Colonel Constantin Denis Bourbaki | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Διονύσιος Βούρβαχης |
| Birth name | Dionysios Bourbakis |
| Born | c. 1787 |
| Died | 8 February 1827 |
| Allegiance |  First French Empire First Hellenic Republic |
| Branch |  Imperial French Army Hellenic Army |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles / wars | |
| Children | Charles-Denis Bourbaki (son) |
| Other work | Aide-de-camp toJoseph Bonaparte |
Dionysios Vourvachis (Greek:Διονύσιος Βούρβαχης; 1787 – 8 February 1827), also known asConstantin Denis Bourbaki, was aGreek officer educated in France, and serving in the French military. He fought in the last phases of theNapoleonic Wars, and after 1825, joined theGreek War of Independence. He was killed in 1827 following his defeat at theBattle of Kamatero. He is the father of French GeneralCharles Denis Bourbaki.
Bourbaki was born on the island ofKefalonia in 1787. He was the son ofKonstantinos-Sotirios Vourvachis, a Greek ofCretan extraction who was forced to relocate to Kephalonia. Thanks to his father's influence withNapoleon, he was able to join the military academy atFontainebleau (which was later relocated toSt Cyr). He graduated from the academy in 1804.
Following his graduation, he took part in several conflicts of theNapoleonic Wars, and was appointedaide-de-camp toJoseph Bonaparte, who had been appointedKing of Spain by Napoleon. However, following the Emperor's exile toElba, he resigned his commission in the military. AfterNapoleon's return to France, he resumed active duty with the rank ofcolonel, but he resigned again after the defeat atWaterloo and theBourbon Restoration in 1815. In the following years, he left France for Spain due to a duel, but was expelled soon afterwards for his anti-monarchist views. He retired to the town ofPau, in the FrenchPyrenees.
Following the outbreak of theGreek Revolution in 1821, Bourbaki initiated contact with thephilhellenic groups ofParis. In 1825, he was involved in an attempt to secure the Greek throne forLouis, Duke of Nemours, second son ofLouis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans. In 1826, he was sent to Greece as the head of a number of French volunteers, and intended to place himself under the command ofGeorgios Karaiskakis.
He received a negative reaction from theanglophile government inNafplion. Nevertheless, he recruited a body of 80 men at his own expense, and joined Greek chieftainsVasos Mavrovouniotis andPanagiotis Notaras. The three bodies advanced in unison intoAttica in January, 1827, with the intent of relieving the Greek garrisonbesieged at theAcropolis of Athens.
The force, numbering about 500 men in total, and under the command of Bourbaki, advanced toEleusis in February, and faced the Ottomans at theBattle of Kamatero on 8 February (27 January in theJulian calendar). Despite opposite opinions by the Greek chieftains, Bourbaki insisted on facing the Ottomans in an organised formation. His force was defeated by the Ottoman cavalry, losing over 300 men. He was captured, and beheaded later the same day.
Vourvachis street inKamatero is named after Bourbaki in honour of his heroic death on the town's premises. Moreover, the municipality has occasionally held games in his honour, called the Vourvachia (Βουρβάχεια), with varying success.
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