Andreas Miaoulis | |
|---|---|
 A portrait of Andreas Miaoulis byDionysios Tsokos | |
| Native name | Ανδρέας Μιαούλης Andrea Miauli |
| Birth name | Andreas Vokos Ανδρέας Βώκος |
| Nicknames | Miaoulis Μιαούλης |
| Born | 1765[1] |
| Died | 11 June 1835(1835-06-11) (aged 70) |
| Buried | Piraeus, close to the tomb of Themistocles |
| Allegiance | .svg) First Hellenic Republic Kingdom of Greece |
| Branch | .svg) Hellenic Navy |
| Years of service | 1821-1827 1832-1835 |
| Rank | Admiral (Revolutionary Navy) Vice Admiral (Hellenic Navy) |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards |  Grand Cross of theOrder of the Redeemer |
| Children | Dimitrios Miaoulis Antonios Miaoulis Ioannis Miaoulis Emmanouil Miaoulis Athanasios Miaoulis Nikolaos Miaoulis |
| Relations | Andreas A. Miaoulis (grandson) Andreas Miaoulis (grandson) Dimitrios D. Miaoulis (grandson) Emmanouil A. Miaoulis (grandson) |
| Signature |  |
Andreas Vokos, better known by his nicknameMiaoulis (Greek:Ανδρέας Βώκος Μιαούλης; 1765 – 24 June 1835), was a Greek revolutionary,admiral, andpolitician who commanded Greek naval forces during theGreek War of Independence (1821–1829).
Miaoulis was born on the island ofHydra to anArvanite[2] family ofEuboean origin, namely from the town of Fylla.[3][4] He was known among his fellow islanders as a trader in corn who had gained wealth and made a popular use of his money. He had been a merchant captain, and was chosen to lead the naval forces of the islands when they rose against thegovernment of the Sultan. Miaoulis contributed in every way possible to the cause of the resistance against the Turks. He expended the money he had made from his wheat-shipping business during theNapoleonic Wars.[5] Between May 1825 and January 1826,[1] Miaoulis led the Greeks to victory over the Turks in skirmishes off Modon, Cape Matapan, Suda, and Cape Papas.[1]
The islanders had enjoyed some measure of exemption from the worst excesses of the Turkish officials, but suffered severely from the conscription raised to man the Turkish ships; and though they seemed to be peculiarly open to attack by the Sultan's forces from the sea, they took an early and active part in the rising. As early as 1822 Miaoulis was appointednavarch, (Greek:Ναύαρχος) oradmiral, of the swarm of small vessels which formed the insurgent fleet. He commanded the expedition sent to take revenge for the massacre ofChios in the same year. He was victorious at theBattle of Nauplia in September.[1]
In 1824, after the conquest ofPsara by the Turks, he commanded the Greek forces which prevented the further progress of the Sultan's fleet, though at the cost of the loss of many fire ships and men. But in the same year he was unable to prevent theEgyptian forces from occupyingNavarino, though he harassed them with some success. In 1825 he succeeded in carrying stores and reinforcements intoMissolonghi, when it wasbesieged for the third time, though he could not avert its fall.[1] In order to save Missolonghi, he attempted to disrupt the sea communications of the Egyptian forces. In this he failed owing to the enormous disproportion of the two squadrons in the siege and strength of the ships.[1]
As the war went on, the naval power of the Greeks diminished, partly owing to the penury of their treasury and partly to the growth ofpiracy in the anarchy of the EasternMediterranean. He continued to be the naval chief of the Greeks until the formerRoyal Navy officerThomas Cochrane entered their service in 1827. Miaoulis then retired in order to leave the British officer free to act as commander.[1]
When Miaoulis retired to make room for Cochrane, the conduct of the struggle had really passed into the hands of theGreat Powers. When independence had been obtained, Miaoulis in his old age was entangled in the civil conflicts of his country, as an opponent ofKapodistrias and theRussian Party, he seized some of the principal ships of the Greek fleet atPoros in August 1831, including theHellas, and destroyed them during the counter-attack of the Russian fleet.[citation needed]
He was one of the deputation sent to inviteKing Otto to accept the crown of Greece, and was made rear-admiral and then vice-admiral by him.[citation needed] Otto also awarded him with the Grand Cross of theOrder of the Redeemer.[6]
Miaoulis died on 24 June 1835 atAthens.
He was buried inPiraeus near the tomb ofThemistocles, the founder of the ancient Athenian Navy. His heart rests in an urn at the Ministry of Commercial Navy.
TheHellenic Navy named acruiser, theNavarchos Miaoulis, after him in 1879.[citation needed]
His son,Athanasios, was a high-ranking military officer who served asPrime Minister of Greece between 1857 and 1862.[citation needed]
A big festival, calledMiaoulute, takes place in Hydra every year the weekend closest to 21 June, to honor Admiral Miaoulis, a most important man of the Greek Revolution in 1821.[citation needed]
Ο ναύαρχος Μιαούλης και κατήγετο από το χωρίον Φύλλα της Ευβοίας, όπου υπανδρεύθη την πρώτη του σύζυγον εξ ης απέκτησεν ένα υιόν.
Media related toAndreas Vokos Miaoulis at Wikimedia Commons
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