Levidis family
Encyclopedia
Levidis is the name of a family of old Byzantine
aristocratic origin, hailing from Constantinople
(present-day Istanbul
) and with a distinguished role in the history of the Ottoman Empire
, the Russian Empire
, Wallachia
, and modern Greece.
From as early as the 17th century, members of the family, which had acquired great wealth and political influence, occupied high posts in the Ottoman Empire, as dignitaries in the Imperial Court (the Sublime Porte). They also held important secular offices of the Patriarchate
until the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence
. During the latter, various members of the family took active part as members of the Filiki Eteria
. On the onset of the revolution members of the family played a crucial role in organising a revolt inside the city of Constantinople. Prominent members of the family were accused of planning the destruction of the Turkish fleet and decapitated on Sultan orders. Their bodies were hanged before the doors of the Levidis' mansion in Tatavla in Constantinople. Those who escaped fled to Odessa
and formed the Russian branch of the family.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
aristocratic origin, hailing from 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:...
(present-day 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...
) and with a distinguished role in the history of 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...
, the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
, and modern Greece.
From as early as the 17th century, members of the family, which had acquired great wealth and political influence, occupied high posts in the Ottoman Empire, as dignitaries in the Imperial Court (the Sublime Porte). They also held important secular offices of the Patriarchate
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
until the outbreak 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...
. During the latter, various members of the family took active part as members of the Filiki Eteria
Filiki Eteria
thumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
. On the onset of the revolution members of the family played a crucial role in organising a revolt inside the city of Constantinople. Prominent members of the family were accused of planning the destruction of the Turkish fleet and decapitated on Sultan orders. Their bodies were hanged before the doors of the Levidis' mansion in Tatavla in Constantinople. Those who escaped fled to Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
and formed the Russian branch of the family.
Notable members
- Angelos Levidis (Constantinople 1655 - 1738) An early distinguished member, because of his wealth he enjoyed a powerful position in the Sultan's court.
- Nikolaos Levidis (1685–1777). Present as a dignitary at the Court. Had been closely associated with the Sultan and the political establishment of the empire.
- Angelos N. Levidis (1725–1810). Also known as Tsalikis. Enjoyed a privileged position in the Ottoman Court. Through his relationship to the Sultan he was granted an exceptional Letter of Privilege allowing him to enter the city on horseback.
- Nikolaos A. Levidis (1765 - April 28, 1852). Was a distinguished man of letters and scholar of the Greek Enlightenment. Levidis was born in Tatavla, ConstantinopleConstantinopleConstantinople 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:...
. He had a remarkable education and he was appointed Treasurer of the Great Church of the PatriarchatePatriarchateA patriarchate is the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch. A patriarch, as the term is used here, is either* one of the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, earlier, the five that were included in the Pentarchy: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, but now nine,...
, before 1821. Due to his outstanding contribution towards the Nation and the Church, Levidis received the hereditary title of Most Noble Archonde, and was also named Grand Dikeophylax (Keeper of the Great Seal) of the Patriarchate, an honorary title bestowed upon him by Patriarch Gregory V . Before the Greek Revolution, Levidis influenced by the French Enlightenment and the Encyclopaedists was active in Constantinople publishing, at his expense, works on historic, philosophic and religious matters. These books included a grammar of the Greek language, published before 1821, an encyclopaedic work translated from the French language, called Elementary knowledge from the French language, Stixiodis gnosseis ek tis Gallikis glossis, (1818), an edition of the collected works of early father of the church, John ChrysostomJohn ChrysostomJohn Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic...
, another on the comments by Greek educator and famous pedagogist and encyclopaedist of the time Konstantin Vardalach, on the works of early Church Father Saint Gregory of NazianzusGregory of NazianzusGregory of Nazianzus was a 4th-century Archbishop of Constantinople. He is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the patristic age...
, or Gregory the Theologian. At the time of the 1821 massacres in Constantinople, were three of his brothers perished he was residing in Walachia by the HospodarHospodarHospodar or gospodar is a term of Slavonic origin, meaning "lord" or "master".The rulers of Wallachia and Moldavia were styled hospodars in Slavic writings from the 15th century to 1866. Hospodar was used in addition to the title voivod...
Michail Voda SoutzosMichael SoutzosMichael Soutzos , was a member of the Soutzos family of Phanariotes, he was the nephew of Mihai Suţu; he was in turn a Prince of Moldavia, between 12 June 1819 and 29 March 1821....
, where he was active as a member of the Filiki EteriaFiliki Eteriathumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
, initiating Soutzos and many others and financially supporting the secret society, thus preparing the ground for revolt. He later fled to OdessaOdessaOdessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
and afterwards went to Greece during the War of IndependenceGreek War of IndependenceThe Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
. In 1832, after the assassination of governor Ioannis KapodistriasIoannis KapodistriasCount Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias |Academy of Athens]] Critical Observations about the 6th-Grade History Textbook"): "3.2.7. Σελ. 40: Δεν αναφέρεται ότι ο Καποδίστριας ήταν Κερκυραίος ευγενής." "...δύο ιστορικούς της Aκαδημίας κ.κ...
, he was appointed to the direction of the newly erected National Mint in AeginaAeginaAegina is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.-Municipality:The municipality...
, the first capital of Greece and after leaving public service in 1833, he lived for the most part in retirement. He was one of the first collaborators of the early Greek periodical Hermes o LogiosHermes o LogiosHermes o Logios, also known as Logios Ermis was a Greek periodical printed in Vienna, Austria, from 1811 to 1821. It is regarded as the most significant and longest running periodical of the period prior to the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence, containing contributions by key scholars and...
. - Dimitrios Levidis (also known as Tsalikis) (Constantinople 1768 - Constantinople 26 March 1821). On the night of 25 March 1821 he was called to the Ottoman palace for reasons supposedly concerned with his commercial activities and close contacts with the dockyards. He was immediately arrested on suspicion of being involved in the conspiracy of the secret revolutionary society Filiki Eteria to start an uprising in Constantinople. He was personally accused of planning the destruction of the Ottoman fleet inside the docks and/or of organising to seize the Ottoman Navy's entire fleet there and becoming himself the Kapudan Pasha. He was also accused of actively being a member of the Filiki EteriaFiliki Eteriathumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
and of being responsible for his brothers' recruitment in the Sacred BandSacred Band (1821)The Sacred Band was a battalion founded by Alexander Ypsilantis at the beginning of the Greek War of Independence, in February 1821 in Wallachia, now part of Romania.-Origin and structure:...
, a military unit composed of young Greek volunteers who rallied to Alexander YpsilantisAlexander YpsilantisAlexander Ypsilantis may refer to:* Alexander Ypsilantis , Prince of Wallachia from 1775 to 1782, and again from 1796 to 1797, and also Prince of Moldavia from 1786 to 1788...
' call for an uprising. He was arrested and subsequently beheaded, shortly before Patriarch Gregory V was hanged. He was one of the first to be executed, followed by about seventy other prominent Greeks from the Phanar, including the Greek Patriarch. His decapitated body was publicly displayed by the front door of the Levidis mansion in Tatavla. The day after the execution a raging crowd looted the house. The surviving members of the Levidis clan that managed to escape thereupon abandoned Constantinople and fled to Odessa. - Alexander Levidis (1771 - 27 March 1821). Killed by the raging crowd invading the Levidis mansion, the day after the beheading of his brother Dimitrios.
- Pantaleon Levidis (1773 - 27 March 1821). Brother of Dimitrios Levidis. Also died in the house of the Levidis the next day of his brother's execution.
- Stamatios Levidis (Constantinople 1790 - SyrosSyrosSyros , or Siros or Syra is a Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. It is located south-east of Athens. The area of the island is . The largest towns are Ermoupoli, Ano Syros, and Vari. Ermoupoli is the capital of the island and the Cyclades...
1867). A hero of the Greek War of Independence. On the night of 27 March 1821, one day after his brother Demetrios' execution, Stamatios managed to escape the raging crowds that had invaded the family mansion by jumping off a window to the garden below, and took refuge in a neighbouring friendly house. He then fled to Odessa and Paris and after traveling through central Europe, he arrived in Greece to participate in the Greek War of Independence. He distinguished himself in the First Siege of Missolonghi, where his generous founding from his own fortune, allowed the construction of a fortified wall around the town. He succeeded in breaking through the Turkish forces besieging Missolonghi in an attempt to deliver official letters to the island of ZanteZakynthosZakynthos , also Zante, the other form often used in English and in Italian , is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It covers an area of ...
and managed to raise funds and to provide the besieged city with food and ammunition supplies. For his heroic actions he was named an honorary citizen by the Council of Missolonghi on 4 January 1825. In 1825 he was appointed Chief Administrator and inspector of the army during the campaign of Georgios KountouriotisGeorgios KountouriotisGeorgios Kountouriotis was a Greek ship-owner and politician who served as prime minister from March to October 1848. He was born in 1782 on the Saronic island of Hydra to an Arvanite family...
. He was called in Hydra and from there he was sent to the island of Cephalonia, amongst great dangers, to meet Lord Byron, where he also contributed in securing a Loan for a sum of 20,000 Austrian ThalerThalerThe Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in various currencies as the dollar or tolar. Etymologically, "Thaler" is an abbreviation of "Joachimsthaler", a coin type from the city of Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where some of the first such...
s. He also fought in the campaign against the Egyptian forces at Ligovisti and took part in the battles for the defence of Neokastro barely escaping capture in the disaster at SphacteriaSphacteriaSphacteria Sphacteria Sphacteria (Sphacteria (Sphacteria is a small island at the entrance to the bay of Pylos in the Peloponnese, Greece. It was the site of three battles:*the 425 BC Battle of Sphacteria in the Peloponnesian war....
, on 9 May 1825, by swimming to NavarinoNavarinoNavarino or Navarin may refer to:*Pylos , a Greek town, on the Ionian Sea**Battle of Navarino, 1827 naval battle off Navarino*Navarino, Wisconsin, a town, United States...
. By orders of Koundouriotis, he was once again sent from Nafplion to Missolonghi where he succeeded in sneaking for a second time through the enemy lines and into the besieged city, thus boosting considerably the morale of the besieged. In 1827, he took over the administration of the army garrison at Phaleron and he fought bravely and obstinately in the fierce battlesBattle of PhaleronThe Battle of Phaleron took place on April 24, 1827. The revolting Greek forces were being besieged inside the Acropolis of Athens by Ottoman forces under the command of Mehmed Reshid Pasha. Greek forces outside the city were desperately trying to break the siege.-Battle:The Scottish Lord Cochrane...
there. In 1829 he was appointed caretaker of the army in Nafpaktos fighting under general Sir Richard ChurchRichard ChurchRichard Church may refer to:*Richard Church *Richard Church , nephew of the general, Dean of St Paul's*Richard Church , English poet and man of letters...
in the campaign for the reconquest of Western Greece. Levidis engaged in a correspondence with major figures of his era. Of utmost historic importance is his extended correspondence during the entire War of Independence with his friend Alexandros Mavrokordatos and Georgios Praidas. - Alexander N. Levidis (Constantinople 1795 - AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
before 1848). At the outbreak of the Greek Revolution in early 1821, he was residing with his father in Wallachia, at the court of PrinceHospodarHospodar or gospodar is a term of Slavonic origin, meaning "lord" or "master".The rulers of Wallachia and Moldavia were styled hospodars in Slavic writings from the 15th century to 1866. Hospodar was used in addition to the title voivod...
Michail Voda SoutzosMichael SoutzosMichael Soutzos , was a member of the Soutzos family of Phanariotes, he was the nephew of Mihai Suţu; he was in turn a Prince of Moldavia, between 12 June 1819 and 29 March 1821....
. Levidis, alongside with his brother and five cousins, the Ainardaris brothers, joined the ranks of Ypsilantis' Sacred BandSacred Band (1821)The Sacred Band was a battalion founded by Alexander Ypsilantis at the beginning of the Greek War of Independence, in February 1821 in Wallachia, now part of Romania.-Origin and structure:...
. He fought under Alexander YpsilantisAlexander YpsilantisAlexander Ypsilantis may refer to:* Alexander Ypsilantis , Prince of Wallachia from 1775 to 1782, and again from 1796 to 1797, and also Prince of Moldavia from 1786 to 1788...
and alongside Giorgakis OlympiosGiorgakis OlympiosGiorgakis Olympios was a Greek armatolos and military commander during the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. Noted for his activities with the Filiki Eteria in the Danubian Principalities, he is considered to be a leading figure of the Greek Revolution.-Early activities:He was...
. He thereupon arrived in Greece in order to participate in the War of Independence, where he took part in many battles and served as an officer of the tactical army under the French Philhellene, Colonel Charles Fabvier together with whom he entered the besieged AcropolisAcropolisAcropolis means "high city" in Greek, literally city on the extremity and is usually translated into English as Citadel . For purposes of defense, early people naturally chose elevated ground to build a new settlement, frequently a hill with precipitous sides...
of Athens on the night of 12 December 1826. - Periklis Levidis (Constantinople 1798 - Braila ?) Brother of the above. Studied Fine Arts in Italy well before 1821 and worked successfully as a painter in Wallachia in the style of RaphaelRaphaelRaffaello Sanzio da Urbino , better known simply as Raphael, was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form and ease of composition and for its visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur...
. - Constantine LevidisConstantine LevidisConstantine N. Levidis was a Greek scholar, writer, editor, considered as 'the father of Greek journalism'...
(Constantinople 1790 - Athens, 4 October 1868) was a Greek scholar, writer, editor, considered as "the father of Greek journalism". Noted for his vociferously pro-constitutionalConstitutional history of GreeceIn the modern history of Greece, starting from the Greek War of Independence, the Constitution of 1975/1986/2001 is the last in a series of democratically adopted Constitutions ....
stance during the reign of King OttoOtto of GreeceOtto, Prince of Bavaria, then Othon, King of Greece was made the first modern King of Greece in 1832 under the Convention of London, whereby Greece became a new independent kingdom under the protection of the Great Powers .The second son of the philhellene King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Otto ascended...
. - Dimitrios N. Levidis (Constantinople 1806 - Athens 1893), was a Greek statesman. Managed to escape the Constantinople massacres and flee to Odessa with his family, under the protection of the famous General Prince Mikhail Semyonovich VorontsovMikhail Semyonovich VorontsovPrince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov , was a Russian prince and field-marshal, renowned for his success in the Napoleonic wars, and most famous for his participation in the Caucasian War from 1844 to 1853....
, then governor of Odessa. Prince Vorontsov owed to the Levidis family, who had supported him before the Grand VizierGrand VizierGrand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
during an earlier diplomatic visit to Constantinople. Levidis finished his studies in Accountancy as a bursar of Tsar Alexander IAlexander I of RussiaAlexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
at the lycée Richelieu in Odessa, having Alexander Rizos Rangabe and Constantine Paparrigopoulos as classmates. After graduation, Levidis was under obligation to serve as officer in the Imperial Russian armyImperial Russian ArmyThe Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
, but soon persuaded the Emperor to grant him special permission to leave the army and go to Greece, in order to join the Greek War of Independence. After Independence, he was appointed by Greek governor Ioannis KapodistriasIoannis KapodistriasCount Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias |Academy of Athens]] Critical Observations about the 6th-Grade History Textbook"): "3.2.7. Σελ. 40: Δεν αναφέρεται ότι ο Καποδίστριας ήταν Κερκυραίος ευγενής." "...δύο ιστορικούς της Aκαδημίας κ.κ...
public commissioner in Nafplion. Later he was Chief Accountant of the General Accounts Office and, in 1846, Minister of FinanceMinister for Economy and Finance (Greece)The Ministry of Finance is a government department responsible for the running of the public finance of the Greek state. The current minister is Evangelos Venizelos, who also holds the post of Deputy Prime Minister of Greece....
. Served twice as Minister of Finance at the cabinet of the Epameinontas DeligeorgisEpameinontas DeligeorgisEpameinondas Deligiorgis was a Greek lawyer, newspaper reporter and politician from Mesolonghi. Deligiorgis studied law at the University of Athens and entered politics in 1854...
government (1876–77). He was the founder of the Political Employees Fund (TPY). - Georgios N. Levidis (? - Braila ?) Brother of the above. He was educated at the lycée Richelieu as a bursar of the Tsar Alexander I, and became a rich merchant in Wallachia and man of letters.
- Miltiadis Levidis (Odessa 1821 - Athens 1878). The son of Dimitrios A. Levidis, he was born in Odessa. His father was killed in the Constantinople massacres when the Greek War of Independence erupted in 1821. His mother, who survived the slaughters fled and sought refuge in Odessa. He followed a military career as an artillery officer in the Hellenic ArmyHellenic ArmyThe 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...
. - General Constantine Levidis (Athens 30 May 1862 - 1928). Son of the above, he served as an army officer, rising to the rank of Lieutenant General of the artillery and aide de camp to King Constantine I of GreeceConstantine I of GreeceConstantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...
.He participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and the Balkan WarsBalkan WarsThe Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
of 1912-13. - Spyridon Miltiadis Levidis (died 1937). A Greek diplomat, ambassador and author.
- General Nikolaos Levidis (1868–1921), a cavalry officer, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He took part in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, in the Balkan WarsBalkan WarsThe Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
of 1912-13 and the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
. - Nikolaos Dimitrios Levidis (1848–1942), a Greek statesman and politician. A distinguished Greek politician, prominent author and orator, sat as Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Attica and Boeotia eleven times between 1881 and 1920, and became a member of successive cabinets. He served as wartime Navy Minister in the Theodoros DeligiannisTheodoros DeligiannisTheodoros Deligiannis, also spelled Delijannis and Deliyannis, , was a Greek statesman.-Life:He was born at Lagkadia, Arcadia. He studied law in Athens, and in 1843 entered the Ministry of the Interior, of which department he became permanent secretary in 1859. In 1862, on the deposition of King...
cabinet during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, Minister of the Interior in 1903, and Minister of Justice in the Georgios TheotokisGeorgios TheotokisGeorgios Theotokis was a Greek politician and four times Prime Minister of Greece. He represented the New Party or Neoteristikon Komma .- Biography :...
cabinet (1904). Elected President of the Greek Cabinet 1906-1907. In 1908 he was again Minister of the Interior in the new Theotokis cabinet. Later, President of the National Assembly.An avid essayist, in addition to writing numerous articles for the periodicals of his time, he wrote a number of historical and political studies. His funeral oration for the centenary of the death of General Georgios KaraiskakisGeorgios KaraiskakisGeorgios Karaiskakis born Georgios Iskos was a famous Greek klepht, armatolos, military commander, and a hero of the Greek War of Independence.- Early life :...
, delivered at the Odeon of Herodes AtticusOdeon of Herodes AtticusThe Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the south slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla...
in 1927, was translated in many languages. Was one of the founders of the Parnassos literary society, in Athens. He was president of the Brotherhood of the Holy SepulchreBrotherhood of the Holy SepulchreThe Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre, or The Holy Community of the All-Holy Sepulchre, is the Orthodox monastic fraternity that for centuries has guarded and protected the Christian Holy places in the Holy Land...
, awarded the Grand CrossGrand CrossThe phrase Grand Cross is used to denote the highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes the holders of the highest grade are referred to "knights grand cross" or just "grand crosses"; in other cases the actual insignia itself is called "the grand cross".Alternatively, in some other...
of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and was the recipient of numerous Greek and foreign decorations. - George D Levidis (1857–1933) was a Greek diplomat, ambassador of Greece in many of the worlds capitals, including Alexandria, Constantinople, Saint Petersburg and Madrid.
- Admiral Alexander G. Levidis was a high-ranking Hellenic NavyHellenic NavyThe Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...
officer, aid-de-camp of President Pavlos Koundouriotis (1928), and in 1931 became the first Director of Civil Aviation. During World War II he founded the undercover resistance group 'Maleas', focused on aiding the escape of British servicemen and Allied personnel to the Middle East. In 1943 he was caught and imprisoned by the Germans. He was released April 1945 and after the pull out of the German Forces he became Vice Minister for the Repatriation of the Refugies in the governments of Petros VoulgarisPetros VoulgarisPetros Voulgaris was a Greek admiral who served briefly as Prime Minister of Greece in 1945.- Early career :He was born in the island of Hydra to George Voulgaris and Archonto Vatsaxi. After the death of his father in 1885, his family settled in Athens, with his mother's relatives...
and Archbishop DamaskinosArchbishop DamaskinosArchbishop Damaskinos Papandreou was the archbishop of Athens and All Greece from 1941 until his death. He was also the regent of Greece between the pull-out of the German occupation force in 1944 and the return of King Georgios II to Greece in 1946...
. In 1946 he was promoted to Rear Admiral. - Dimitrios LevidisDimitrios LevidisDimitrios Levidis was a Greek composer, later naturalized French .He descends from an aristocratic family with Byzantine roots in Constantinople.Levidis studied in Athens, Lausanne and Munich...
(Athens, 8 April 1885/1886 - Palaio FaliroPalaio FaliroPalaio Faliro is a suburb in the southern part of Athens, Greece. The area is famous for its beaches , forming Athens' nearest beach and Piraeus' only beach...
, 29 May 1951) was a Greek composer, who later became a naturalized French citizen. He studied with MottlFelix MottlFelix Josef von Mottl was an Austrian conductor and composer. He was regarded as one of the most brilliant conductors of his day. He composed three operas, of which Agnes Bernauer was the most successful, as well as a string quartet and numerous songs and other music...
, and composition with Richard StraussRichard StraussRichard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...
. He was a notable experimenter, with novel combinations and new instruments: His interest in new sounds led him to be the first to write for the Ondes MartenotOndes MartenotThe ondes Martenot , also known as the ondium Martenot, Martenot and ondes musicales, is an early electronic musical instrument invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot. The original design was similar in sound to the theremin...
(his Poème symphonique, given on the occasion of the first public appearance of the instrument, premiered in 1928 at the Paris OpéraPalais GarnierThe Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
). - Dimitrios N Levidis, (1891–1964), was a Hellenic ArmyHellenic ArmyThe 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...
officer. He served during both Balkan WarsBalkan WarsThe Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
and the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922)The Greco–Turkish War of 1919–1922, known as the Western Front of the Turkish War of Independence in Turkey and the Asia Minor Campaign or the Asia Minor Catastrophe in Greece, was a series of military events occurring during the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire after World War I between May...
. He had been attached to the Greek Court since 1917, becoming Master of the HouseholdMaster of the HouseholdThe Master of the Household is the operational head of the "below stairs" elements of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom...
to George II of GreeceGeorge II of GreeceGeorge II reigned as King of Greece from 1922 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1947.-Early life, first period of kingship and exile:George was born at the royal villa at Tatoi, near Athens, the eldest son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia...
and Chamberlain, and liaison officer to the King of England. Later Grand Master of CeremoniesGrand Master of CeremoniesThe Grand Master of Ceremonies of France or Grand maître des cérémonies de France was one of the Great Officers of the Maison du Roi during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration...
and Grand MarshalGrand MarshalGrand Marshal is a ceremonial, military, or political office of very high rank. The term has its origins with the word "Marshal" with the first usage of the term "Grand Marshal" as a ceremonial title for certain religious orders...
of the Court. He followed the royal family into exile in 1923 and again during the Second World War, accompanying King George to exile in Cairo and then to London.