Philhellenism

Philhellenism Philhellénisme Philhellenismus

English & American
Philhellenism

English Teachers: Christina Michalopoulou, Gina Saroglou,
Vicky Anagnostou, Marianna Vraka

THE GREEK WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

The Greek War of
Independence, also known
as the Greek Revolution,
was a successful war of
independence carried on
by Greek people against
the Ottoman Empire
between 1821 and 1830.
The Greeks were later
assisted by Great Britain,
France and Russia.

The war led to the formation of modern Greece.
The revolution is celebrated by Greeks around the
world as Independence Day on 25 March.

The struggle of the Greeks revived the spirit of
Philhellenism throughout the world.

Many well-known philhellenes (φιλέλληνες)
supported the Greek Independence Movement,
such as Lord Byron, Shelley, Thomas Moore,
Jonathan P. Miller, George Canning, Dr. Samuel
Gridley Howe and the President of the USA James
Monroe, to name a few.

Lord Byron (1788-1824)

"I dreamed that Greece might still be Free"

Lord George Gordon Byron is
one of the first and best-known
philhellenes, who actively
participated in Greece’s War of
Independence, eventually
losing his life in Missolonghi on
April 19, 1824.

For Greeks, Λόρδος Βύρωνας,
as he is called, epitomized the
word ‘philhellene’ as he died at
the age of 36 for the freedom
of a homeland that was not
even his own.

In 1823, Lord Byron supported the Greek
struggle for independence from Ottoman
rule by offering a tremendous amount of
his personal fortune to repair ships of
the Greek fleet and set up his own
military squad, composed of fighters
from Souli.

During his stay in Missolonghi, he also
contacted Alexandros Mavrokordatos, to
whom he gave another large amount of
his personal fortune for the needs of the
Greek revolution.

At the same time, he acted as a channel
of communication between Greek
fighters and British philhellenes to
conclude the first revolutionary loan, as a
member of the London Philhellenic
Committee.

Lord Byron Λόρδος Βύρωνας
The Isles of Greece Τα Νησιά της Ελλάδας

The mountains look on Marathon, Τα βουνά κοιτάζουν στο Μαραθώνα,
And Marathon looks on the sea; κι ο Μαραθώνας κοιτάζει στη θάλασσα˙
And musing there an hour alone κι ονειροπολώντας εκεί μια ώρα μόνος,
ονειρεύτηκα πως η Ελλάδα θα μπορούσε
I dream’d that Greece might still be free.
For standing on the Persian’s grave να'ταν ακόμα ελεύθερη.
I could not deem myself a slave. Αφού στεκόμενος στον τάφο των Περσών,
δεν θα μπορούσα να φανταστώ τον εαυτό μου

σκλάβο.

Jonathan Peckham Miller (1797-1847)

He is one of the most important
American Philhellenes who
actively took part in the Greek
revolution.

He fought in Missolonghi in
1826 under the command of
Alexandros Mavrokordatos and
he managed to escape a few
days before the heroic exodus.

He also fought in the victorious
battle of Myli in the
Peloponnese against the allied
Ottoman-Egyptian forces.

Miller learnt Greek very fast, wore
traditional Greek clothes and even
shaved his head, the way the people of
Souli did. He loved Greece and its
people and wrote passionate letters
back to the United States to inform
about the Greek hardships and make
Americans support the revolution.

Lukas Miltiades Miller, adopted He came back to Greece in 1827 with
son of Jonathan Peckham Miller the mission to distribute the American
humanitarian aid which was sent (on a
total of eight ships) to the newly
founded Greek State. Before he left in
1828, he adopted a Greek orphan boy,
who later became a Congressman and
was the first Greek American politician.

George Canning (1770-1827)

He was a British statesman who served as
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from
April to August 1827.

From 1824 on, the British government had
supported the Greek fight for independence
and in 1826 Canning signed, along with
France and Russia, a Treaty of Peace
between Turkey and Greece. In April 1827,
when he became Prime Minister of the UK,
he promoted the independence of Greece
but he didn’t get the chance to see it as he
died of pneumonia only three months later.

One of the most central squares in
downtown Athens is named after Canning
(Plateía Kanningos / Canning Square), in
appreciation of his support.

James Monroe (1758-1831)

James Monroe, the President of the United States of America from
1817 to 1825, offered the Greeks material and psychological
support.

On December 3rd, 1822,
US president James Monroe
gave a speech in front of the
Congress and said:

"A strong hope is

entertained that the Greeks
will recover their
independence and assume
their equal statue among
the nations of the earth."

George Jarvis (1797-1828)

George Jarvis was the first
American volunteer who came
to Greece in 1822 and took part
in the Greek War of
Independence. He learnt the
Greek language, put on a
“foustanella” and, upon joining
the “Kleftes”, he became known
as “Kapetan Zervos”. Jarvis
participated in many battles and
was repeatedly wounded. He
died of natural causes in Argos
on August 11th, 1828. Jarvis
became a model for other
American volunteers.

Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe (1801-1876)

However, by far the best-known
philhellene is Dr. Samuel Gridley
Howe, a Bostonian physician. As
soon as he arrived in Greece, he
enlisted in the Greek Army and for
six years and served as a soldier and
a chief surgeon. In 1829 he
established a medical center in
Aegina and a school for the blind in
Corinth.

Years later, in 1866, Howe returned
to Greece with his wife during the
Cretan Revolution to organize
support for the new uprising of
Cretans against Ottoman tyranny
and enslavement.

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

Percy Bysshe Shelley was a poet with
radical political and social views. While
he was living in Pisa, Italy, he came into
contact with English, Irish and Greek
people.

In 1821, he wrote Hellas, a verse drama
published in 1822, in London. Shelley
wrote it because he wanted to raise
money for the Greek War of
Independence. It was Shelley’s last
published poem during his lifetime.

Shelly did not achieve fame during his
lifetime. Recognition of his
achievements in poetry grew after his
death. He became an important
influence on subsequent generations of
poets. Today he is known as one of the
major English romantic poets.

Hellas Ελλάς
Percy Shelly Πέρσι Σέλλεΰ

The world's great age begins anew, Τον κόσμο η δόξα ξαναζώνει,
The golden years return, Τα χρυσά χρόνια ξαναζούν,

A brighter Hellas rears its mountains Μια νέα Ελλάδα ορθώνει τα βουνά της
From waves serener far, Μέσα από ολόλαμπρα νερά.

The world is weary of the past, Ω, κάλλιο ο κόσμος να χαλάσει,
Oh might it die or rest at last! Παρά στο φως να ξαναφέρει ό,τι
βαργιά έχει τον κουράσει.

Students’ Projects

Topic 1:

Who is your favourite Philhellene and why?
Write a few things about him.

What would have happened if Philhellenes hadn’t
supported the Revolution of 1821?

Make a poster!

Αναστασιάδου
Δήμητρα ΣΤ1

Αναστασιάδου
Δήμητρα ΣΤ1

Χορέβας
Κωνσταντίνος ΣΤ1

Παπαστεργίου
Μιχάλης ΣΤ2

Ξαξήρα
Αναστασία ΣΤ2

Λάσκαρης
Δημήτρης ΣΤ2

Γκολφινοπούλου
Ζωή ΣΤ1

Σαριδάκης
Πάολο ΣΤ2

Παλάσκα
Ισαβέλλα ΣΤ2

Δερμεντζόγλου
Μιχαέλα ΣΤ1

Τσεκρέκος
Εμμανουήλ ΣΤ2

Καβαδά
Μαρίλια ΣΤ1

Φουντούλης
Ιωάννης ΣΤ2

Μιχαλούτσου Κατερίνα ΣΤ2

Ρίτης Κωνσταντίνος ΣΤ2

Περρής
Ιωάννης ΣΤ2

Πανώριος
Γιώργος ΣΤ2

Κούκου
Μαρία-Μιχαέλα ΣΤ1

Κανάβας
Ιάσονας ΣΤ1

Θεοδωρόπουλος
Γιώργος-Μάριος ΣΤ1

Τσιλιγγίρης
Μάριος ΣΤ2

Σταυροπούλου
Δωροθέα ΣΤ2

Δοσόπουλος
Ιωάννης ΣΤ2

Σαγρή Εβίτα ΣΤ2

Ζάνου
Νικολέτα ΣΤ’