Michalis Kourmoulis (Greek:Μιχάλης Κουρμούλης; 1765–1824[1]) was a Greek leader of theGreek War of Independence fromCrete and one of the major military leaders on the island during the war.
Kourmoulis was originally known as Hussein Agha, and was the leader of an importantCretan family fromMessara that was flourishing since the time of theVenetian rule over Crete. After theOttoman conquest of Crete, the Kourmoulis family converted toIslam, producing severalbeys andaghas, but remainingCrypto-Christians in reality.[2] Both Kourmoulis and his family protected the Christians ofDikti andPsiloritis region. In 1814, in response to the murder of some armedOttomans, Kourmoulis was accused as a secret Christian, but managed to be acquitted.[3]
He participated in the preparation of theGreek Revolution inCrete, being a member of theFiliki Eteria after being initiated byGregorios Kallonas. During theEaster of 1821, while he was inChania, he revealed in public his Christian faith. When the revolution broke out in Crete, he became head of his family, which numbered 75 armed men[3] as well as head of the armed Greeks of Messara.[4]
Initially, together with other local leaders he laid ambushes on the Ottoman forces in theRethymno area, whilelater he temporarily fled toKassos with other rebels, only to return later in Crete.[5] His compatriots proposed him toDemetrios Ypsilantis as a candidate for the position of the general chief of Crete, but eventuallyMichail Komninos Afentoulief was selected by Ypsilantis.[6] He was appointed aspentakosiarch[7] and managed to repeatedly beat the Ottoman military officers, Sherif and Hassan Pasha. He was also one of the first leaders to set up a Greek cavalry unit.[8] After the suppression of the revolution on the island by the Egyptian army, Michael Kourmoulis fled toHydra where he died from his wounds in 1824. His brother Georgios and his son Dimitris offered important services in the Revolution.