Flessas Family
Encyclopedia
The Flessas family has existed in the Peloponnese
(Greece
) since the 17th century from the time in which Venetians
ruled the area. The name Flessas comes from the Bavarian word flosse which means "raft". These "Flosserei" or "lumbermen" from Bavaria
formed large wooden rafts and transported wood on rivers to pulp and papers mills. Since one's surname denoted one's occupation, individuals were either named "Flessa" or "Flessas" or "Flesias" if they were Greek. Interestingly, there is a large Bavarian family named Flessa that owns a bank
in Germany
known as the Flessa Bank. Bearers of the surname Flessas were found in Asia Minor
in the early 12th century, as well as in Poliani (Kalamata
, Greece
), and in Prussia
where the name emerged from medieval times as one of the noteworthy families of the region. From the 13th century onwards, the name Flessas was identified with great social and economic movements and members of the Flessas family were major contributors in the rise and creation of the modern Greek nation. In Greece, Gregorios D. Flessas (Papaflessas
) was a principal organizer and leader of the Greek Revolution which began in 1821 and during which Greeks revolted against the rule of the Ottoman Turks
. Papaflessas
sacrifice
d himself in the famous Battle of Maniaki
where the 6,000 strong Egypt
ian army of Ibrahim Pasha
killed him along with 300-600 Greek soldiers on May 20, 1825. His father, Dimitrios George Flessas (1745–1799) was the patriarch
of the Greek Flessas family. He married twice and had a total of twenty-eight children. With his first wife (Constantina Andronikou) he had eighteen children. After the death of his first wife, he and his second wife (Theodora Notara) had ten children. Papaflessas
was the 10th child of Theodora and he studied in the famous school of Dimitsana
.In 1819 he was ordained Archbishop by the Patriarch Gregory the E' and he was given the ecclesiastical "OFFIKIO" Dikaios, meaning the representative of the Patriarch.Variations of the name includes: Flesias, Flesopoulos, Flesoras, Papaflessas, Flesouras, Flessouras, Flessa, Flesak, Plessas and Flesis.
The family has over 3000 members all over the world today.
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...
(Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
) since the 17th century from the time in which Venetians
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
ruled the area. The name Flessas comes from the Bavarian word flosse which means "raft". These "Flosserei" or "lumbermen" from Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
formed large wooden rafts and transported wood on rivers to pulp and papers mills. Since one's surname denoted one's occupation, individuals were either named "Flessa" or "Flessas" or "Flesias" if they were Greek. Interestingly, there is a large Bavarian family named Flessa that owns a bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
known as the Flessa Bank. Bearers of the surname Flessas were found in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
in the early 12th century, as well as in Poliani (Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
), and in Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
where the name emerged from medieval times as one of the noteworthy families of the region. From the 13th century onwards, the name Flessas was identified with great social and economic movements and members of the Flessas family were major contributors in the rise and creation of the modern Greek nation. In Greece, Gregorios D. Flessas (Papaflessas
Papaflessas
Papaflessas , born Grigorios Demetrios Flessas , was a Greek patriot, priest, and government official of the old Flessas Family. The word papa- in the name "Papaflessas" indicates his status as a cleric since the word means "priest" in Greek...
) was a principal organizer and leader of the Greek Revolution which began in 1821 and during which Greeks revolted against the rule of the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
. Papaflessas
Papaflessas
Papaflessas , born Grigorios Demetrios Flessas , was a Greek patriot, priest, and government official of the old Flessas Family. The word papa- in the name "Papaflessas" indicates his status as a cleric since the word means "priest" in Greek...
sacrifice
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts...
d himself in the famous Battle of Maniaki
Battle of Maniaki
The Battle of Maniaki was fought on June 1, 1825 in Maniaki, Greece between Egyptian forces led by Ibrahim Pasha and Greek forces led by Papaflessas.-Battle:...
where the 6,000 strong Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian army of Ibrahim Pasha
Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt
Ibrahim Pasha was the eldest son of Muhammad Ali, the Wāli and unrecognised Khedive of Egypt and Sudan. He served as a general in the Egyptian army that his father established during his reign, taking his first command of Egyptian forces was when he was merely a teenager...
killed him along with 300-600 Greek soldiers on May 20, 1825. His father, Dimitrios George Flessas (1745–1799) was the patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of the Greek Flessas family. He married twice and had a total of twenty-eight children. With his first wife (Constantina Andronikou) he had eighteen children. After the death of his first wife, he and his second wife (Theodora Notara) had ten children. Papaflessas
Papaflessas
Papaflessas , born Grigorios Demetrios Flessas , was a Greek patriot, priest, and government official of the old Flessas Family. The word papa- in the name "Papaflessas" indicates his status as a cleric since the word means "priest" in Greek...
was the 10th child of Theodora and he studied in the famous school of Dimitsana
Dimitsana
Dimitsana is a village and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Gortynia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is built on the ruins of the ancient town Teuthis...
.In 1819 he was ordained Archbishop by the Patriarch Gregory the E' and he was given the ecclesiastical "OFFIKIO" Dikaios, meaning the representative of the Patriarch.Variations of the name includes: Flesias, Flesopoulos, Flesoras, Papaflessas, Flesouras, Flessouras, Flessa, Flesak, Plessas and Flesis.
The family has over 3000 members all over the world today.
See also
- Michael FlessasMichael FlessasMichael C. Flessas , is the birth name of actor Michael Flessas. Flessas' most notable film role was Angry Man in the Cannes Film Festival 2000 Palme d'Or winning film Dancer in the Dark directed by Danish film director Lars von Trier. Originally, the director himself considered playing the role...
- PapaflessasPapaflessasPapaflessas , born Grigorios Demetrios Flessas , was a Greek patriot, priest, and government official of the old Flessas Family. The word papa- in the name "Papaflessas" indicates his status as a cleric since the word means "priest" in Greek...
- Nicolas Flessa, German film director