Battle of Gravia
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Gravia Inn was fought between Greek revolutionaries
and the Ottoman Empire
during the Greek War of Independence
. The Greek leader, Odysseas Androutsos
with a group of 120 men defeated a Ottoman army numbering 9,000 men and artillery under the command of Omer Vrioni.
Following his defeat of the Greeks at the Battle of Alamana
and the execution of their leader Athanasios Diakos
, the Ottoman army under the command of Omer Vrioni, planned to attack the Peloponnese
with an army of 9,000 men. However, his army was met by a Greek group numbering 120 men under the command of Odysseas Androutsos
who had barricaded themselves inside an old inn. The Ottoman army surrounded the area and attacked the inn but were thrown back with heavy losses. While the Ottoman army paused their attacks to bring up the cannon, the Greeks slipped away and escaped through the Ottoman lines.
This attack is considered important to the outcome of the Greek revolution because it forced Omer Vrioni to retreat leaving the Greeks to consolidate their gains in the Peloponnese and capture the Ottoman capital of the Peloponnese, Tripoli
.
and putting Athanasios Diakos
to death, Omer Vrioni headed south into the Peloponnese
from his base at Lamia
, seeking to crush the Greek rebellion with an army of 9,000 men supported by artillery
. However, as he was advancing, a Greek revolutionary soldier, Odysseas Androutsos
together with 120 men barricaded himself in an old inn near the centre of the road.
The other two Greek captains that had come with Androutsos, Panourgias and Duovounitis, took their men and assumed higher position on other side of the road. They did this because they assumed that Androutsos' stand would end up a disaster like Alamana and being up high would allow them to retreat. When Vrioni arrived he dispersed his men through the hills and surrounded the inn. He sent a Dervish
to negotiate with Androutsos, but when he was shot dead at the door Vrioni ordered the attack.
As soon as Vrioni ordered the attack, a detachment of Albania
n soldiers charged the building. As they entered the building they were met by a barrage of gunfire. The Albanians were forced to retreat under heavy fire and suffered many casualties from the concealed Greeks. The following Ottoman attacks also met a barrage of fire and were forced to retreat.
Vrioni, angered by the losses he was suffering, ordered for the cannons to be brought. However Androutsos had guessed Vrioni's intentions and retreated with his men through the Ottoman lines undetected, only leaving behind his six dead countrymen.
, just off the coast of Attica
where he would later combine forces with Kioshe Mehmet. The Battle of Gravia was considered to be an important event in the Greek War of Independence
. By forcing Vrioni to retreat, Androutsos allowed the Greeks in the Peloponnese to have more time to consolidate their gains as well as to capture the Ottoman capital of the Peloponnese, Tripoli.
Greece°N conflict=yes°W
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
during the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
. The Greek leader, Odysseas Androutsos
Odysseas Androutsos
Odysseas Androutsos ; was a hero of the Greek War of Independence.-Early life:He was born in Ithaca in 1788, however his family was from the village of Livanates in Phthiotis prefecture...
with a group of 120 men defeated a Ottoman army numbering 9,000 men and artillery under the command of Omer Vrioni.
Following his defeat of the Greeks at the Battle of Alamana
Battle of Alamana
The Battle of Alamana was fought between the Greeks and the Ottoman Empire during the Greek War of Independence on April 22nd, 1821.-Battle:...
and the execution of their leader Athanasios Diakos
Athanasios Diakos
Athanasios Diakos , a Greek military commander during the Greek War of Independence and a national hero, was born Athanasios Nikolaos Massavetas in the village of Ano Mousounitsa, Phocis.-Early life:...
, the Ottoman army under the command of Omer Vrioni, planned to attack the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
with an army of 9,000 men. However, his army was met by a Greek group numbering 120 men under the command of Odysseas Androutsos
Odysseas Androutsos
Odysseas Androutsos ; was a hero of the Greek War of Independence.-Early life:He was born in Ithaca in 1788, however his family was from the village of Livanates in Phthiotis prefecture...
who had barricaded themselves inside an old inn. The Ottoman army surrounded the area and attacked the inn but were thrown back with heavy losses. While the Ottoman army paused their attacks to bring up the cannon, the Greeks slipped away and escaped through the Ottoman lines.
This attack is considered important to the outcome of the Greek revolution because it forced Omer Vrioni to retreat leaving the Greeks to consolidate their gains in the Peloponnese and capture the Ottoman capital of the Peloponnese, Tripoli
Tripoli, Greece
Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop...
.
Background
In May 1821, after crushing the Greek resistance at the Battle of AlamanaBattle of Alamana
The Battle of Alamana was fought between the Greeks and the Ottoman Empire during the Greek War of Independence on April 22nd, 1821.-Battle:...
and putting Athanasios Diakos
Athanasios Diakos
Athanasios Diakos , a Greek military commander during the Greek War of Independence and a national hero, was born Athanasios Nikolaos Massavetas in the village of Ano Mousounitsa, Phocis.-Early life:...
to death, Omer Vrioni headed south into the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
from his base at Lamia
Lamia (city)
Lamia is a city in central Greece. The city has a continuous history since antiquity, and is today the capital of the regional unit of Phthiotis and of the Central Greece region .-Name:...
, seeking to crush the Greek rebellion with an army of 9,000 men supported by artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
. However, as he was advancing, a Greek revolutionary soldier, Odysseas Androutsos
Odysseas Androutsos
Odysseas Androutsos ; was a hero of the Greek War of Independence.-Early life:He was born in Ithaca in 1788, however his family was from the village of Livanates in Phthiotis prefecture...
together with 120 men barricaded himself in an old inn near the centre of the road.
The other two Greek captains that had come with Androutsos, Panourgias and Duovounitis, took their men and assumed higher position on other side of the road. They did this because they assumed that Androutsos' stand would end up a disaster like Alamana and being up high would allow them to retreat. When Vrioni arrived he dispersed his men through the hills and surrounded the inn. He sent a Dervish
Dervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
to negotiate with Androutsos, but when he was shot dead at the door Vrioni ordered the attack.
Battle
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n soldiers charged the building. As they entered the building they were met by a barrage of gunfire. The Albanians were forced to retreat under heavy fire and suffered many casualties from the concealed Greeks. The following Ottoman attacks also met a barrage of fire and were forced to retreat.
Vrioni, angered by the losses he was suffering, ordered for the cannons to be brought. However Androutsos had guessed Vrioni's intentions and retreated with his men through the Ottoman lines undetected, only leaving behind his six dead countrymen.
Aftermath
The casualties suffered by Vrtoni were heavy with 300 soldiers dead and 800 wounded in a couple of hours of fighting. This battle shocked him into uncertainty and he decided to retreat to the island of EuboeaEuboea
Euboea is the second largest Greek island in area and population, after Crete. The narrow Euripus Strait separates it from Boeotia in mainland Greece. In general outline it is a long and narrow, seahorse-shaped island; it is about long, and varies in breadth from to...
, just off the coast of Attica
Attica
Attica is a historical region of Greece, containing Athens, the current capital of Greece. The historical region is centered on the Attic peninsula, which projects into the Aegean Sea...
where he would later combine forces with Kioshe Mehmet. The Battle of Gravia was considered to be an important event in the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
. By forcing Vrioni to retreat, Androutsos allowed the Greeks in the Peloponnese to have more time to consolidate their gains as well as to capture the Ottoman capital of the Peloponnese, Tripoli.
Sources
- The Battle of Gravia from Makriyannis' Memoirs in Wikisource
Greece°N conflict=yes°W