Thanasis Vagias
Encyclopedia
Thanasis Vagias was a Greek
counselor and confidant of Ali Pasha
, a Muslim
Albanian
ruler of Ottoman
Epirus
. Vagias was born in Lekël
, Tepelenë. His name had become notorious because, under Ali's service, he led an attack against the village of Kardhiq
, near Gjirokaster
, modern southern Albania
. As a result of this operation, hundreds of men, women and children were killed. When the Greek War of Independence
ended, Vagias moved to the newly founded Greek state
and was given a government post and later acquired a pension, by the head of state of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias
.
According to various authors, Vagias was wrongly regarded as a traitor of the Greek cause by various historians and authors of that period, like Ioannis Makrygiannis
, Aristotelis Valaoritis
and Alexandre Dumas, père
. Valaoritis’ masterpiece was titled Thanasis Vagias after him. In this work, Vagias is presented as a traitor, who after his death returns to his home place as a vampire. Additionally, one of the main characters of the Greek traditional shadow theatre
, Karagiozis
, is named Thanasis Vagias, who is a Greek that allies with the Turkish Pasha.
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....
counselor and confidant of 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...
, a Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
Albanian
Albanians
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...
ruler of Ottoman
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...
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...
. Vagias was born in Lekël
Lekël
Lekël, or Lekli in its defined form, is a community in the Tepelenë District, Gjirokastër County, southern Albania.-Notable people:*Anastas Byku, publisher of the bilingual Albanian-Greek Pellazgos magazine in 1860-1861 in Lamia, Greece...
, Tepelenë. His name had become notorious because, under Ali's service, he led an attack against the village of Kardhiq
Kardhiq
Kardhiq is a village in the Cepo commune, Gjirokastër District, Gjirokastër County, Albania....
, near Gjirokaster
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...
, modern southern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. As a result of this operation, hundreds of men, women and children were killed. When 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...
ended, Vagias moved to the newly founded Greek state
Kingdom of Greece
The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 in the Convention of London by the Great Powers...
and was given a government post and later acquired a pension, by the head of state of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias
Ioannis Kapodistrias
Count 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...
.
According to various authors, Vagias was wrongly regarded as a traitor of the Greek cause by various historians and authors of that period, like Ioannis Makrygiannis
Ioannis Makrygiannis
General Yannis Makriyannis was a Greek merchant, military officer, politician and author, best known today for his Memoirs...
, Aristotelis Valaoritis
Aristotelis Valaoritis
Aristotelis Valaoritis was a Greek poet and politician. He was also the great-grandfather of Nanos Valaoritis, one of the most distinguished writers of Greece.-Biography:...
and Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
. Valaoritis’ masterpiece was titled Thanasis Vagias after him. In this work, Vagias is presented as a traitor, who after his death returns to his home place as a vampire. Additionally, one of the main characters of the Greek traditional shadow theatre
Shadow Theatre
The Shadow Theatre is an Edmonton-based theatre company born of the Edmonton International Fringe Festival in 1990.-History:Shadow Theatre was incorporated in 1992, operating under the governance of a volunteer Board of Directors...
, Karagiozis
Karagiozis
Karagiozis or Karaghiozis is a shadow puppet and fictional character of Greek and Turkish folklore...
, is named Thanasis Vagias, who is a Greek that allies with the Turkish Pasha.
Sources
(Project Gutenberg EBook of Ali Pacha: Celebrated Crimes) (Myriobiblos - Τhe Ballad-Poetry of Modern Greece)External links
- Θανάσης Βάγιας (Greek) Thanasis Vagias, by A. Valaoritis.