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The contribution of the Philhellenes to the National Struggle of '21-

Written by Dimitris N. Iliopoulos

All anniversaries – especially major ones – are an occasion for introspection, for evaluation with the aim of drawing useful conclusions for the benefit of future generations. The 200th Anniversary of our National Rebirth could not be an exception, especially in the difficult times of the pandemic that we are going through with all the complex and multi-level problems it causes.

This is because the Revolution of 1821 against the Ottoman yoke has been analyzed in all its aspects, especially those that it inherited in the independent Greek state, some of which continue to manifest themselves to this day with their positive and negative signs. The catalytic role that the Revolution played in history with the establishment of the first independent state of the Balkan peninsula, paving the way for other peoples of the region to also fight for their independence, is also noted.

Celebrating the Rebirth, we are inevitably led to a review of all those factors that contributed decisively to the successful outcome of the liberation struggle. Leaving aside the patriotism, self-sacrifice and martial virtue and bravery of the Greek fighters of the time, the contribution of the external factor, primarily at the state level and secondarily at the level of personalities, is also worthy of investigation. Only in this case, the roles were reversed. And this phenomenon must be explained. Liberation came as a result not only of the enormous sacrifices of the Greek people but, to a large extent, of the pressure exerted by the philhellene movement on the Great Powers of the time, which, after the Congress of Vienna of 1815, viewed very unfavorably any action that would overturn its results. And the Revolution of 1821 broke out precisely in this unfavorable climate.

Philhellenism as a European and wider phenomenon, which manifested itself during the period of the Greek Revolution, constitutes a unique chapter in world history. In no other case of a struggle for national emancipation and independence, anywhere in the world, has a wave of support manifested itself that included not only moral support and pressure on the governments involved, but also a huge mobilization of material and financial assistance and above all the personal participation of important personalities of the time, many of whom lost their lives.

But what was the driving force that produced this huge wave of support in such a critical situation? First and foremost, the Greeks had the unique privilege of being known as a nation thanks to their ancient ancestors, whom the peoples of Europe - and later also of other continents - had admired and studied since the Renaissance. Europeans and Americans, when they were informed of the beginning of the liberation struggle of the Greek nation, were deeply moved, feeling that it concerned them, since the ancient Greeks were considered by the Western world to be the basis of its philosophy, ideas and culture. Many were also those who felt the need to stand on the side of a Christian nation against a barbarian conqueror of another religion.

On the other hand, the bravery and heroic military exploits of the rebellious Greeks against a numerically superior and militarily stronger enemy, caused waves of admiration and solidarity. In combination with the atrocities of the Ottomans against innocent Christian populations, they strengthened feelings of sympathy for the fighters and prompted many to embrace the need for substantial assistance to them. Greek place names such as Chios, Psara, Messolonghi, Tripoli, Kalamata, Mani became known from one end of Europe to the other, as well as the names of the leaders of the Revolution such as Kolokotronis, Karaiskakis, Bouboulina, Ypsilantis, Papaflessas, Botsaris, Miaoulis, aroused passionate emotions that were capable of overcoming any opposition from European governments to the struggle of the Greek nation.

Philhellenism was manifested by those who acted in favor of the Greeks from their homelands, through philhellenic committees, organizing fundraisers in countries in Europe and America and collecting clothes, money and food to alleviate the misery of the Greek people who were in danger of being wiped out by hostilities, famine, epidemics and the barbarian conqueror's ravages.

It also manifested itself in practical solidarity with the fighting Greeks. Over 1.200 people came from Europe and America to fight alongside the revolutionaries. More than 350 Philhellenes fell in the fight for the liberation of Greece.

Philhellenism, beyond an ideological and political movement, also found expression as a literary and artistic movement with a remarkable influence on the public opinion of their homelands and, through it, on their government officials. The emotion caused by Delacroix's paintings, which narrated with the power of the image the tragedies of Chios, Messolonghi, etc. is well known. On the other hand, intellectuals, through their writings, contributed greatly to the formation and expansion of the philhellenic sentiment of the public opinion of the time. The enthusiasm for classical antiquity inspired intellectual creators of the stature of Goethe and the British romantic poet Percy Shelley, who had written: "We are all Greeks." And above all, the romantic figure of Lord Byron seems immense, who with his active involvement and his sad death strengthened the philhellene movement of his homeland. In this emotionally charged climate, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, George Canning, influenced by philhellene Britons, changed the previously negative attitude of England, dragging France and Russia along.

Thus we observe that the rallying of the global Philhellenic movement worked beneficially in favor of the Greek liberation struggle. As a result of the pressure of public opinion and important personalities of the time, with the Treaty of London in July 1827 the Great Powers decided to make peace in Greece while proposing the granting of independence to the Greeks. It was a decision that fundamentally changed the data of the Greek question and ultimately led to the establishment of the Greek State. However, the revolution was not yet over as the Ottoman Empire rejected the Treaty. The intervention of the Great Powers led to the destruction of the Turkish-Egyptian fleet at Navarino in October 1827 and triggered developments that led to the definitive independence of the new Greek state, which was consolidated two and a half years later with the London Protocol in 1830.

The role of Philhellenism was indeed catalytic as it was expressed both through the intellectuals of the time, military men, doctors, merchants, even ordinary people and later the governments of the Great Powers. This magnificent Philhellenism, regardless of its starting point, its turbulent path and its constructive conclusion, was ideally depicted by the great French romantic writer Victor Hugo through his following emblematic phrase: "The world is an enlargement of Greece and Greece is the world in miniature".

* Mr. Dimitris N. Iliopoulos is Ambassador Emeritus, Member of the Board of Directors of ELISME, Scientific Associate of