Anniversary of the Liberation of Kalamata on the 23^rd of March 1821 and the beginning of the Greek War of Independence – “Victory or Death”

The unofficial but actual date of the beginning of the Greek War of Independence is March 23, 1821, when under the leadership of Theodoros Kolokotronis, Papaflessas and Petrobey Mavromichalis, the Greek irregular revolutionary forces liberated the city of Kalamata from the Ottoman forces after a brief two day siege.

Around mid-March a ship loaded with ammunition arrived at the port of Almyros. The Turkish Aga in the city of Kalamata, Suleiman Arnaoutoglou, upon hearing of this was very alarmed. Knowing that he had few troops to defend the city he called upon Petrobey Mavromichalis to send men to guard Kalamata. On March 20 Petrobey Mavromichali sent 150 men led by his son Elias Mavromichalis. On March 22, the city of Kalamata was surrounded by 2000 men under the leadership of the Chieftain’s Theodoros Kolokotronis, Papaflessas and Petrobey Mavromichalis. The Aga then understood what had happened, but it was too late to react. The Greek chieftains arrived outside the Aga’s house without encountering any resistance since most of the Turks had already fled. The Chieftains advised the Aga of the situation and they asked for the delivery of Kalamata stressing that any form of resistance would be futile. The Aga handed over the city and all the Turkish arms. Thus Kalamata became the first city liberated in the Greek War of Independence without a shot being fired.

The Chieftains all met at the Church of the Holy Apostles where, 24 priests and monks celebrated a divine mass and blessed the banners of the Revolution. Following the mass all present took a holy oath of the Revolution with the slogan “VICTORY OR DEATH”. Later a meeting of all the Chieftains was held and it was decided to create a revolutionary council named the Messinian Senate, where Petrobey Mavromichalis was elected as the Commander. On the same day the Messinian Senate gave formal notice and sent documents to the foreign consulates that the Greek War of Independence had begun and that the Greeks were fighting for their freedom.

By the end of March, the Greeks effectively controlled the countryside, while the Turks were confined to the fortresses, most notably those of Patras, Rio, Acrocorinth, Monemvasia, Nafplion and the provincial capital, Tripolitsa, where many Turks had fled with their families at the beginning of the uprising. All these fortresses were loosely besieged by local irregular forces under their own captains, since the Greeks lacked artillery. With the exception of Tripolitsa, all fortresses had access to the sea and could be resupplied and reinforced by the Ottoman fleet.

Theodoeos Kolokotronis, determined to take Tripolitsa, the Ottoman provincial capital in the Peloponnese, moved into Arcadia with 300 Greek soldiers, where they fought a Turkish force of 1,300 men and defeated them. On April 28, Maniot soldiers under the command of Ilias Mavromichalis joined the Kolokotronis’ camp outside Tripolitsa. On September 12, 1821, Tripolitsa was freed by Kolokotronis and his men.