Spyromilios | |
|---|---|
| Σπυρομήλιος | |
.jpg) A portrait of Spyromilios National Historical Museum, Athens | |
| Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament | |
| In office 1872 | |
| Monarch | George I |
| Prime Minister | Dimitrios Voulgaris |
| Minister of Military Affairs | |
| In office 1859, 1862, 1867, 1869 | |
| Monarchs | Otto George I |
| Prime Minister | Athanasios Miaoulis Ioannis Kolokotronis Aristeidis Moraitinis Dimitrios Voulgaris |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Spyridon Milios Σπυρίδων Μήλιος 1800 Himara,Pashalik of Yanina,Ottoman Empire (nowAlbania) |
| Died | 1880 Athens,Kingdom of Greece |
| Awards |  Grand Cross of theOrder of the Redeemer |
| Nickname(s) | Spyros Σπύρος |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | .svg) First Hellenic Republic Kingdom of Greece |
| Branch/service |  Hellenic Army |
| Years of service | 1824–1854 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Battles/wars | |
Spyridon "Spyros"Milios (Greek:Σπυρίδων "Σπύρος" Μήλιος; 1800–1880), more commonly known asSpyromilios (Greek:Σπυρομήλιος), was aGreek revolutionary, general and politician.
He was born inHimara,[1] in modernsouthernAlbania, then part of theOttoman Empire. In 1810 he went toNaples in Italy, where he remained until 1819, studying military theory and learningLatin and French. In 1819, he returned to his homeland to prepare a geographic survey for his school, but was detained byAli Pasha of Ioannina, who employed him at his court as a military adviser.
In August 1824, after Ali’s death, together with his brothers Nikolaos andZachos Milios, he travelled south and joined the ongoingGreek War of Independence. In August 1825 he was fighting in theThird Siege of Missolonghi, at the head of a group of 250 armed Himariotes. Named General in September, he was sent as a member of a commission toNafplion in January 1826, to ask the government for more effective aid to the besieged city. Little was achieved, and although Spyromilios tried to arrange for a British ship to evacuate the garrison, it was too late. Spyromilios was thus forced to remain a spectator of the garrison's disastrous attempt to sally and break through the Ottoman lines, during which his brother Nikolaos was killed.
Afterwards, together with his brother Zachos, he took part in military operations inCentral Greece underGeorgios Karaiskakis. Under GovernorIoannis Kapodistrias (1828–1829), Spyromilios was placed captain of the personal guard ofDimitrios Ypsilantis.
After the end of the War of Independence, Spyromilios settled inThebes, but as a known supporter of Kapodistrias, he was imprisoned for 9 months in thePalamidi fortress (September 1833-June 1834). Released and reinstated to the army, he became director of theHellenic Military Academy in 1840-1844. The first Greek to hold that post, he also wrote the Academy's first book of regulations. From this position he participated in the3 September 1843 Revolution that led to the granting of the firstConstitution of Greece. This led him to be considered as an enemy ofKing Otto, but he soon regained the King's trust. He was appointed General Secretary of the Ministry of Military Affairs in 1848 andadjutant to the King, and in 1850 he was appointed Minister of Military Affairs, a post he kept until 1853. Following the outbreak of theCrimean War, he supported Greek revolts in the Ottoman Empire, despite the neutrality forced upon Greece by Britain and France. His involvement in arevolt in Epirus (1854) led to his dismissal from his offices and his suspension from the Army.
Retired from the Army, he returned to politics from 1859, and served as Minister of Military Affairs in the several cabinets:
In 1864-1865, he was a member of the short-livedCouncil of State, while in 1872, he was elected speaker of theGreek Parliament.
In his memoirs (published in 1926), he gives detailed account of his life. They are an important contemporary document, especially regarding the Siege of Missolonghi.
Cheimarriote veterans played a significant role in the Greek War of Independence, 1821-1830. Among those who became officers in the Greek insurrectionary forces were: ... The most notable of these officers was General Spyromelios."
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