Petrobey Mavromichalis | |
|---|---|
| Πετρόμπεης Μαυρομιχάλης | |
 Portrait of Petros Mavromichalis National Gallery of Greece | |
| President of the ExecutiveProvisional Administration of Greece | |
| In office 26 April 1823 – 5 January 1824 (o.s.) | |
| Preceded by | Alexandros Mavrokordatos |
| Succeeded by | Georgios Kountouriotis |
| Senator | |
| In office 18 March 1844 – 17 January 1848 | |
| Monarch | Otto |
| Prime Minister | Konstantinos Kanaris Alexandros Mavrokordatos Ioannis Kolettis Kitsos Tzavellas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1765-08-06)6 August 1765 |
| Died | 17 January 1848(1848-01-17) (aged 82) |
| Resting place | Limeni,Mani |
| Spouse | Anna Benaki |
| Relations | Kyriakoulis Mavromichalis (brother) Ioannis Mavromichalis (brother) Antonios Mavromichalis (brother) Konstantinos Mavromichalis (brother) Periklis Pierrakos-Mavromichalis (nephew) Kyriakoulis Mavromichalis (great-nephew) |
| Children | Ilias Mavromichalis Panagiotitsa Mavromichalis Georgios Mavromichalis Anastasios Mavromichalis Ioannis P. Mavromichalis Demetrios Mavromichalis |
| Parent(s) | Pierros Mavromichalis Katerina Koutsogrigorakos |
| Residence(s) | Limeni,Mani |
| Occupation | Bey ofMani Revolutionary Soldier |
| Awards |  Grand Cross of theOrder of the Redeemer |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | .svg) First Hellenic Republic |
| Branch/service |  Hellenic Army |
| Commands | Commander in Chief of Maniot forces |
| Battles/wars | |
Petros Mavromichalis (Greek:Πέτρος Μαυρομιχάλης; 1765–1848), also known asPetrobey (Greek:Πετρόμπεης[peˈtrobe.is]), was aGreek general and politician who played a major role in the lead-up and during theGreek War of Independence. Before the war, he served as theBey of Mani.His family had a long history of revolts against theOttoman Empire, which ruled most of what is nowGreece. His grandfather Georgios and his father Pierros were among the leaders of theOrlov Revolt.
Petros was born on 6 August 1765, the son of leader Pierros "Mavromichalis" Pierrakos and Katerina Koutsogrigorakos, a doctor's daughter.
Mavromichalis' family had a long history of uprising against theOttoman Empire, which ruled most of what is nowGreece. His grandfather Georgakis Mavromichalis and his father Pierros "Mavromichalis" Pierrakos were among the leaders of theOrlov Revolt. The revolt was followed by a period of infighting between the leaders ofMani; soon, young Petros gained a strong reputation for mediating the disputes and reuniting the warring families. Due to the failure of several uprisings against the Turks, he was successful in helping manyklephts and other rebels to escape to the French-controlledHeptanese, which gave him a useful contact with a potential ally. During that period he possibly made an alliance withNapoleon Bonaparte, who wasfighting in Egypt; Napoleon was to strike the Ottoman Empire in coordination with a Greek revolt. Napoleon's failure inEgypt doomed that plan.
By 1814, the reorganized Maniots again became a threat to the Ottomans, and the Sultan offered a number of concessions to Pierrakos, including his being namedBey, orChieftain, of Mani - in effect formalizing the de facto status of autonomy the region had maintained for years. Under the leadership of Petrobey, as he was now called, the Maniot state and the Pierrakos family in particular were powerful enough to control the areas of the southern Peloponnese against Albanian raiders on behalf of the Sultan. Still, Petrobey was an active participant in the various designs of theMoreotkapetanei (καπεταναίοι, 'captains, commanders of warbands') for an uprising. In 1818, he became a member of theFiliki Eteria, and in 1819 he brokered a formal pact among the majorkapetanei families. On 17 March 1821 Petrobey raised his war flag inAreopolis, effectively signaling the start of theGreek War of Independence. His troops marched intoKalamata and took the city on 23 March. After the arrival of Ypsilantis's emissaries in Mani, local people rose under the leadership of Mavromichalis. Greek insurgents organised in units of armed civilians took control of most of the fortresses.[1]
After the summer of 1822, Petrobey retired from battle, leaving the leadership of his troops to his sons (two of whom were killed fighting). He continued to act as a mediator whenever disputes arose among thekapetanaioi, and acted as the leader of theMessenian Senate, a council of prominent revolutionary leaders. He also tried to seek support from the West by sending a number of letters to leaders andphilhellenes in Europe and theUnited States.
After the revolution, Petrobey became a member of the firstGreek Senate, under the leadership ofIoannis Kapodistrias. The two men soon clashed as a result of Kapodistrias' insistence on establishing a centralized regional administration based on political appointees, replacing the traditional system of family loyalties. Petros' brother Ioannis led a revolt against the appointed governor ofLakonia; the two brothers were invited to meet Kapodistrias and negotiate a solution but when they showed up, they were arrested. From his prison cell, Petros tried to negotiate a settlement with Kapodistrias; the latter refused. The crisis was then settled by more traditional means: Petros' brotherKonstantinos and his sonGeorgios assassinated Kapodistrias on 9 October 1831. Petros publicly disapproved of the murder. Kapodistrias was succeeded by KingOtto, whose attitude towards thekapetanaioi was much friendlier. Petros became vice-president of the Council of State, and later a senator. He was also one of the few Greeks to be awarded the Grand Cross of theOrder of the Redeemer.[2]
He died inAthens on 17 January 1848 and was buried with the highest honors.
| Preceded by | Bey of Mani 1815–1821 | Greek War of Independence |
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| Preceded by | President of the Executive 26 April – 5 January 1823 (o.s.) | Succeeded by |
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