laconian captains led their forces to battle in the villages of Perivolia, Georgitsi and other areas. But the most serious resistance against the Egyptian armies was made in the tower of Machmoutbei. Thirty people–volunteers from the region led by a priest, Panagiotis Roussos, and Captain Giannakis Theofilakos–entered the tower.They were well prepared with stores of food and ammunition, and a fierce determination to repel the Egyptian forces.

Antonakos writes:
When the first soldiers of Ibrahim Pasha reached the tower, the Greeks started a rain of fire. Even though the Egyptians used stronger aggressive attacks against the tower, Papa Roussos, the priest, showed heroic resistance and pinned them with great damages. Very dangerous for the people inside the tower was the artillery of the Egyptians, which was posted in the cliffs near the tower and was very successful against the building.

A critical moment for the Greeks was the death of their leader. On the 16th day of the siege, Papa Roussos tried to fix an opening in the tower at midnight, using a candle. At that moment, an Arab sniper hit him with success and killed him. Despite this  loss, the defenders of the tower continued their resistance. After 16 days, Ibrahim saw that even his artillery was not effective against the tower. He ordered his mechanics to dig ditches in order to place explosives and blow up the tower. The defenders of the tower understood what was happening, and in order to be safe, they decided to make a heroic exodus [exit the tower]. When darkness fell around 10:00 on Day 17, they opened the doors and went down to the yard of the tower. There, they stayed until midnight. Under the leadership of Dimitris Karagkioules, a heroic fighter with seven wounds from previous battles, they took only their swords and with the help of the darkness and cover from the tower walls, they escaped. When they met Arab patrols, Karagkoulies, who knew the Arabic language, tricked them into thinking the men were Ibrahim’s soldiers.  

In this way–with no casualties–they escaped from the tower. When they reached Socha Kalyvia, they shot the last patrol of the Egyptians and celebrated their freedom. Then, they moved to the mountain Taygetos and went to the camp of Panagiotis Giatrakos. Of the 30 men who were in the tower of Machmoutbei, two were missing. One was the leader, Pappa Roussos, who was shot while trying to close a gap in the wall, and the other was a man named Kokkinakis who had been seriously injured in the foot and could not follow the exodus.  

The morning after the Greeks exited the tower, the Egyptian soldiers were afraid to enter. When they did, they found that the only defender left was the injured Kokkinakis. They were disappointed that General Panagiotis Giatrakos was not there. Ibraham Pasha gave orders to demolish the biggest part of the tower. The marks of this destruction were obvious and the older people in the area still remember them.

The profound significance of this event is encapsulated by one sentence of the Certificate of Aristeia [an honorary award] given to Anastasoula, the daughter of Papa Roussos:  Through this siege, they [the defenders] bought time and the Christians of Lacedaimon were saved from captivity by the Arabs. 

Aristeia certificates, signed by the Giatrakos brothers (all of whom were Laconian captains) were also issued to Giannakis Theofilakos and Dimitris Karagkioules.

Unfortunately, I could not find a picture of the tower of Machmoutbei. However, this photo is representative of an Ottoman tower built in the Peloponnese; circa 1808, in Monemvasia.

Tower built by Ottomans, c. 1808; Monemvasia. http://el.travelogues.gr/item.php?view=50007; sent by Giannis Michalakakos.

After the Revolution, the Tower of Machmoutbei was taken over by the Giatrakos family, and eventually purchased by Sarantos Antonakos. The tower has now been demolished and its materials were used to surround the field of St. Paraskevi. During the demolition, pieces of ancient stones with architectural designs were found embedded in the walls. It is likely that these fragments were part of the ancient sanctuary of Amykles, a site currently under archaeological excavation (see this website).  For two hundred years, the Tower of Machmoutbei had stood as a mighty fortress and a symbol of strength through many battles and sieges, including those of World War II.

This is a photo of a well built in the 1800’s in Machmoutbei. It stands outside the house of Savva Antonakos (Savvenas).

Translation: Well of Machmout Bey, outside the house of Savva Antonakou (Savvelas). Source: Amykles, Yesterday and Today, published 2016 by the Women’s Syllogos of Amykles

This story of the Battle of Machmoutbei touched me deeply. It is not just general history–it is my history, as my Zarafonitis family lived there during this time. There are innumerable stories of heroism and fortitude that will never be found in formal history texts. I am grateful for authors such as Antonakos whose works bring perpetuity to their villages, and edify descendants with both knowledge and pride.

The last post in this series will explore the ministry of St. Nikon in Amykles and the villages around Sparta.  
To read part one about the village of Sklavochori, click here.
To read part two about Machmoutbei, click here.

***
In 1982, Sarantos P. Antonakos published Amykles, a history book about his native village. Amykles is one of my ancestral villages, too–the birthplace of my 3rd great grandfather, Panagiotis Zarafonitis. I am beyond excited to have found this book in the Central Library of Sparta, and I copied some of the pages relevant to my family. With sincere thanks to Giannis Michalakakos for his translations and history lessons, I am learning much about this beautiful village and the lives of my ancestors. This is the third  post with excerpts from the book.