Greeks Break Ottoman Chains: Independence After Centuries of Rule
The Greek War of Independence began on March 25, 1821, when Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the banner of revolution at the Monastery of Agia Lavra. The uprising against four centuries of Ottoman rule was fueled by Enlightenment ideals, Greek nationalism, and the organizational efforts of the Filiki Eteria (Society of Friends). The war lasted eight years and drew widespread European sympathy: Lord Byron died of fever at Missolonghi in 1824 while preparing to fight. The decisive intervention came at the Battle of Navarino in 1827, when British, French, and Russian fleets destroyed the Ottoman-Egyptian navy. The London Protocol of 1830 established Greece as an independent state under the protection of the three Great Powers, with the Bavarian prince Otto as its first king.
May 16, 1822
204 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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