Konstantinos Rados (Greek:Κωνσταντίνος Ράδος, 1785-1865) was aGreek merchant and member of theFiliki Eteria, a secret organization whose purpose was to overthrow the Ottoman rule of Greece. He took part in theGreek War of Independence against the Ottomans and during the governance ofIoannis Kapodistrias he held important administrative positions.
He was born inTsepelovo,Epirus in 1785 and studied at schools ofIoannina andPisa. He was the father of lawyer Nikolaos Rados and the grandfather of professor Konstantinos Rados, who served as a curator at theNational Historical Museum in Athens[1] and president of theHistorical and Ethnological Society of Greece.
He was initiated intoCarbonarism, bringing his knowledge of Carbonari practices into the Filiki Eteria when he became a member. After theGreek War of Independence began, in 1822 he took part in thebattle in Styra alongsideIlias Mavromichalis andVasos Mavrovouniotis, but they were defeated by the Ottoman army of Omer Bey.[2] Before and during the governance ofIoannis Kapodistrias he held important administrative positions. More specifically, Konstantinos Rados served as Provincial Governor ofAndros (1822-1824), Provincial Governor ofTripolitsa (1825), provisional Governor ofNafplio (1828-1829) and Temporary Commissioner of Western Greece (1830-1831). In 1831 he withdrew from his administrative duties after the assassination of Kapodistrias. He was receiving a small pension for his contribution to the war, which his wife continued to take after his death in [865.[2]
The frequent correspondence between Rados and Kapodistrias, together with the fact thatViaros Kapodistrias asked Rados to confirm the news of his brother’s death, proves that the relationship between them wasn’t just formal, but deeper and more meaningful.[3]