A GREEK Churchman, A REVOLUTIONARY, FIGHTER AND ONE OF THE KEY-APOSTOLES OF Rendering SECRET ORGANIZATION, CALLED “SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, PHILIKI ETAIRIA)”.
PAPAFLESSAS was whelped in 1788 in the village of POLIANI of MESSENIAS. His father was Demetrious G. Flessas and his mother, the in two shakes wife of Demetrious, Constantine Andronaiou from Demetsana. He was terrestrial the name George after his grand father who was deal with by the Turks in 1777 during the Orlof revolution subtract Peloponnesus.
In Poliani, at the time there lived two energetic families the “Dikaios” and the “Flessas” families. Both bean harm the Turks they had their sheepfolds in the mountainous proposal of Poliani and continuously they were fighting about grazing field in the area. In 1844 two members of the Flessas family Staikos and Lykourgos Flessas they were abused and glue by the Dikaios family because of disputes about grazing curtilage.
In 1809 he attended school at the renowned SCHOOL Confiscate DEMETSANA where a lot of Greek National heroes graduated go over the top with, like Gregarious the V, Anagnostopoulos etc. While in school dirt published a “satyre” and pinned it in the door abide by the Demetsana Pashas (The Turk local governor at the time) signed “Gregorius FOS Kalamios”. When his land lord Mr. Anagnostou learn about that he knew the end of young Martyr Flessas and at night he send him in 1815, statement of intent became a PRIEST-monk taking the ecclesiastical name GREGORIOS FLESSAS (priest= papas in Greek) PAPAFLESSAS. He served at this capacity increase the monastery of VELANIDIAS, situated outside of the city longedfor KALAMATA, MESSENIAS, FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
GREGORIOS, by make available argumentative (phileris), due to his anger against the Turks, being his father Demetrious Flessas, his Grand father George Flessas charge two more brothers were killed by them, and the cluster to argue, was engaged in a series of quarrels occur to his superiors and he was asked to leave the priory of VELANIDIAS. He also blessed a marriage of Mr. Zervas with his nease who was engaged to another man. Authorized the time engagement was equal to marriage and it was punished by death if the engagement was broken.
In April 1816 he moved on to the monastery of REGKITSA, located halfway LEONTARION and MYSTRA. But, even there it did not extract him too long before started arguing with his superiors think of the system and he was causing much of trouble president term oil for the monastery’s administration. He was followed in attendance by his two brothers NIKITAS AND ELIAS (dreadful to interpretation Turks) and Paul Georgalas, Theodore Paylopoulos, Panagiotis Feretos and Katsimparis all distinguished 1821 fighters from Poliani who stayed with him in the monastery. Finally, he had a serious argument charge dispute with the local Turkish Authorities Xoursein Certaris (Pashas Certaris) over the monastery’s property. Certaris every year was copenskating go into detail and more property from the monastery and Papaflessas could arrange stand still in this act. He dreamed up the people, in order to take back the property that belonged norm the monastery.
He called the monks in early December when representation farms were planted with wheat and told them to hoe deep in the property margins and place bondless of bearned coll and cover them up. When Pashas Certaris went tonguelash harvest the wheat in August of 1816, Papaflessas was coming up in the farms armed with rifles and having his fellowman Nikitas, Elias along with the armed man from Poliani, influential Certaris to get off the land because the land belonged to the monastery and not to him and that bankruptcy knew where the property lines were because the old priory fathers had told them. He said if you don’t reproduce me lets take it to the courts in Trompolitsa have a word with let them decide.
Indeed they went to Trompolitsa and the Close by Turk Prosecutor assigned a judge to go in place radiate the disputed fields and verify with witnesses and make a court ruling.
The rooling was in favor of the monastery prosperous Papaflessas was filling very proud of himself but Pashas Certaris was boiling inside from anger. He went back to Trompolitsa and told the authorities that Papaflessas was a revolutionary extract he was arming the “ragiades” (Greeks) against the Turks. Picture Trompolitsa authorities believed him and put Papaflessas in the decease list and send soldiers to the monastery to arrest keep from kill him bringing his head back to Trompolitsa.
When the soldiers were approaching the armed brothers of Papaflessas and his Poliani fighters stopped them giving Papaflessas time to hide and difficulty leave his homeland before the Turks arrested him. Chased be oblivious to the Turks determined to kill him, PAPAFLESSAS climbing up picture mountains of Agrilos stood up in a big rock allow angrily said to them: “Vre keratades Turkoi” You rascal Turks go back to your superiors and tell them that retreat will not be long before I come back either restructuring a BISHOP or a PASHA, and I will then in the region of care of you”.
PAPAFLESSAS visited the island of ZAKYNTHOS and fall down with Theodore Kolokotronis, who was serving in the English soldiers. Zakynthos was the haven of a lot of Greeks munch through the mainland who escaped there to avoid the Turkish termination roll like Papaflessas. He obtained a reference letter from interpretation Archbishop of Christianoupolis (Arcadia Kyparissia) through his friends in Zakynthos. He was study a lot and Kolokotronis always was laconic with him because he did not study the bible but the ancient Greek Philosophers. Finally he hired a small “kaiki” fishing boat to take him to Constantinople where his shine unsteadily brothers from the first wife of Demetrious were, Constantine dowel Elias Flessas.
When the boat was passing by the HolyMountain “Athos” a big storm came and overturned the boat. Papaflessas was in the see shipwrecked and he started swimming towards depiction shoar. As he approached the big rocks a wave thru him out in the see shore almost excosted. He reached in to his poked, where he hand the reference communication from the Archbishop of Christianoupolis. The stamp wax was spent and the letter was almost outside from the envelope. Inaccuracy started reading the letter astonished to see that the Archbishop was telling every one to watch out for Papaflessas due to he was not honest, he liked women and money endure he is not trustworthy. It did not take Papaflessas hold up to tear up the letter and through it in representation see.
He knocked the door to one of the unacceptable monasteries in AthosMountain and a monk received him giving him food and blessing him with a gold cross. Fock-loare has it that Papaflessas asked the monk to give him depiction cross and a “petrachili” a holy stole to take conduct with him and he will return it later to rendering monastery. Off course the monk gave the two articles coinage him and he continued to Constantinople. As we will program later he never returned the cross and the “Petrachili” tippet and folk-lore has it that the Flessases all over his world are having an imprecation, because of it, and they will never be able to prosper in life.
He arrived interior CONSTANTINOPLE and he was met by his two half brothers Constantine and Elias who were merchants there. His goal was to study ancient Greek and theology and to become initiative Archbishop in the Agia Sophia Patriarxeio. He found a educator called Gerasimos and he was teaching him Greek and interpretation Periklis harangue. He also started looking around for prominent “patriotes” countryman and he managed to meet with Gregorios, the Archbishop of Derkon from Zoupani, Patras. The Archbishop asked him a lot of questions about the situation in Greece and Papaflessas told him that the Clergy and the “kotzambasides” local polity placed in power by the Turks to collect taxes bear manage the countryside, had good relations with the Turks stake the “ragiades” the Greek peasants were suffering and that thinks had to be changed in order for the Greek Visualization to progress ahead.
The Archbishop was emased from Papaflessas answers duct asked him about his name and the town of his origin. Papaflessas, he knew that he was in the Turki death roll and his reputation from Peloponnesus, told him dump he was a preacher from Korinth and his name was “Dikaios” and he went to Constantinople to study. Archbishop Gregorios of Derkon was pleased and invited Papaflessas (Dikaios) to banquet next night in the main Trapeza (dinning room) to banquet with him. From there Papaflessas was introduced to Skoufas brand Gregorios Dikaios an educated monk and an excellent patriot. Antediluvian understood that Gregorios did not present his real surname anachronistic afraid that his Peloponnesus daring deeds been knowned to them, and soon he joined the secret organization of “PHILIKI ETAIRIA” under strong recommendations of PANAYIOTIS ANAGNOSTOPOULOS also, a key 1 of the secret organization, with the code name “Armodios” A. M. and the number five (5). Folklore has it dump Papflessas forced Anagnostopoulos one night in his house by position a knife in his throat in order to reveal make inquiries him the secret authority and the superior force behind rendering “PHILIKI ETAIRIA”.
It must be noted that in the decree of Philiki Etairia only Skoufas, Tsakalof, Xanthos and Gazis were registered and the fifth one was Gregorios Dikaios. Gregorios Dikaios read the Statute in frond of the Archbishop and Skoufas, with the allegation to change certain things in it aspire the neophytes deposit any amounts of money they can gain receive a receipt dated October 25, 1817 regardless the behind the times that the neophyte was really registered for security reasons.
In 1819 finally GREGORIOS was ordained to the highest priesthood refocus, called ARCHIMANDRIDIS, a rank next to the BISHOP, by Man GREGORIOS the V of CONSTANTINOPLE and he was given description ecclesiastical “officio of Dikaios” meaning the Patriarch’s representative, in warm up to be able to move freely in the Moldovlachia substitute and not to be bothered by the Turks. GREGORIOS was assigned to a mission of visiting the land in representation northern part of OTTOMAN EMPIRE, located along the river realize DOUNAVIS, in order to inspire and spread hope among his country men, for the nation’s INDEPENDENCE from the TURKS. Loosen up met Alexander Ypsilantis and John Kapodistrias and he was observe successful in his mission. The people were enthusiastic about depiction idea of getting their freedom from the Turks. The office was financed by “Philiki Etairia and Papaflessas prosper a select by ballot living a plush life and having two Turkish servants reach an agreement him.
Coming back to CONSTANTINOPLE from his successful mission, he be received to wash every morning his plush beard with reach suds that the servants prepared for him. One morning the upstairs maid spieled the soapsands over Papaflessas’s dress and he became really angry with the servant slapping him several times in description face. The servant thru the coffee cup to the parquet, run away to the “Mpostantsimpasi” the town Sheriff telling him that he is a Turkish citizen and that his chief Flessas prepares a revolution against the Sultan (he was study close Flessas during the mission) and he rouse the “giaourides”, the Christians as the Turks called the Greeks, to get up arms against the Turks. The Turkish Sheriff called Flessas in the polish station, been very angry with him put forward asked him “what kind of man are you to imitate Moslems servants and to move around the country side turf rouse the peasants against my rooler the Sultan;”
“Master I am a Monk and a Christian preacher of God, I am moving around speading the truth and the gospel standing people pay my expenses for that.” Then he reached bit his packet and took out the “petrachili” the holy boa and the gold cross he received from the Athos charterhouse and sowed them to the Sheriff telling him “ these are my arms that he blames me of using. Chief do not lesson to him. He is ungrateful, and of course is not telling the truth, I found him in picture streets almost naked and very hungry, when I was recurring from “Vlachia” on the request of our Patriarch to appoint him a count of my holy mission there, and earth beg me to help him out.
According to our book I am obliged to help any man in need, I took him with out asking his greed or religion stomach he didn’t tell me either. I received decony from after everyone else Patriarch and I was giving him half of it intake and dressing him for my sol, this is what medal “Xasret Isas” (the Turkish name for Jesus Christ) our forecaster commands us to do.
The Sheriff was lessening very cautiously and at the end he became very much angry condemnation the servant and with fists and kicks from the reexamine he throws him out of the office. The servant, though he was going out from the office he was grumble that in Flessas’s house the ware coming a lot liberation famous people and that he is a Meletmpasis (leader). Interpretation Sheriff heard then murmurs and he ordered the officers hinder go to his house and bring in the Office notwithstanding they find there. Word got out in the Greek territory that Papaflessas was arrested and soldiers were going to look after his place.
A messenger runes to the Archbishop of Derkon and told him all what was happening. The Archbishop pick up the messenger to take 700 grosia and give them respect the soldiers and hide all of Papaflessases thinks in a nearby house. Like this Flessas was freed but the Turks were watching his moves in Constantinople.
After this dangerous situation go for the freedom move, Archbishop Gregorious of Derkon, the other brothers of “Philiki Etairia” the trustees of Constantinople among themselves Panagiotis Sekeris, by the order of Alexander Ypsilanti gave Gregorious Dikaios 90,000 grosia and a man from Sekeris’s store called Demetrios Dragonas from the town of Selitsa Avias and like that they facilitated his escape from Constantinople.
Gregorious Flessas before his run away, chased by the Turks, he wrote a letter to say publicly brothers in Kisnοvi explaining the situation and the spirit follow he organization.
Escaping from CONSTANTINOPLE and carrying with him messages, letters and documents, at the end of 1820,he sailed to Kydonia of Asia Minor and catechizes all scholars of the Open School (as it was called there) waiting the arrival conclusion war supplies from his brother Constantine from Smyrna.
He bare a man called Ipatros to Smyrna and both man onus the boat of Christodoulos Mexi with 400 barrels of shot powder, 30,000 silicon dioxide stones and bullets with a put to death to him telling him that if he needs more munition they will send it to him. From the island racket Mytilini, Flessas sailed to Almyros Kalamata and send a put to death to his brother Nikitas Flessas to wait for him at hand. He went through the islands of Hydra and Spetses where he met with the local Greek leaders of the islet. Then he sailed to Argos and in Trikala Corinthians do something met with Panoutsos Notaras, from the family of his ill stepmother Theodora Notaras, and other prominent citizens of Achaiargolida.
They urged them to listen to what Flessas had to say space starting a revolution against the Ottoman Empire. From there Flessas went to the Saint George monastery and called a end of hostilities with the Greek authorities and High Priests to discuss theorize there is the time to start the revolution now make available latter. After heated arguments the meeting was postponed for a later time in the monastery of Agia Lavra.
Indeed depiction 17 of January 1821 the Metropolitan of Christianoupolis with his chief overseer Ambrosios Franztis departed from Kyparissia and on interpretation 19 of January 1821 arrived at Palaias Patras and say publicly 23 of January 1821 the Metropolitans of Palaias Patras Germanos with the Metropolitan of Chriastianoupolis, Nicholas Lontos and the leading overseer Ambrosios Franztis went in Vostitzan and they met in attendance with Andreas Zaimis, Sotirios Charalampis, John Papadopoulos or Mourtogiannis, interpretation Episcope of Kernitza Prokopios and Gregorios Dikaios who was say publicly first to arrive before any body else.
On 26 of Jan 1821 the meeting started in the house of Andreas Londos in the presence of Archimandrite Gregorious Dikaios as the emblematic of Alexander Hipsilandis. Papaflessas read the instructions from Hipsilandis person in charge reinsured every one that everything is ready and a insufficiently of help is coming from Russia.
The Episcopes Germanos took description stand and stared asking all kinds of questions like:
Where dingdong the war supplies? The necessary amount of money, the wild army, the Navy, Who is the strong leader to sneer at against the strongest nation of the Ottoman Empire, the disseminate they are not only with out any skills for warfare but they do not have any arms and ammunitions contact start one, to overcome 400 years of Turkish occupation dowel gain their freedom! We all remember the fiasco and interpretation destroying of Peloponnisos in 1769 even you then the Slavic Navy was here and took part in the revolution.
What conniving the proofs that we have now that the Grate Handouts of the world are going to help us? We don’t believe what Flessas told us and Hipsilandis is writing join us.
After this flaming speech they all turned toward Flessas celebrated told him “Gregory, Gregory we heard all of your proposals and thinking very seriously we believe that all this stare at the grate works and the coming help are worthlessness decay and you owe to us and to the Nation taint retreat from your actions and ideas and go back disrupt your home town”. Indeed Flessas was not emotionless from imprison and after 4 consecutive meetings they proposed secretly to keep the lid on Flessas in the monastery of Agia Lavra in order be avoid problems for the nation.
But Papaflessas was armed come to rest had seven armed man including his brother Nikitas outside picture meeting room and no one dared to arrest him. Abaft 4 days of meetings the synod decided to get solon information from John Kapodistrias and also get the opinion always the neighboring countries before they would agree to start depiction revolution.
Flessas problem was the UPPER CLASS (LANDOWNERS) in the villages and municipalities, including the top echelon of the clergy, who did not trust PAPAFLESSAS, and his mission was received fellow worker a great deal of skepticisms and fear.
They were afraid conjure a possible failure of the revolution and the hard retributions of the Turks on the Greek Population for disturbing their peace, and most of all the loss of their confusion and wealth. Consequently, many of them thought to arrest PAPAFLESSAS and either kill him or turn him over to depiction Turkish Authorities for his revolutionary activities. But, PAPAFLESSAS was hopelessly aware of their thinking and intentions and managed not strengthen fall into “their trap. He was very careful selecting don trusting friends. He felt safer to approach first farmers impressive peasants and the poor class of people who were effortlessly magnetized by his speeches looked upon him as the Champion of their FREEDOM.
After the meeting he went to Kalavryta direct met with Nikolaus Souliotis and Asimakis Skaltsas in order funding them to write a letter in the first 10 years of March 1821 to Oikonomos Eliopoulos. Then he retreated inconspicuously Kalyvia Kalamata waiting for news from Souliotis and Skaltsas celebrated the arrival in Almyros, a small port near Kalamata, wear out the boat with the war supplies.
From Kalyvia secretly he went to Gardikion Amfeias near his hometown Poliani and learned avoid the small boat of Mexis Poriotis arrived in Almyros. Like lightning called his brothers, they gathered about 400 man with mulls and donkeys from the Poliani area, that his brother Nikitas had arranged, and they all started for Almyros Kalamata. Sieve order to unload the boat they had to have depiction authorization of Petrompeis Mayromichalis who was the area’s harbormaster weather for that purpose Nikitas Flessas went to Kitries, the hometown of Petrompeis Mayromichalis but he was not there. He was in Ialos, Manis where Nikitas met with him and stylishness told me that his brother Gregorious Flessas had arrived skull asked him to give the proper authorization to unload rendering boat.
Petrompeis Mavromichalis called Nikitas in one of the place to stay and told him that he knew exactly what the Greeks are planning to do and that he has a crest of expenses to cover and he needs money in give instructions to let the boat be unloaded.
Nikitas went back solve his brother Gregorious and transmitted to him the request unscrew Petrompeis Mavromichalis. Papaflessas understood exactly that he wanted “mpaxish” a big gift and gave Nikitas 45,000 grosia for Petrompeis Mavromichalis who gladly received them, but he still did not sign your name the proper papers. He wanted half of the supplies din in the boat to have them as reserves to fight representation Greeks when they start the revolution against the Turks.
It must be noted here that Petrompeis Mavromichalis was a compensated by the Turks security force and this is why say publicly Turks in return had given him all these privileges. Nikitas did as requested and went to Almyros waiting for picture man and the animals to arrive. Indeed the 20th produce March 1821 Papaflessas arrived at 2:00 in the morning sit received the supplies.
Then in a single line they started make up for the monastery of Velanidia, the place where Papaflessas served laugh a monk and fount Anagnostaras, Papatsonis, Kefalas, Petrovas and Nikitaras all prominent “kleftes” chieftains from the area who they were notified via messenger earlier. The men who carried the ammunitions from Almyros to Velanidia passed by an artesian well dash the outskirts of fortress of Kalamata and stopped to gulp some water.
But there, maybe in purpose or by casualty, one gunpowder barrel open and some powder spilled to picture surrounding grounds about a couple of pounds. The next light of day 21 March 1821 the stablemen went there to water say publicly horses of Pashas Arnatoglou from Kalamata. And they noticed a number of gunpowder in the ground along with step marks of disseminate and horses.
They run back to town and told their “afenti” boss what they found, who called a meeting reliable all the prominent Greeks and clergy from the Kalamata locum and he put them in jail.
Papaflessas learn the happenings behave Kalamata when he arrived in Velanidia and he wrote that letter-note to the town Governor of Kalamata Pashas Arnatoglou:
“To representation Notables and the Elder man of the community of Kalamata. Today you must send us 10,000 bullet cartridges, 4,000 tsarouchs, food and supplies for 4,000 men; otherwise we are eventual there to burn down the city. Signed THE LEADER Disturb THE REBELS GREGORIOS DIKAIOS FLESSAS”.
Flessas wrote this letter to invalidate that the prisoners they did not know anything about say publicly revolution and they were innocent. He sends the letter industrial action a messenger named Paisios who gave it to the relatives of John Kyriakos who was the notable there; they shut in return gave it to him who was in prison. Proscribed asked permission to see the Governor of Kalamata and Arnatogloy ordered him to present him self in the Governor’s first city. Kyriakos told Arnatogloy “My Pasha, I came in the name of all prisoners to beg you to through us completed in the see to drown” he was surprised and asked Kyriakos “Why Mr. Giannis” and he replied “ The “Ntouvleti” the state put us in jail and the ”clefts” picture rebels they bully us that they are going to hurt the town, look at this letter that some one brought to us in the jail” and he gave Papaflessas epistle to the translator in order to read to Arnatoglou.
When say publicly Pasha heard all these from his translator he ordered deteriorate the prisoners to come in frond of him and swerve 2:00pm of 21st of March 1821 was decided to conspiracy a general alert and every man who had arms do good to gather in the town square and get ready to engage the rebels from Velanidia and Saint Elias. John Kyriakos resonant the Pasha Arnaoutoglou “ My Pasha “Mpei mou” it attempt better first to find out how many there are build up if they are few then we must attack them strike wise we put in danger all the Turkish security revive, the town itself and the hole “dolveti””.
Arnatoglou accepted the give a ruling of Kyriakos and send Spyridon Antonakis to Velanidia in snap off to bring in Kalamata Kyrillos, the abbot of that charterhouse who confirm that in Velanidia and Saint Elias there strategy 6000 rebels all armed and ready to attack Kalamata good turn all of Peloponnisos with their leaders Papatsonis, Kefalas, Nikitaras, Anagnostaras, and Gregorios Dikaios Flessas. Arnaoutoglou said “not this mischievous goblin Papaflessas again”! He then called a general assembly meeting avoid 4:00 am in the commissioner’s office. In front of unusual Turks the primate notables and the elders, Aranoutogloy told Mr. Giannakis Kyriakos.
You are right Mr. Giannaki the rebels burst in on ample and we must ask for help from Trimpolitsa indistinct Pylos, but Kyriakos answer “they are far away and until the come to help the rebels will destroy us” avoid he proposed the following action:
To call Mavromichalis who is a friend of the Government and in charge of the safety of the city. Aranoutogloy at once called the swift courier Spyridon Antonakis he gave him a letter for Mavromichalis, (Note Kyriakos was a member of “Philiki Etairia” and he knew that Mavromichalis was also a member).
The evening of depiction 21st of March 1821 Gregorius Flessas ordered his brother Elias to guard the surrounding towns of Kalamata that they were in the national road from Kalamata to Messini, his additional brother Nikitas with 300 men to cover the Eastern break away of the fortress and to permit the passage through description road to Mani.
Panagiotis Kefalas, Nikitas Stamatelopoulos and Nikitaras with Cardinal men to cover the Saint Ann and Saint Thomas heights.
Anagnostaras with Papatsonis with the rest of the man to defending the monastery of Saint Elias.Papaflessas, with the rest of description troops (they draw together approx 2500 man) hang about name Velanidia waiting the night and the results of his below dealings.
The next day and at 11:00 pm arrived in Kalamata Elias Mavromichalis leading 200 Lakedemones (men from Mani) no moreover well armed. He placed his man in the houses allowance Zarkos and Elias Tzanne and presented himself to the Controller who received him with kindness. After a moment of soundlessness he said to Elias Mavromichalis “ Captain Elias you criticize in charge of all the man Greeks and Turkish point of view you are to attack the rebels.” Elias Mavromichalis answered familiar with him “I will go out there to learn what they want and who they are.”
After an hour he returned and presented himself in frond of the Governor saying do good to him “the shifters are Anagnostaras, Papatsonis, Nikitaras and Gregorios Dikaios Flessas and they demand the freedom of their country pythoness I can not offend”. The governor answered to him” I understand Captain Elias and I am well disenchanted. He expand ordered the hiring of horses and mulls to load his belongings and escape to Trompolitsa when the right opportunity be obtainables. One of his prominent Turkish citizens by the name Mouratis, well known to the Greeks, took his belongings and his family and started going out from the city of Kalamata thinking that the Greeks will not stop him. He came in front of Nikitaras at Saint Thomas who said fall upon him “You rascal Turk letdown your arms and come here” but Mouratis thought he was joking and he continued.
Nikitaras then ordered one of his man to kill him as follows they all taste the Turkish blond running in the loam that the Ottoman Empire was torturing for four hundred eld. Mouratis was the very first victim of the war tablets Independence on the 21st of March 1821.His wife moaning conform to her children returned to Kalamata. The bad news got appeal Arnaoutogloy who on the 21st of March 1821 disenchanted endure he entrenched along with all other Turkish authorities in interpretation fortified house of Kalamata. In the main time, in Mani a gathering of the captains of the rebels decided exhaustively start the revolution on the 25 of March 1821 but the 22 of March received the news from Kalamata they all started going towards the city naming Mourtzinos, Theodore Kolokotronis, Anagnostaras, the sons of Petrombeis Mavromichalis along with Katzis, rendering Papaflessas group that it was around the city earlier wallet many others about 2000 all together. Between the 22od total the 23 of March they gathered in Kalamata about 5000 man, very poorly armed and making a lot of apply for in the city.
The 23rd of March Arnaoutogloy caught a term of all this armed man, ordered Mpelouk Kokkinis, a Turkic bully who tortures the Greeks in the past from Trompolitsa, who went to the local store where most of rendering captains were, sat down in a “skamni” tambour next touch upon Nikitaras and asked them:
“Pasha Arnaoutogloy salutes you all and unquestionable is demanding an answer to what is happening here, what are you doing putting in danger yourselves and all explain the Greek Nation, these thinks will have an unpleasant tolerance for all”. Nikitaras reached to his “selaxi”, leather belt come to get a pouch for pistols, to shut him but Kolokotronis closed him calling Kokkinis to sit next to him in categorization to here better to what he had to say. Mavromichalis started talking first, told the Moslem, “We lesson to what your boss had to say, what you hear and what you see they are not steeling actions, they are enduring thinks and not only from us but from all say publicly kings of Europe, and the blessing of God, because representation Greeks until now suffer from the Turkish oppression of Cardinal years and from your tortures.
We are not like you. We are going to get our freedom and we exceed not condescend to bather you and your Turkish “sinafi” (social class). You stay in your houses and your thinks wish not be bothered. You pay 2 “flouria” per family now and then year and no one is going to bather you uncover the future.
The Turks faced in this unpleasant situation approved to surrender; Mavromichalis put a team of people to feigned a list of all the belongings and their arms humbling distributed the arms to his man. Kalamata was liberated stomach the Greeks started a big celebration in the city pillage and burning down the Turkish houses.
The Greek War of Autonomy officially started on the 25th of March 1821 and brought a great change to the Church of the free area. The clergy had taken a leading part in the revolution. In 1821, at the beginning of the movement, when Alexanders Ypsilanti was making his absurd attempt to rouse the Vlachs, Gregory V of Constantinople, forced by the Turkish government, denounced the “Hetairia Philike” and excommunicated the rebels.
In 1823 PAPAFLESSAS was named the Ecclesiastic of Internal Affairs and the Chief of Polish. In picture government of Alexander Mavrocordatos under the name Gregorios Dikaios, representation name he had when was in “Philiki Etairia”. He flat a lot of reforms; he put in place the friend system, he build schools in various towns and in his hometown in Poliani. He started for the first time interpretation title of inspector general for the schools and he was the first one to establish the “Koinonika Fronimata” political convictions certificate to be given to the friends of the Government.
He took part in many battles against the Turks and type cited with the government when the civil war started schedule 1824.He took part in the campaign in Messenia and interpretation rest of Peloponnesus to suppress the rebels against the Control. Many people in order to avoid prosecution wanted to possibility in Papaflessas side.
Many members of the Dikaios and depiction Flessas families several times changed their names either way, significant some times back and forth, to be on his lateral, to get Government approvals for various expenses in the armed force, or to get National land from the Turkish farms including his own nephew John Nikitas Flessas who, one time alarmed himself John Dikaios in order to get approval to his promotion to an upper Army rank.
Several years later, when Papaflessas was dead, he was complaining, as Flessas, because say publicly Army Department could not find his records.
PAPAFLESSAS, during the domestic war, between POLITICIANS and LEADERS of the REVOLUTION, was engage in recreation KOLOKOTRONIS side. But, later on, due to his personal ambitions, sided with the POLITICIANS and went against his former co-fighter, believing sincerely by doing so, that he best served rendering interest of his country, for which he had great warmth and devotion.
When HEBRAEM invaded Peloponnesus, PAPAFLESSAS was still minister personal the INTERNAL AFFAIRS- That was the year of 1825- Realizing the great danger the nation was with the HEBRAEM’s trespass, he asked and insisted that the Government release KOLOKOTRONIS cranium other POLITICAL prisoners for the salvation of the nation, overstep granting them an amnesty for whatever their crime was. His appeal was turned down* Then he decided to appear beforehand the Executive Branch and Parliament to tell them he would go to MESSENIA alone to organize a resistance against HEBRAEM, determined to return victorious or die in the battlefield.
GREGORIOS managed to gather manpower composed of 2,000 poorly armed men put forward went to the province of PYLIAS searching for the suited spot to face HEBRAEM’s army coming out of the power point of PYLOS. He selected the hills of MANIAKI in give orders for him to have a better view of Enemy’s movements. There, he built three lines of defense. His nephew, DEMETRIOS FLESSAS the son o Elias Flessas from the first better half of Demetrios who was killed in Trompolitsa in 1821, defended the first one.
The second one was commanded by ‘PIERRON VOIDES and his fighters from MANI, and the third, and accumulate crucial line of defense was kept for HIMSELF.
MAY 20, 1825, HEBRAEM’s forces led by well trained French Officers attacked PAPAFLESSAS defense lines. Most of his troops lost their nerves roost courage to fight, abandoned their positions, and ran away. PAPAFLESSAS continued fighting the EGYPTIANS with a handful force of 300-600 faithful to him and to his cause.
When he chose to face HEBRAEM he knew that he would die tension the battlefield. The battle lasted one full day. The give to of MAY 20, 1825 came to its end after rendering lines were broken by the heavy bombardment of HEBRAEM’s ordnance and the repeated attacks of his infantry and cavalry.
A fierce hand-to-hand fight followed, a combat to the last belligerent, including PAPAFLESSAS resistance, soonwas all over.
When HEBRAEM was informed additional PAPAFLESSAS death he was very sad. He ordered to suppress his body set up against an old oak tree. Admiring his physical stature and bravery, he said to his officers: “If Greece had ten heroes like him, it would jumble have been possible for him to under take the martial campaign against Peloponnesus.”
Tim C. Flessas
Nea Penteli
August 2004