Landmarks of 1821
20 Landmarks of 1821 in
the Municipality of Kymi - Aliveri
Historical Context: Turkish Occupation in Euboea and the Preceding Latin Rule
Introductory Note
The strategic location of Euboea in Greece, its rich flora and fauna, and its geological composition determined conditions of significant development and wealth production on the island from prehistoric times. At the same time, these factors increased the desire of various would-be conquerors to control and occupy the island. This was especially true for central Euboea, the richest and most densely populated area, which today falls within the administrative boundaries of the modern Kallikratis Municipality of Kymi-Aliveri.
“Whoever rules Euboea, rules Greece.” This was the strategic doctrine of Philip II of Macedon when, starting from his initially small kingdom in the north, he launched his expansionist campaign southward. His immediate priority was to secure control over Euboea, which he achieved in 338 BC after the Battle of Chaeronea.
A long-contested land and a “highly desirable prize,” Euboea came under two consecutive foreign rulers during the Middle Ages: the Venetians from 1204 to 1470 and the Turks from 1470 to 1833.
In the autumn of 1204, the Crusaders captured Euboea under Boniface of Montferrat, the Latin King of Thessaloniki. He divided the island into three administrative regions (terzieri), which were initially governed by three Lombard barons. However, control of the island gradually passed into the hands of the Venetians.
On July 12, 1470, Mehmed II captured Chalcis and subsequently the entire island after a desperate and heroic resistance by the Venetian and Greek defenders. For 363 years, Euboea suffered under the barbaric rule of the Ottoman conquerors, who subjected the local population to severe oppression, possibly exceeded only by that suffered in Crete. The inhabitants of Euboea’s villages endured humiliation and degradation under Turkish oppression.
According to research by Georgios Fousaras published in 1964: “Not only did the Turks forbid the establishment and operation of schools, not only were teachers not allowed to travel to the countryside, but the Euboeans could hardly even find priests to baptize them, marry them, or perform funeral rites for their dead.”
Thus, by the end of the Greek War of Independence, the arrival of King Otto found Euboea with a ruined economy and its people in a state of extreme intellectual destitution.
Between the two occupations, despite some similarities, there were crucial differences related to the nature and goals of the invaders. While the Crusaders initially had purely religious and sacred motives, they later devolved into opportunistic adventurers seeking economic gain. However, the common religious foundations of Greeks and Latins (Orthodoxy and Catholicism) led to this period being historically recorded as an attempt by the West to expand into the East. This expansion coincided with the declining and deteriorating state of the Byzantine Empire, which had already begun in the 11th century. Although it was an unfortunate chapter for Euboea, it was still “lighter” compared to the barbaric and merciless Turkish rule.
Under these conditions and following the failed uprising of February 1821 led by Alexandros Ypsilantis in the Danubian Principalities, the Greek War of Independence officially began in March 1821, with key battles in the Peloponnese (Mani and Achaea). By April, revolutionary fervor had spread almost everywhere. In Euboea, the revolution started on May 8, 1821, in Limni and Xirochori.
However, it faced significant challenges due to specific circumstances. With two fortresses controlling the Euripus Strait—one in Chalcis and the other at Karababa on the opposite coast—the Turks had secured their dominance over the island. Additionally, apart from the central administration in Chalcis, which housed the Pasha’s seat, separate Turkish administrations existed in Karystos and Xirochori. The Ottoman navy had the ability to reach the Euripus Strait from both the northern and southern Euboean gulfs, allowing them to raid and burn coastal villages.
The reasons why the revolt of the Euboeans did not succeed can be summarized as follows:
- There were not enough armed groups of klephts and armatoloi in Euboea.
- The severe persecution by the Turks had decimated the Greek Christian population. As a result, by 1821, there were very few Greek families left. Additionally, the security offered by the island continuously increased the Turkish population at the expense of the native inhabitants.
- The number of residents in the area of the present-day Municipality of Kymi-Aliveri who had been initiated into the Filiki Eteria was minimal, while the local elders (proestoi) did not adequately prepare the people for the uprising.
- Those who centrally planned and led the preparation and organization of the liberation struggle of 1821, mainly from the Peloponnese and Roumeli, seem to have initially left the region of Central Euboea—perhaps even the entire island—out of their plans.
- After the premature death, early in the revolution, of the renowned chieftain Angelis Govios at the Battle of Vrysakia, there was no leader of equivalent stature to inspire and unite the warring factions in Euboea, nor to harness the strength and enthusiasm of the people.
Thus, the Euboean revolutionaries were unable to overthrow Turkish rule through armed struggle, and the Turks remained entrenched on the island until they were fully compensated for the land they had unlawfully occupied. However, the impoverished and destitute Euboeans lacked the financial means to buy these lands, leading to most of the land falling into the hands of wealthy local and foreign landowners, with the most notable case being that of Alexandros Kondostavlos. Naturally, the local population reacted to this injustice, but it took many years of legal battles and government interventions before the land was restored to its rightful owners.
Nevertheless, on April 7, 1833, King Otto’s regency was forced to send Iakovos Rizos Neroulos to take possession of the fortress of Chalkida from the Turkish governor, Hadji Ismail, under the threat of arms.
From the heroic struggle of the Euboean revolutionaries of 1821, specific landmarks have been selected within the current administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Kymi-Aliveri, where revolutionary events and battles between the Greeks and their Turkish occupiers took place. The relevant information is based on existing literature. This selection is, of course, subjective and does not claim infallibility. However, an effort has been made to ensure a fair geographical distribution within the boundaries of the Municipality of Kymi-Aliveri.
A valuable source of information and historical documentation was the monumental work of Nathanail Ioannou, Evoika: A History Containing Four Years of War in the Island of Euboea, published in Syros in 1857, as well as the authoritative source on these matters, the book History of the Island of Euboea by Dr. Konstantinos Gounaropoulos, published in Thessaloniki in 1930. According to esteemed historians, these two works are significant sources of information about this epic struggle that took place during the revolution in the heroic island of Euboea. Notably, Nathanail Ioannou was an eyewitness to the events and provides reliable historical accounts in his work, as he had direct knowledge of the people and incidents involved. He was a model of virtue and patriotism. For the sake of his country, he abandoned his position as an archimandrite, took up arms, formed his own group of revolutionaries, and fought in Euboea, Attica, and Missolonghi, where he was seriously wounded.
The research and composition of the texts for this work were carried out by Mr. Giorgos Tzanis, President of the Aliveri Chapter of the Society of Euboean Studies.
Nevertheless, on April 7, 1833, King Otto’s regency was forced to send Iakovos Rizos Neroulos to take possession of the fortress of Chalkida from the Turkish governor, Hadji Ismail, under the threat of arms.
From the heroic struggle of the Euboean revolutionaries of 1821, specific landmarks have been selected within the current administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Kymi-Aliveri, where revolutionary events and battles between the Greeks and their Turkish occupiers took place. The relevant information is based on existing literature. This selection is, of course, subjective and does not claim infallibility. However, an effort has been made to ensure a fair geographical distribution within the boundaries of the Municipality of Kymi-Aliveri.
A valuable source of information and historical documentation was the monumental work of Nathanail Ioannou, Evoika: A History Containing Four Years of War in the Island of Euboea, published in Syros in 1857, as well as the authoritative source on these matters, the book History of the Island of Euboea by Dr. Konstantinos Gounaropoulos, published in Thessaloniki in 1930. According to esteemed historians, these two works are significant sources of information about this epic struggle that took place during the revolution in the heroic island of Euboea. Notably, Nathanail Ioannou was an eyewitness to the events and provides reliable historical accounts in his work, as he had direct knowledge of the people and incidents involved. He was a model of virtue and patriotism. For the sake of his country, he abandoned his position as an archimandrite, took up arms, formed his own group of revolutionaries, and fought in Euboea, Attica, and Missolonghi, where he was seriously wounded.
The research and composition of the texts for this work were carried out by Mr. Giorgos Tzanis, President of the Aliveri Chapter of the Society of Euboean Studies.