Spyros Spyromilios
Encyclopedia
Spyros Spyromilios was a Greek
Gendarmerie
officer who took part in the Greek struggle for Macedonia
and the Balkan Wars
. He was born in Himara, Ottoman Empire
, modern southern Albania, or known as Northern Epirus
among Greeks. In 1914 proclaimed the Autonomy of his home town and joined the autonomist struggle of Northern Epirus
against annexation to the newly established Albanian principality
.
. Adopting the nom de guerre "Athalis Bouas" or "Kapetan Bouas", he led his own group of 35 men in the region of Vermio in Ottoman-held Macedonia
. He was however wounded in his leg within days, in an exchange of fire with pro-Bulgarian komitadji
s, and was forced to go to Thessaloniki
to be treated. By 1909 he had risen to the rank of Captain, and took part in the Goudi military coup d'état
.
At the outbreak of the First Balkan War
in October 1912, he was positioned at the Ionian
island of Corfu
. There, he assembled a small corps of volunteers from his home region, augmented by 200 Cretan volunteers. On 5 November, Himara rose in revolt
and his force landed and occupied this coastal region, without facing initially resistance. Spyromylios then suggested to the Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos
that the Greek Army should immediately capture the city of Vlorë
, north of Himara. However, on November 28, the Albanians declared their independence in Vlorë and formed a provisional government. The Greek headquarters expected full scale attack in the area and ordered him to retreat. He rejected the order and remained in the region organizing the local defense.
When the Second Balkan War
ended, a series of peace treaties and protocols awarded the area to the newly formed Albanian state and the Greek forces were ordered to evacuate the area. At 9 February 1914 Spyromilios refused to withdraw and declared the region’s autonomy and himself as captain of Himara. Himara became part of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
, proclaimed at February 28 in Gjirokastër
.
Spyromilios became member of the Greek Parliament for the Argyrokastron Prefecture at the following elections. At September 1916, when the Italian army entered the region he escaped to Athens
. In the next years he was involved in the Northern Epirus issue. At 1926 he was honorary discharged with the rank of Colonel.
, noted that Spyromilios and his family were known for their loyalty towards their
friends, bravery and persistence.
Spyromilios’ family mansion in Himara, is one of the town’s main attractions, although abandoned today.
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
Gendarmerie
Greek Gendarmerie
The Hellenic Gendarmerie was the national gendarmerie and military police force of Greece.-19th Century:The Greek Gendarmerie was established after the enthronement of King Otto in 1833 as the Royal Gendarmerie and modeled after the French Gendarmerie. It was at that time formally part of the...
officer who took part in the Greek struggle for Macedonia
Greek Struggle for Macedonia
The Macedonian Struggle was a series of social, political, cultural and military conflicts between Greeks and Bulgarians in the region of Ottoman Macedonia between 1904 and 1908...
and the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The 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...
. He was born in Himara, 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...
, modern southern Albania, or known as Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
among Greeks. In 1914 proclaimed the Autonomy of his home town and joined the autonomist struggle of Northern Epirus
Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded on February 28, 1914, in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars, by the Greeks living in southern Albania ....
against annexation to the newly established Albanian principality
Principality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
.
Life
In May 1905 he led one of the first armed groups to be assembled for the developing Macedonian StruggleMacedonian Struggle
The Macedonian Struggle was a series of social, political, cultural and military conflicts between Greeks and Bulgarians in the region of Ottoman Macedonia between 1904 and 1908...
. Adopting the nom de guerre "Athalis Bouas" or "Kapetan Bouas", he led his own group of 35 men in the region of Vermio in Ottoman-held 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...
. He was however wounded in his leg within days, in an exchange of fire with pro-Bulgarian komitadji
Komitadji
The term Komiti meaning "a rebel, member of a secret revolutionary society", refers to members of rebel bands operating in the Balkans during the final period of the Ottoman Empire, fighting against Turkish authorities in Macedonia...
s, and was forced to go to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
to be treated. By 1909 he had risen to the rank of Captain, and took part in the Goudi military coup d'état
Goudi coup
The Goudi coup was a military coup d'état that took place in Greece on the night of , starting at the barracks in Goudi, a neighbourhood on the eastern outskirts of Athens. The coup was a pivotal event in modern Greek history, as it led to the arrival of Eleftherios Venizelos in Greece and his...
.
At the outbreak of the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
in October 1912, he was positioned at the Ionian
Ionian Islands
The Ionian Islands are a group of islands in Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese, i.e...
island of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. There, he assembled a small corps of volunteers from his home region, augmented by 200 Cretan volunteers. On 5 November, Himara rose in revolt
Himara revolt of 1912
The Himara revolt , was a Greek uprising during the First Balkan War that took place in the region of Himara , on...
and his force landed and occupied this coastal region, without facing initially resistance. Spyromylios then suggested to the Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
that the Greek Army should immediately capture the city of Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
, north of Himara. However, on November 28, the Albanians declared their independence in Vlorë and formed a provisional government. The Greek headquarters expected full scale attack in the area and ordered him to retreat. He rejected the order and remained in the region organizing the local defense.
When the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
ended, a series of peace treaties and protocols awarded the area to the newly formed Albanian state and the Greek forces were ordered to evacuate the area. At 9 February 1914 Spyromilios refused to withdraw and declared the region’s autonomy and himself as captain of Himara. Himara became part of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded on February 28, 1914, in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars, by the Greeks living in southern Albania ....
, proclaimed at February 28 in Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
.
Spyromilios became member of the Greek Parliament for the Argyrokastron Prefecture at the following elections. At September 1916, when the Italian army entered the region he escaped to Athens
Athens
Athens , 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...
. In the next years he was involved in the Northern Epirus issue. At 1926 he was honorary discharged with the rank of Colonel.
Legacy
It is noteworthy that Spyromilios kept correspondence with Albanian personalities, discussing the region’s political future. A distinguished Albanian, Eqerem Bej of VlorëEqerem bej Vlora
Eqrem Vlora was an Albanian lord, politician, writer, and one of the signatories of Albanian Declaration of Independence. He was born in Vlora, the son of one of the wealthiest landowning families of the south...
, noted that Spyromilios and his family were known for their loyalty towards their
friends, bravery and persistence.
Spyromilios’ family mansion in Himara, is one of the town’s main attractions, although abandoned today.
Sources
Further reading
- Αλβανοί και Αλβανισταί. [Albanians and Albanists] Spyros Spyromilios, Athens 1914. (in Greek)