Pavlos Melas
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Pavlos Melas Παῦλος Μελᾶς | |
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Nickname(s) | Kapetan Mikis Zezas Καπετάν Μίκης Ζέζας |
Born | 29 March 1870 Marseille, Second French Empire |
Died | 13 October 1904 (aged 34) Statitsa, Ottoman Empire (now Melas, Greece) |
Buried | |
Allegiance | Kingdom of Greece |
Service/ | Hellenic Army |
Years of service | 1891–1904 |
Rank | Second lieutenant |
Battles/wars | |
HMC |
Pavlos Melas (Greek: Παύλος Μελάς, Pávlos Melás; 29 March 1870 – 13 October 1904) was a Greek revolutionary and artillery officer of the Hellenic Army. He participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and was amongst the first Greek officers to join the Macedonian Struggle.
Early life and career
Melas was born in
He became member 25 of the Ethniki Etaireia and participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897.
Armed action
Melas, with the cooperation of his brother-in-law
Death
In July 1904 (under the alias "Captain Mikis Zezas", Καπετάν Μίκης Ζέζας), he reentered Macedonia with a small unit of men and fought against the VMRO until 13 October 1904 when he was killed after being surrounded by Ottoman forces in the village of Siatista. The village with coordinates 40° 42' N 021° 16' E has been renamed Melas in his honour, after joining Greece.
After his death, Greek efforts became more intense, resulting in the interception of Bulgarian Komitadji efforts, especially in West and Central Macedonia, which was annexed by Greece after the Balkan Wars.
Legacy
He is considered to be a symbol of the Greek Struggle for Macedonia and many of his personal belongings can be seen in the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle in Thessaloniki and Pavlos Melas Museum in Kastoria.
His granddaughter Natalia Mela was a distinguished sculptor.
Gallery
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A photograph of Pavlos Melas as a second lieutenant in the Greek Army.
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Pavlos Melas as a second lieutenant in the Greek Army. Portrait by Georgios Jakobides.
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In Macedonomachos uniform
References
- ISBN 978-0-429-51366-4.
- ISBN 978-1-4766-1019-1.