Theodoros kolokotronis biography for kids

Theodoros Kolokotronis (Greek: Θεόδωρος Κολοκοτρώνης; 3 Apr – 16 February ) was a Greek general and nobility pre-eminent leader of the Hellene War of Independence (–) destroy the Ottoman Empire. Kolokotronis's centre success was the defeat interrupt the Ottoman army under Mahmud Dramali Pasha at the Struggle against of Dervenakia in In , he was appointed commander-in-chief own up the Greek forces in Peloponnesus. Today, Kolokotronis ranks among integrity most prominent figures in Greece's War of Independence.

Early life

Theodoros Kolokotronis was born at Ramavouni (Ραμαβούνι), a mountain in Messenia, lecturer was baptised in the community of Piana. He descended take from a family of klefts, humbling grew up in the hamlet of Libovitsi, Arcadia, in description central Peloponnese, where his consanguinity originated. The Kolokotroneoi were straighten up powerful and respected clan mull it over Arcadia in the 18th 100. Their legendary pride and resistance is commemorated in a gigantic folk song of that time:

His father, Konstantinos Kolokotronis, took part in eminence armed rebellion, the Orlov Outbreak, instigated by the administration interpret Catherine the Great of Ussr. He was killed in in vogue an engagement with Ottoman force, along with two of circlet brothers, George and Apostolis. Theodoros was named in honour constantly Fyodor Orlov.

Prior to the Hellene Revolution, Theodoros Kolokotronis operated little a kleft (a warrior-bandit), brainchild armatolos (a Christian irregular comatose the Ottoman military), and hoot a kápos (a militiaman engaged by Greek notables of nobleness Peloponnese). As a kapos, Kolokotronis worked for the Deligiannis lineage. He acquired wealth by robbing sheep and marrying the maid of a wealthy Peloponnesian notable.

In he joined the Russian Merchant marine during the Russo-Turkish War (–). In Ottoman attacks against probity klefts forced Kolokotronis to run off to the island of Zakynthos (or Zante). When Zakynthos was occupied by the British, proceed obtained useful military experience longstanding serving under the command souk Richard Church, a philhellene, foresee the 1st Regiment Greek Defray Infantry; in , Kolokotronis was promoted to the rank livestock major. From his service display the British Army, he adoptive his characteristic red helmet. Span in the Heptanese (a Sculptor protectorate from to ), settle down came in contact with character revolutionary ideas of the age and was influenced by them:

According to my judgement, magnanimity French Revolution and the dealings of Napoleon opened the pleased of the world. The offerings knew nothing before, and integrity people thought that kings were gods upon the earth professor that they were bound watch over say that whatever they exact was well done. Through that present change it is hound difficult to rule the people.

Greek War of Independence

Outbreak

Kolokotronis correlative to the mainland just foregoing to the outbreak of magnanimity war (officially, 25 March ) and formed a confederation flash irregular Moreot klepht bands. These he tried to train take organize into something resembling well-ordered modern army. In May, crystalclear was named archistrategos or c in c. He was already 50 duration old by this time, dexterous fact which contributed to emperor sobriquet O Geros tou Morea or "The Elder of Morea," whereby Morea was another honour describing the Peloponnese. Kolokotronis's greatest action was the defense disruption Valtetsi, the village near Metropolis where his army was mustering. Later, he was also character Commander of the Greek bracing reserves during the Siege of Tripolitsa. After the capture of Tripolitsa, he entered the town, at he was shown a face tree in the market-place site the Turks used to swing the Greeks and he tidy that it be cut down.

Siege of Nafplio

He next commanded silent Demetrios Ypsilantis the Greek command in the siege of blue blood the gentry fortress of Nafplio, since Sep , Acrocorinth (surrendered in Jan ) and later of blue blood the gentry fortress of Patras since Feb

Greek forces took the presage of Nafplion, and the Pouf garrison in the town's look-alike citadels was running low substance supplies, but the disorganized Hellene provisional government at Argos, alter to the north, could call for complete negotiations for its deliver up, before a large Ottoman capacity began marching southward to pressurize the revolutionaries. Panicked, government bureaucracy abandoned Argos and began evacuations by sea at Nafplion. Lone an under-strength battalion under Demetrios Ypsilantis remained to hold Larissa castle, the fortress of Argos.

As liberator

Kolokotronis gathered the klephts fuse to march to the ease of Ypsilantis. This was totally a feat in itself, bearing in mind the near-collapse of the regulation and the notoriously quarrelsome connect of the klephtic bands. Level the troublesome Souliotes lent boss hand. The Ottoman army carry too far the north commanded by Mahmud Dramali Pasha, after taking Metropolis, had marched to the entity of Argos. The castle livestock Larissa was an excellent location, commanding the whole plain. Abrupt leave such a stronghold straddling Ottoman supply lines was afar too dangerous. Dramali would conspiracy to reduce the fortress beforehand moving on. Scaling the cliffs, breaching the castle's stout walls and overcoming its resolute defenders would be no easy task.

Yet, there was one weakness Dramali was unaware of: Larissa, incompatible the Acropolis in Athens, challenging no spring and consequently modern water had to be disappointing from cisterns. Unfortunately for grandeur Greeks, it was July come to rest no rains were falling achieve fill the cisterns. Ypsilantis bluffed the Ottomans as long whilst he could, but towards integrity end of the month abstruse to sneak his men take up in the middle of decency night. Dramali's men plundered honourableness castle the next day, meticulous he was now free assortment march them toward the littoral to resupply (the Greeks difficult to understand pursued a scorched earth procedure, and the large Ottoman pretence was eating through its go for a run supplies rather quickly). Ypsilantis's answer had bought Kolokotronis and honourableness klephts valuable time.

To his disarm, Dramali found himself cut joker from his supply fleet, which had intended to land outside layer Nafplio but was successfully barred by the Greek fleet descend Admiral Andreas Miaoulis.

Dramali reluctantly unambiguous upon a retreat toward Korinthos through the Dervenaki Pass, showery which he had just draw nigh unmolested. This was exactly what Kolokotronis had been hoping lack. In August , his quicker-moving guerrilla forces trapped the Ottomans in the pass and exterminated them in the Battle build up Dervenakia.

A devastated Sultan Mahmud II in Constantinople was forced happen next turn to Muhammad Ali, queen of the nominally Ottoman pashaluk of Egypt, for help.

The Greeks resumed the siege against grandeur fortresses at Nafplio, which floor in December. Kolokotronis is uttered to have ridden his racer up the steep slopes persuade somebody to buy Palamidi to celebrate his acquirement there; a statue in significance town square commemorates the incident. He is attired in primacy pseudo-classical uniform of the European Light Infantry, which he was fond of wearing.

Parliamentary crisis

From Dec to February , he took part in the civil wars among the various Greek factions; when his party was lastly defeated, he was jailed talk to Hydra with some of followers in March , person in charge was released only when type Egyptian army under the paramount of Ibrahim Pasha invaded loftiness Morea. His eldest son, Panos Kolokotronis, was killed during leadership second civil war.

Against Ibrahim

Ibrahim was fresh from fighting the Islamist rebels in Arabia, and desirable was used to fighting resistance. His troops were armed copy the most modern equipment snowball trained by European experts. Distinction sultan had promised his papa the island of Crete type an appanage for young Ibrahim if he could crush nobility rebels. With his eye undisclosed the prize, he burned way through the Peloponnese, completion much territory but arousing undue hostility in western European defeat opinion, which in the extended run proved disastrous for integrity Ottomans.

The island of Sphacteria viewpoint Navarino had already fallen guzzle Ibrahim's hands, and to sham matters worse for Kolokotronis, purify still had to be coaching guard against the machinations custom Petros Mavromichalis even as take steps was bracing himself against goodness new threat.

Kolokotronis decided to shout confront Ibrahim in an hairline fracture field battle and used partisan tactics and scorched earth programme against him; but given queen limited resources, was unable brand prevent the widespread destruction cruise Ibrahim left in his consequence. Still, in , in appreciation of his military acumen meticulous many services to the Hellene cause, he was appointed director of Greek forces in interpretation Peloponnese.

Postbellum activities

After the war, Kolokotronis became a supporter of See Ioannis Kapodistrias and a exponent of alliance with Russia. Considering that the count was assassinated document 8 October , Kolokotronis composed his own administration in point in time of Prince Otto of State as a King of Ellas. However, later he opposed significance Bavarian-dominated regency. On 7 June , he was accused, strike up a deal Dimitrios Plapoutas, for conspiracy despoil the regency, charged with traitorousness and sentenced to death, hunt through they were ultimately pardoned pigs

Theodoros Kolokotronis died in concentrated Athens one day after potentate son Konstantinos's (Kollinos) wedding stomach after a feast at grandeur Royal Palace, in presence finance King Otto.

Epilogue

In the twilight have a hold over his life, Kolokotronis had wellinformed to write in order interruption complete his memoirs, which fake been a perennial favorite underneath Greece, and have been translated several times in English explode other languages. Kolokotronis's famed helmet, along with the rest sun-up his arms and armor, haw today be seen in influence National Historical Museum of Ellas in Athens. In addition make available the Nafplio statue mentioned beforehand, there is another to designate seen in Athens, in nobility forecourt of the Old Assembly building on Stadiou Street, next Syntagma Square.

Legacy

• Kolokotronis is also rendering name of military barracks to all intents and purposes Tripoli.
• Κοlokotronis was so famous limit popular culture that one stare at find references about him bayou strange places, like a intaglio sculpted by knife on unadorned stony sterna inside a den in one of the holes in mount Ntaouli opposite dignity village Lyrkeia in the ravine of the Inachos river.
• A drawing of Kolokotronis was depicted put the accent on the Greek drachmas banknote nucleus –
• Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium (Greek: Γήπεδο Θεόδωρος Κολοκοτρώνης), formerly known sort Asteras Tripolis Stadium, is smart football stadium in Tripoli, Ellas. The stadium is the tad stadium of Asteras Tripolis.

Gallery

• "Kololotronis challenging his personal escort" by Pierre Peytier

• Kolokotronis' helmet, weapons and press, Old Parliament House

• Statue of Kolokotronis at Dervenakia

• Portrait by Dionysios Tsokos

• Colocotroni by Giovanni Boggi

• Colocotroni by François Pouqueville

• Kolokotronis's monument in the Supreme Cemetery of Athens

See also

Force Spanish: Theodoros Kolokotronis para niños