Dimitrios Makris

Dimitrios Makris
Born	1772 Gavalou (now Evrytania), Aetolia, Ottoman Greece
Died	1841 Gavalou (now Evrytania), Aetolia-Acarnania, Kingdom of Greece
Allegiance	Greece
Years of service	1821–1840
Battles/wars	Greek War of Independence, Third Siege of Missolonghi

Dimitrios Makris (Greek: Δημήτριος Μακρής, c. 1772–1841) was a Greek^[1] chief klepht,^[2] armatole^[3] military commander and fighter of the 1821 revolution. He was a member of Filiki Eteria and one of the most powerful chieftains in West Central Greece.

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 klepht under Captain Georgios Sfaltos, and took over command of his band after Sfaltos' death. He was appointed an armatolos at Zygos, and never collaborated with Ali Pasha of Janina. He acquired much wealth by plundering the Turks at 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 cities 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 town 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, imortalised by Spontis a poet of the 1821 revolution.

See also

• Alexandros Mavrokordatos

References

1. The United service magazine, Part 1. H. Colburn. 1857. p. 254. 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. Dontas, Domna N. (1990). The last phase of the War of Independence in Western Greece: December 1827 to May 1829, Volume 1966. Adolf M. Hakkert. p. 24. ISBN 90-256-0987-2. 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. Dakin, Douglas (1973). The Greek struggle for independence, 1821-1833. University of California Press. p. 232. ISBN 0-520-02342-0. …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. Dontas, Domna N. (1990). The last phase of the War of Independence in Western Greece: December 1827 to May 1829, Volume 1966. Adolf M. Hakkert. p. 24. ISBN 90-256-0987-2. in 1800, Demetrios Makris, a kleftis, had succeeded his father to the kapetaniliki in the district of Zyghos. A simple yet very stubborn man,
5. Dakin, Douglas (1973). The Greek struggle for independence, 1821-1833. University of California Press. p. 232. ISBN 0-520-02342-0. …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. Campbell, John Kennedy; Mazower, Mark (2008). Networks of Power in Modern Greece: Essays in Honor of John Campbell. Columbia University Press. pp. 50–51. ISBN 0-231-70103-9. General Dimitrios Makris wedded Eupraxia, daughter of the city notable Samos Razi-Kotsikas, during the siege of Mesolongi by the Turks.
7. The United service magazine, Part 1. H. Colburn. 1857. p. 254. OCLC 297320642. …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.