Dimitrios Makris

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Dimitrios Makris
A portrait of Dimitrios Makris.
Native name
Δημήτριος Μακρής
Bornc. 1772
Gavalou, Sanjak of Karli-Eli, Ottoman Empire (now Greece)
Diedc. 1841
Gavalou, Aetolia, Kingdom of Greece
Allegiance
Years of service1821–1840
RankGeneral
Battles/warsGreek War of Independence
  • Third Siege of Missolonghi
ChildrenNikolaos Makris (son)

Dimitrios Makris (

armatolos[3] who was one of the most powerful chieftains in West Central Greece. He joined the Filiki Eteria and became a revolutionary during the Greek War of Independence
.

Early life

Dimitrios Makris was born in 1772 in Gavalou, Evrytania. His father was Evangelos Makris, who had taken part in the Greek revolt in 1770. After his death Dimitrios became Captain in the district of Zyghos.[4]

Greek War of Independence

He was originally a

Vrachori.[5] He was initiated into the Filiki Eteria
just before the revolution was launched in Western Greece on May 5, 1821. He participated as a representative of Zygos in the Assembly of Western Continental Greece in 1821.

He participated in many battles against the Ottoman Turks including the

Third Siege of Missolonghi. During the siege Dimitrios Makris married Eupraxia, daughter of the city's notable Samos Razi-Kotsikas.[6] He later fought in Agrinio and Aitoliko and with the collaboration of Georgios Karaiskakis troops attacked and repulsed a body of Albanians.[7] Soon after he joined the troops of Alexandros Mavrokordatos
. In 1823 he was named a general in the rebel army. After the establishment of the Greek kingdom Makris refrained from accepting any political and military honors. He returned to his home town, where he eventually died in 1841.

Historical relics

Numerous weapons of Dimitros Makris are preserved in the City Hall of Missolonghi including the sword which he used in the Exodus of Missolonghi, which belonged to his ancestral family and dates back to the old fighters of 1732. The museum also hold his famous silver rifle, the Liaros.

See also

References

  1. OCLC 297320642
    . One of the Greek chiefs, by name Demetrius Makris, however, once more rallied the fainting Greeks in fighting order, and made head against the Albanians.
  2. . in 1800, Demetrios Makris, a kleftis, had succeeded his father to the kapetaniliki in the district of Zyghos. A simple yet very stubborn man,
  3. . …the chiefs Dimitrios Makris…Makris, armatolos of Zigos, was one of the heroes of Mesolonghi. He had acquired much wealth by plundering the Turks of Vrachori, and he had done well for himself out of the proceeds of the English loans.
  4. . in 1800, Demetrios Makris, a kleftis, had succeeded his father to the kapetaniliki in the district of Zyghos. A simple yet very stubborn man,
  5. . …the chiefs Dimitrios Makris…Makris, armatolos of Zigos, was one of the heroes of Mesolonghi. He had acquired much wealth by plundering the Turks of Vrachori, and he had done well for himself out of the proceeds of the English loans.
  6. . General Dimitrios Makris wedded Eupraxia, daughter of the city notable Samos Razi-Kotsikas, during the siege of Mesolongi by the Turks.
  7. . …they were again attacked by a body of Albanians in ambuscade, who rushed upon them with the yell of devils. One of the Greek chiefs, by name Demetrius Makris, however, once more rallied the fainting Greeks in fighting order, and made head against the Albanians, while at last about three hundred of Karaiskaki's braves, attracted by the clash of arms, came down from their lurking places in the mountain, and the Albanians were repulsed.