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Society of Friends | |
| Φιλική Εταιρεία | |
 Insignia of the Filiki Eteria | |
| Formation | 14 September 1814; 211 years ago (14 September 1814) |
|---|---|
| Founder | |
| Founded at | Odessa,Russian Empire |
| Type | Secret society Revolutionary organisation |
| Purpose | Instigate theGreek War of Independence
|
| Headquarters | Odessa Constantinople (from 1818) |
Region | Ottoman Empire |
| Fields | Greek nationalism |
| Leader | Alexandros Ypsilantis |
Key people | |
Filiki Eteria (Greek:Φιλικὴ Ἑταιρεία,romanized: Filikī́ Etaireía) orSociety of Friends (Greek:Ἑταιρεία τῶν Φιλικῶν,romanized: Etaireía tôn Filikôn) was a secret political andrevolutionary organization founded in 1814 inOdessa, whose purpose was to overthrowOttoman rule inGreece and establish anindependent Greek State.[1] Society members were mainly youngPhanariot Greeks fromConstantinople and theRussian Empire, local political and military leaders from the Greek mainland and islands, as well as several Orthodox Christian leaders from other nations that were under Hellenic influence, such asKarađorđe fromSerbia,[2] andTudor Vladimirescu fromRomania.[3] One of its leaders was the prominent Phanariote PrinceAlexander Ypsilantis.[4] The Society initiated theGreek War of Independence in the spring of 1821.[5]
The direct translation of the word "Φιλική" is "Friendly" and the direct translation of "Ἑταιρεία" is "Society", "Company" or "Association"). The common transliteration "Filiki Eteria" reflects the pronunciation of the name in modern Greek. Other possible transliterations are "Filike Etaireia", which reflectsGreek orthography, and "Philike Hetaireia", which reflects the ancient Greek etymology. The word "friendly" here is meant to connote allies who work towards the same goal, not necessarily those who socialize together.
In the context of ardent desire for independence from Turkish occupation, and with the explicit influence of similar secret societies elsewhere in Europe, three Greeks came together in 1814 inOdessa to decide the constitution for a secret organization infreemasonic fashion. Its purpose was to unite all Greeks in an armed organization to overthrow Turkish rule. The three founders wereNikolaos Skoufas from theArta province,Emmanuil Xanthos fromPatmos andAthanasios Tsakalov fromIoannina.[1] Soon after they initiated a fourth member,Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos fromAndritsaina.
Skoufas met with Konstantinos Rados, who was initiated intoCarbonarism. Xanthos was initiated into aFreemasonic Lodge atLefkada ("Society of Free Builders of Saint Mavra"), while Tsakalov was a founding member of theHellenoglosso Xenodocheio (Greek: Ελληνόγλωσσο Ξενοδοχείο, meaningGreek-speaking Hotel) an earlier relative society for the liberation of Greece which had been founded in Paris and made a progress to the Greek nationalistic ideas.[6]
At the start, between 1814 and 1816, there were roughly twenty members. During 1817, the society initiated members from the diaspora Greeks of Russia and theDanubian Principalities ofMoldavia andWallachia. The Prince of MoldaviaMichael Soutzos himself, became a member.[7] Massive initiations began only in 1818 and by early 1821, when the Society had expanded to almost all regions of Greece and throughout Greek communities abroad, the membership numbered in thousands.[8] Among its members were tradesmen, clergy,Russian consuls,Ottoman officials fromPhanar and revolutionarySerbs, most notably, the leader of theSerbian Revolution, father of the modernSerbia and founder of theKaradjordjevic dynastyKarageorge Petrovic.[8][9] Members included primary instigators of the Greek revolution, notablyTheodoros Kolokotronis,Odysseas Androutsos,Dimitris Plapoutas,Papaflessas and the metropolitan bishopGermanos of Patras.
Filiki Eteria was strongly influenced byCarbonarism andFreemasonry.[6] The team of leaders made and spread its decisions, saying that they transmitted the commands of an "Invisible Authority" (Αόρατος Αρχή), who was thought to be one or more strong persons, so that from the start it was shrouded in mystery, secrecy and glamour. It was generally believed that a lot of important personalities were members, not only eminent Greeks, but also notable foreigners such as the Tsar of RussiaAlexander I. The reality was that initially, the Invisible Authority comprised only the three founders. From 1815 until 1818, five more were added to the Invisible Authority, and after the death of Skoufas three more. In 1818, the Invisible Authority was renamed to the "Authority of the Twelve Apostles" and each Apostle shouldered the responsibility of a separate region.
The organisational structure was pyramid-like, with the "Invisible Authority" coordinating from the top. No one knew or had the right to ask who created the organisation. Commands were carried out unquestioningly and members did not have the right to make decisions. Members of the society came together in what was called a "Temple" with four levels ofinitiation: a)Brothers (Αδελφοποίητοι) orVlamides (Βλάμηδες), b) theRecommended (Συστημένοι), c) thePriests (Ιερείς) and d) theShepherds (Ποιμένες).[10] The Priests were charged with the duty of initiation.[11]
I swear in the name of truth and justice, before the Supreme Being, to guard, by sacrificing my own life, and suffering the hardest toils, the mystery, which shall be explained to me and that I shall respond with the truth whatever I am asked.
— The Oath of Initiation in to the Filiki
When the Priest approached a new member, it was first to make sure of his patriotism and catechize him in the aims of the society; the last stage was to put him under the lengthy principal oath, called the Great Oath (Μέγας Όρκος).[11] Much of the essence of it was contained in its conclusion:[10]
Last of all, I swear by Thee, my sacred and suffering Country,— I swear by thy long-endured tortures,— I swear by the bitter tears which for so many centuries have been shed by thy unhappy children, by my own tears which I am pouring forth at this very moment,— I swear by the future liberty of my countrymen, that I consecrate myself wholly to thee; that hence forward thou shall be the cause and object of my thoughts, thy name the guide of my actions, and thy happiness the recompense of my labours.
— Conclusion of the Great Oath of the Filiki
When the above was administered the Priest then uttered the words of acceptance of the novice as a new member:[11]
Before the face of the invisible and omnipresent true God, who in his essence is just, the avenger of transgression, the chastizer of evil, by the laws of the Eteria Filiki, and by the authority with which its powerful priests have intrusted me, I receive you, as I was myself received, into the bosom of the Eteria.
— words of acceptance into Filiki
Afterwards the initiated were consideredneophyte members of the society, with all the rights and obligations of this rank. The Priest immediately had the obligation to reveal all the marks of recognition between theVlamides orBrothers.Vlamides andRecommended were unaware of the revolutionary aims of the organisation. They only knew that there existed a society that tried hard for the general good of the nation, which included in its ranks important personalities. This myth was propagated deliberately in order to stimulate the morale of members and also to make proselytism easier.
Members in the secret society divided to three parts: a) Etairoi (society members), who had important duties, b) Apostles (advocates), who also had important duties, and c) all other members.[12]
| Etairoi | Apostles |
|---|---|
| |
| 1 In source referenced asChristodoulos Perraivos (p. 44). 2 In source referenced asN. Galatis (p. 44) andGalanis (p. 45). 3 In source referended asGeorgios Katakazis (p. 44). † Members who were killed as traitors (p. 45). | |
| Source:List of 12 Etairoi and 15 Apostles, sorted by their initiation date.[12] | |
The following is a list of members of the Filiki Eteria in order of most initiations which they conducted:[13]
| Initiations | Name | Profession | Origin | Initiator | Place of Initiation | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | Anagnostaras | Soldier | Peloponnese | N. Skoufas | Odessa | 1817 |
| 36 | G. Dikaios | Clergyman | P. Anagnostopoulos | Constantinople | 1818 | |
| 31 | N. Kalivas | Doctor | Zakynthos | I. Asimakopoulos | Zakynthos | 1819 |
| 30 | A. Pappas | Teacher | Thessaly | — | Italy | 1818 |
| 25 | K. Pentedekas | Merchant | Epirus | N. Galatis | Moscow | 1816 |
| 23 | S. Hahamakis | Constantinople | N. Skoufas | Odessa | 1817 | |
| A. Stratigopoulos | Smyrna | — | 1820 | |||
| 18 | P. Anagnostopoulos | Peloponnese | N. Skoufas | 1815 | ||
| N. Paboukis | Teacher | Anagnostaras | Hydra | 1818 | ||
| 17 | Α. Tsounis | Merchant | — | Odessa | ||
| Ε. Chrysospathis | Soldier | N. Skoufas | 1817 | |||
| 16 | N. Skoufas | Merchant | Epirus | — | 1814 | |
| 15 | P. Arvalis | Peloponnese | Constantinople | 1818 | ||
| 13 | P. Athanasiou | A. Tsakalof | ||||
| 12 | G. Gatsos | Epirus | Α. Komizopoulos | Moscow | 1817 | |
| A. Pelopidas | G. Dikaios | Constantinople | 1818 | |||
| S.Arvanitachi | Zakynthos | N. Mouzakis | Galați | 1820 | ||
| 11 | D. Paboukis | Clergyman | Peloponnese | Ν. Paboukis | Peloponnese | 1819 |
| Th. Kolokotronis | Soldier | Anagnostaras | Zakynthos | 1818 | ||
| 10 | D. Pelopidas | Merchant | P. Naoum | Odessa | 1820 | |
| I. Klados | Doctor | Kythira | Hydra |
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In 1818, the seat of Filiki Eteria had migrated fromOdessa toConstantinople, and Skoufas' death had been a serious loss. The remaining founders attempted to find a major personality to take over the reins, one who would add prestige and freshimpetus to the society. In early 1818, they had a meeting withIoannis Kapodistrias, who not only refused, but later wrote that he considered Filiki Eteria guilty for the havoc that was foreboded in Greece.
Alexandros Ypsilantis was contacted and asked to assume leadership of Filiki Eteria,[7] which he did in April 1820. He began active preparations for a revolt and with the setting up of a military unit for the purpose that he named theSacred Band. Various proposals were made for the location regarding the break out of the revolution. One of them was to be inConstantinople, the heart of the empire, that was the long-term target of the revolutionaries. Finally the decision that was taken was to start from thePeloponnese (Morea), and theDanubian Principalities for a feint at the same time. The society especially wanted to also take advantage of the involvement of significant Ottoman forces, including the pasha of the Moreas, againstAli Pasha of Ioannina.
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