Battle of Mouzaki
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Mouzaki occurred on 4 May 1878 between Greek irregulars with the cover support of the Greek Army against the Ottoman forces.
It is one of the main events of the Greek revolts that erupted in Thessaly
and Epirus
during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878.
spread irredentism
to other, Ottoman areas with Greek inhabitants such as Thessaly
, Epirus
and Macedonia
.
In Western Thessaly, agitations had started without the official involvement of the Hellenic Army
, but a committee of Greek Officers had been secretly sent so as to coordinate with local guerrilla bands the harassment of Ottoman troops.
The headquarters was installed in Loutro Karditsas, under the overall command of Artillery Colonel Konstantinos Ischonomachos, aided by Captains Georgios Filaretos and Ioannis Igglesis.
. By the beginning of March 1878, the local chieftain Thanassis Ziakas and his band of Agraphiote
brigands had revolted in the villages of Vounista, Granista and Mesenikola.
Kotsos Tzavaras, a veteran of the Greek War of Independence
who was a senior sergeant in the Greek Army, also formed a compact force with Sarakatsan and Vlach
klephts, many of them members of the infamous Arvanitakis gang.
Both groups gathered together and directed an attack on the village of Mouzaki, which was a strategic point in the region, key to obtaining food and water. In addition, it was the opportunity to draw Ottoman troops from the large cities into the countryside.
, where the authorities sent a detachment of troops under Moussa Gkeka so as to recover the village and suppress the rebellion.
For the Greeks, it was a vital opportunity to defeat a major enemy, therefore troops from the regular Greek Army were deployed in order to support the irregulars. The Ottoman troops seemed not to expect to face any other forces than a gang of klepths as they have been used to do for years, so their strength was reduced to light cavalry and infantry troops.
As a result, the Ottomans were taken by surprise and completely defeated by much stronger and better-equipped Greek troops under Lieutenants Georgios Alexandris and Takis Stournaris on 4 May 1878. The Turks suffered heavy losses, and Gkeka himself was taken prisoner.
It is one of the main events of the Greek revolts that erupted in Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
and Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878.
Background
The creation of the independent Greek stateHistory of modern Greece
The history of modern Greece covers the history of Greece from the recognition of independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1832 after the Greek War of Independence to the present day.- Background :In 1821, the Greeks rose up against the Ottoman Empire...
spread irredentism
Irredentism
Irredentism is any position advocating annexation of territories administered by another state on the grounds of common ethnicity or prior historical possession, actual or alleged. Some of these movements are also called pan-nationalist movements. It is a feature of identity politics and cultural...
to other, Ottoman areas with Greek inhabitants such as Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
, Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
and Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
.
In Western Thessaly, agitations had started without the official involvement of the Hellenic Army
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...
, but a committee of Greek Officers had been secretly sent so as to coordinate with local guerrilla bands the harassment of Ottoman troops.
The headquarters was installed in Loutro Karditsas, under the overall command of Artillery Colonel Konstantinos Ischonomachos, aided by Captains Georgios Filaretos and Ioannis Igglesis.
Events
Guerrilla warfare was already endemic in the area against Turks and AlbaniansAlbanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
. By the beginning of March 1878, the local chieftain Thanassis Ziakas and his band of Agraphiote
Agrapha
Agrapha are sayings of Jesus that are not found in the canonical Gospels. The term was used for the first time by J.G...
brigands had revolted in the villages of Vounista, Granista and Mesenikola.
Kotsos Tzavaras, a veteran of 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...
who was a senior sergeant in the Greek Army, also formed a compact force with Sarakatsan and Vlach
Aromanians
Aromanians are a Latin people native throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Serbia and Romania . An older term is Macedo-Romanians...
klephts, many of them members of the infamous Arvanitakis gang.
Both groups gathered together and directed an attack on the village of Mouzaki, which was a strategic point in the region, key to obtaining food and water. In addition, it was the opportunity to draw Ottoman troops from the large cities into the countryside.
Battle
The news about these events, and the fact that there was a considerable population of Turkish landlords and Muslim Albanians in danger soon reached TrikalaTrikala
Trikala is a city in northwestern Thessaly, Greece. It is the capital of the Trikala peripheral unit, and is located NW of Athens, NW, of Karditsa, E of Ioannina and Metsovo, S of Grevena, SW of Thessaloniki, and W of Larissa...
, where the authorities sent a detachment of troops under Moussa Gkeka so as to recover the village and suppress the rebellion.
For the Greeks, it was a vital opportunity to defeat a major enemy, therefore troops from the regular Greek Army were deployed in order to support the irregulars. The Ottoman troops seemed not to expect to face any other forces than a gang of klepths as they have been used to do for years, so their strength was reduced to light cavalry and infantry troops.
As a result, the Ottomans were taken by surprise and completely defeated by much stronger and better-equipped Greek troops under Lieutenants Georgios Alexandris and Takis Stournaris on 4 May 1878. The Turks suffered heavy losses, and Gkeka himself was taken prisoner.