Kaplaneios School
Encyclopedia
The Kaplaneios School was a Greek educational institution that operated in Ioannina
from 1797 to 1820/1. The school evolved into the most significant intellectual center of the city through the work of Athanasios Psalidas
, a major representative of the modern Greek Enlightenment movement.
Kaplaneios was rebuilt during 1922-1926 and since that time has housed a number of primary schools.
, which closed due to financial problems. From its very start, Athanasios Psalidas, one of the main representatives of the modern Greek Enlightenment, took the initiative and became director of the school. The same year the Kaplaneios had its own library, while it came under the protection of the Phanar Greek Orthodox College
of Istanbul
(Constantinople
) and acquired the alternative title Patriarchal Academy.
Psalidas initially faced an anachronistic and lethargic education system. In order to deal with this, he begun a series of confrontations with the conservative community of Ioannina. He included in the curriculum lessons of experimental physics
and was an ardent supporter of contemporary European ideologies and the vernacular (Demotic) Greek language. The students were also taught Ancient Greek literature and contemporary science, including Lavoisier
's chemistry and Isaac Newton
's Principia. Psalidas' main objective and aspiration was the intellectual uplifting and the political restoration of the Greek people. In his efforts to achieve this, he was assisted by the intelligent and religiously tolerant ruler of the region, Ali Pasha
, who encouraged the education in Ioannina. Because of his progressive teaching methods, Psalidas was accused of atheism
and voltairianism by conservative scholars.
in 1821. The suppression of Ali Pasha resulted in the destruction of the schools of the city, including the Kaplaneios.
The school was rebuilt during 1922-1926, thanks to a bequest from Zois Kaplanis, and since that time has housed a number of primary schools.
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
from 1797 to 1820/1. The school evolved into the most significant intellectual center of the city through the work of Athanasios Psalidas
Athanasios Psalidas
Athanasios Psalidas , was a Greek author, scholar and one of the most renowned figures of the modern Greek Enlightenment.-Early years and diaspora:...
, a major representative of the modern Greek Enlightenment movement.
Kaplaneios was rebuilt during 1922-1926 and since that time has housed a number of primary schools.
Under Athanasios Psalidas
The school was founded at the personal expense of the brothers Manthos and Zois Kaplanis, merchants and local benefactors. It succeeded another local school, the MaroutsaiaMaroutsaia School
The Maroutsaia School or Maroutsios was a Greek educational institution that operated in Ioannina from 1742 to 1797. The school reached its peak under Eugenios Voulgaris, one of the main representative of the modern Greek Enlightenment...
, which closed due to financial problems. From its very start, Athanasios Psalidas, one of the main representatives of the modern Greek Enlightenment, took the initiative and became director of the school. The same year the Kaplaneios had its own library, while it came under the protection of the Phanar Greek Orthodox College
Phanar Greek Orthodox College
-See also:*Fener*Greeks in Turkey*Zografeion Lyceum*List of schools in Istanbul*Ottoman Greeks...
of Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
(Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
) and acquired the alternative title Patriarchal Academy.
Psalidas initially faced an anachronistic and lethargic education system. In order to deal with this, he begun a series of confrontations with the conservative community of Ioannina. He included in the curriculum lessons of experimental physics
Experimental physics
Within the field of physics, experimental physics is the category of disciplines and sub-disciplines concerned with the observation of physical phenomena in order to gather data about the universe...
and was an ardent supporter of contemporary European ideologies and the vernacular (Demotic) Greek language. The students were also taught Ancient Greek literature and contemporary science, including Lavoisier
Antoine Lavoisier
Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier , the "father of modern chemistry", was a French nobleman prominent in the histories of chemistry and biology...
's chemistry and Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
's Principia. Psalidas' main objective and aspiration was the intellectual uplifting and the political restoration of the Greek people. In his efforts to achieve this, he was assisted by the intelligent and religiously tolerant ruler of the region, Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha
Ali Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina...
, who encouraged the education in Ioannina. Because of his progressive teaching methods, Psalidas was accused of atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
and voltairianism by conservative scholars.
Destruction and revival
Soon however, the Greek Enlightenment process, in which Ioannina was a major center, came to an abrupt end, with the suppression of Ali Pasha's autonomist tendencies against the Porte as well as with the outbreak of the Greek War of IndependenceGreek 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...
in 1821. The suppression of Ali Pasha resulted in the destruction of the schools of the city, including the Kaplaneios.
The school was rebuilt during 1922-1926, thanks to a bequest from Zois Kaplanis, and since that time has housed a number of primary schools.
Notable Graduates
- Angelos KitsosAngelos KitsosAngelos Kitsos was the president of Rizarios Foundation .He was a Greek from Monodendri, Zagori. He was member of the Councils of the Foundation for the Restoration of Greeks from Albania and the Foundation of Research of the Ionian and Adriatic space...
- Kosmas ThesprotosKosmas ThesprotosKosmas Thesprotos or Kosmas o Thesprotos was a Greek scholar and theologian.- Life :Kosmas was born in the village of Jergucat, Dropull region in modern southern Albania, then Ottoman Empire. In 1805 he became a priest...
, scholar - Anastasios Sakellarios, first director of the Zosimaia SchoolZosimaia SchoolThe Zosimaia School of Ioannina has been one of the most significant Greek middle-level educational institutions during the last period of Ottoman rule in the region...