Panoutsos Notaras (Greek:Πανούτσος Νοταράς; 31 March 1740 or 1752 – 18 January 1849) was a Greek revolutionary and politician who was a leading figure of theGreek War of Independence, serving several times as president of the Greek national assemblies and legislative bodies.
Panoutsos Notaras was born inTrikala, Corinthia on 31 March, either in 1740, or, more probably, in 1752. His family, the Notarades, were among the six most prominent Greek Orthodox families of thePeloponnese during the lateOttoman rule, and occupied high-ranking offices in the provincial administration. Panoutsos' father,Spyridon Notaras, was considered one of the best-educated Greek magnates. Panoutsos himself received a good education by the scholar Grigorios Karvounis, although his feeble health did not allow him to go for university studies to Italy.[1][2]
Panoutsos Notaras participated in the unsuccessfulOrlov Revolt in 1770, and in 1818 became a member of theFiliki Etaireia, a secret society preparing for another Greek uprising against the Ottoman Empire. He considered the start of theGreek War of Independence in March 1821 as too premature, and fell out with theEtaireia's envoy,Papaflessas, over the issue. Nevertheless, after the uprising had progressed, and following the execution of his brother Andrikos by the Ottomans in April and the arrival ofDimitrios Ypsilantis in the Peloponnese in June, he came around to supporting it.[1] He was elected as a representative to theFirst National Assembly at Epidaurus in late 1821, and participated in the 12-member committee that drafted theGreek Constitution of 1822. In the firstExecutive of theProvisional Government, serving from January 1822 to April 1823, he was Minister of Economy.[1] From 11 October 1824 until 6 April 1826, Notaras served as President of the Legislative Corps, although the body was largely sidelined by the Executive at the time. In theGreek civil wars of 1824–1825, he sided with the "government" faction although he initially sympathized with the "military" faction aroundTheodoros Kolokotronis. Nevertheless, as President of the Legislative he tried unsuccessfully to mediate between the two sides, and urged the government to show leniency and pardon their opponents.[1][3]
Notaras served briefly (6–16 April 1826) as President of theThird National Assembly, but its sessions were suspended at the news of thefall of Missolonghi. He remained head of a provisional committee representing the Assembly to the Executive, and on 16 March 1827 issued the order reconvening the Assembly atTroezen. Due to his involvement in a scandal in support for his nephewIoannis Notaras, he was dismissed from his post before the Assembly reconvened, and retired from public life for two years.[1][4] Under the new Governor of Greece,Ioannis Kapodistrias, Notaras became a member of thePanellinion, an advisory body created instead of a parliament, but was not very active there. On 27 November 1829, Kapodistrias appointed Notaras as president of the Court of Appeals inNafplion.[1]
Notaras took part in theFifth National Assembly at Nafplion, where, following the resignation of Ioannis Kapodistrias' brother and successor,Augustinos, he supportedIoannis Kolettis. He was elected President of the Assembly on 11 June 1832, and chaired it until it broke up on 20 August. His brief tenure was dominated by the acceptance of theBavarian princeOtto, who was selected by the threeGreat Powers (France, Britain, Russia), as King of Greece.[1][5]
Notaras remained on the sidelines in the first decade of Otto's rule, but following the3 September 1843 Revolution he was elected President of the newNational Assembly, which was tasked with drafting anew constitution. He held the post from 8 November until the Assembly's dissolution on 18 March 1844, but this was largely an honorary appointment for the "Nestor of Greek politicians", since his advanced age precluded any active participation. The actual work was handled by the Assembly's vice-presidents,Andreas Metaxas,Andreas Londos,Alexandros Mavrokordatos and Ioannis Kolettis.[1]
In 1846, Notaras published his autobiography, and retired to his native Trikala, where he died on 18 January 1849.[1][2] The historic Notarades building is also in the village (at risk of collapse as of 2019).