Declaration of the Revolution in Mani (17th March 1821)

Throughout the period of the Turkish Occupation, the region of Mani in actual fact remained unassailable, despite repeated attempts by the Turks to subdue it. In fact, in 1776 and after the Orlofika the region declared semi-independence, tributary payments, under the direct jurisdiction of Kapoudan Pasha. Its administration was assumed by one of the “kapetaeous” in the region, where a Bey was assigned, and who was responsible for maintaining law and order

Mani had become the “greatest terror” for the Turks and the “Greek Sanctuary”, since due to its singular status there were permanent armed groups of men within the region, consisting of experienced fighters from the . The reputation of its residents in conjunction with the relevant independence of the region and the suitable peninsula land which could be used as a base of operations, and at the same time as a sanctuary, had place Mani in the conscience of both and foreigners, as the most suitable region for beginning this great struggle.

And in fact, despite the differences and the disagreements between the noble families of the region, quite a few revolutionary movements arose during the last decades of the Turkish Occupation Period and the catholic participation of the Maniates in the revolution was completely organised. In October 1819 the leaders assembled in Kitries, at the house of (the last Bey in Manis), and signed an agreement of understanding and mutual preparation. In addition, many Maniates, “kapetanei” and Petrobey himself rushed to mimic the (=Friendly Society), reinforcing their convictions that any catholic uprising by the Greeks must be supported in Mani. In fact, the initial plan by Ypsilanti was to travel there himself to proclaim the revolution, but this did not take place due to the impending dangers that his traveling to European soil would incur.

The cancellation of this plan probably raised the revolutionary feelings of the Maniates instead of disappointing them. And by the beginning of 1821, military sentiments seethed through the region, as well as throughout the remaining regions of the Peloponnese. Following orders from the Filiki Eteria, and other significant chieftans traveled to Mani, including and , who traveled around the villages and recruited the residents. All preparations were pointedly carried out in Eastern Mani where the presence of those in power was essentially non-existent, with much milder activities in Western Mani, where the Bey was based. Petrobey had successfully managed to conceal the presence and actions of the chieftans, as well as to avoid traveling to Tripoli at the end of February, when the Turkish Administrator of the Peloponnese -in order to lessen the possibly of insurrection in his dominion- invited all the high priests and dignitaries of the Peloponnese with the pretence of a meeting. But in actual fact he wanted to detain them. Pretending to be ill, Petrobeys sent his son Anastasios, and thus appeased the Turkish Authorities and at the same time he secured the unhindered actions of the captains. From the beginning of March the whole of Mani was on war alert. Residents had left their jobs, congregating in the squares of the villages and preparing “buckshots” and collecting food supplies for the warriors, while the chieftans went to great lengths to secure lead and powder, assemble warriors and form groups or units. Petrobey was very worried over this animated and open preparation, in combination with the existing differences between the powerful families in Mani, as he realized that a premature uprising could lead to internal clashes and to retaliatory actions by the Turks who would implement strong measures against the Maniates. His letter sent on 11th March 1821 to the Grigorakides (leaders in Eastern Mani) is characteristic, in which he recommended that they avoid taking hasty actions that may harm the struggle and understandings that were “for the common good”. As can be seen in documents preserved in the archives of prominent Maniate families, at the beginning of March all the captains were communicating between themselves and with Petrobey, either through coded letters or personal contacts, in order to prepare the common mode of action. Around the middle of March all final decisions that had been taken since the meetings and exchanges of letters were stopped completely. The leaders were now completely and exclusively absorbed in preparing their forces.

It can be seen from written sources that on the eve of the Revolution, the high priests and dignitaries of Achaia who had also avoided being detained in Tripolitsa, requested from Petrobey that Mani should be the first region to begin the insurrection. Petrobey subsequently invited all the Maniate chieftans to a meeting in Tsimova (today called Ereopolis), the capital of the Mavromichaleon, on 17th March 1821. There they “agreed to raise their weapons against the Turks”, as witnessed by Ioannis Kolokotronis and Theodoros Kolokotronis -who was present- undertook to convey this decision to the Chieftans in Messinia, Arkadia and Achaia. Local traditions has preserved this event as a legend, in accordance with which all the chieftans assembled in the square of the city, in front of the Church of Taxiarchon, and they raised the first revolutionary flag in Kotroni. The makeshift flag was a piece of white material with a sky blue cross in the middle. The words “Νίκθ ι Θάνατοσ” (Niki or Thanatos =“Victory or Death”) (and not “Freedom” as Mani was considered to be free) were inscribed in the upper part, and in the lower part were the words «ταν ι επί τασ» (tan or epi tas = “with this or upon this”). The flag was blessed by the priests and all the leaders, together with Petrobey, swore that they will fight united for the liberation of the nation.

The new proclamation of the revolution spread from Mani to the remaining parts of the Peloponnese. This was followed a few days later by the assembling of the warriors and their organisation into units, followed immediately by two raids launched by the Maniates. The first carried out by the leaders of Eastern Mani under the Grigorakides, against and Mystra on the afternoon of Saturday 19th March, as verified by a letter from Canon Gerasimos to Panagiotis Kosonakos, making known the beginning of the war and exhorting him to spread the news. The leaders of Western Mani, under Petrobey, moved towards . The first to enter the city on 20th March was Petrobey’s son, Ilias, leading a unit of Maniates, with the pretext that he was to reinforce the local Turkish Guard. All the other chieftans followed on the following day, and on 23rd March they occupied the city without spilling a drop of blood. They then attended the first official doxology. They subsequently drew up the proclamation that was signed by Petrobey Mavromichalis with the honorary title “Commander in Chief of the Spartan Forces”, by which they made known the decision by the Hellenic Nation to the European Powers to overthrow the Turkish yoke and asked for their assistance.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Vagiakakos, D., “Η κιρυξισ τθσ επαναςτάςεωσ ςτθ Μάνθ, 17 Μαρτίου 1821”, in Lakonia. Special dedication by the revue “HOS”, 1998, 278-280. Vakalopoulos, Α., “Επίλεκτεσ βαςικζσ ιςτορικζσ πθγζσ τθσ Ελλθνικισ Επαναςτάςεωσ (1813-1825)”, Thessaloniki 1990. Daskalakis, Α., “Η ζναρξισ τθσ Επαναςτάςεωσ εισ τθν Λακωνίαν”, Λακωνικαί Σπουδαί 2 (1975), 5-62. Daskalakis, Α., ”Η προπαραςκευι τθσ ελλθνικισ επαναςτάςεωσ εισ τθν Λακωνίαν”, Λακωνικαί Σπουδαί 1 (1971), 1-72. Daskalakis, Α., Αρχείον Τηωρτηάκθ-Γρθγοράκθ. Ανζκδοτα ιςτορικά ζγγραφα Μάνθσ (1810-1835), Athens 1976. Daskalakis, Α., “Η ζναρξισ τθσ ελλθνικισ επαναςτάςεωσ του 1821”, Athens 1962. Kokkinos, D., “Η Ελλθνικι Επανάςταςισ”, Athens 1956. Koutsilieris, Α., “Ιςτορία τθσ Μάνθσ. Αρχαία - μεςαιωνικι - νεώτερθ”, Athens 1993. Mangiorakos, K.P., “Το αποτζλεςμα εκ τθσ ςυμμετοχισ των Μανιατών κατά τθν ζναρξιν του αγώνοσ του 1821”, Athens 1971. Patriarcheas, V., “Δίπτυχον τθσ εκνεγερςίασ”, Athens 1972. Trikoupis, S., “Ιςτορία τθσ Ελλθνικισ Επαναςτάςεωσ”, Athens 1968.. Filimon, Ι., “Δοκίμιον ιςτορικόν περί τθσ ελλθνικισ επαναςτάςεωσ”, Athens 1860. Fotopoulos, Α., “Οι Γιατράκοι του 1821”, Athens 2001.

FIGURES 1. Maniates. Paris, National Library (Πανόραμα Ελλθνικισ Επαναςτάςεωσ, Edition: Κ. Koumoundoureas, Athens). 2. Petrobeys Mavromichalis revolts in Messinia, Paris, National Library (1821, Η Ελλθνικι Επανάςταςθ. , 40 Coloured Lithographs with Heroes and Battles from the Struggle, Edition: Delta, Athens 1996, p. 43). 3. Portrait of Petrobeys Mavromichalis. Athens, National Historical Museum (Ιςτορία του Ελλθνικοφ Ζκνουσ, Ekdotiki Athens, Athens, τ. ΙΒ΄, p. 92). 4. Representation of the doxology on 23rd March 1821 in Kalamata. Kalamata, Benakio Museum (Ιςτορία του Ελλθνικοφ Ζκνουσ, Ekdotiki Athens, Athens, τ. ΙΒ΄, p. 88).