Emmanouel Pappas

Emmanouel Pappas (Greek: Εμμανουήλ Παππάς; 1772–1821), prominent member of Filiki Etaireia and leader of the Greek War of Independence in Macedonia was one of the most heroic figures of the Struggle.

Pappas was born in Dovista (Δοβίστα), Serres regional unit, a village which is now named after him (Emmanouil Papas). Son of a priest, Pappas excelled in commerce and banking, not only in Macedonia, but also in Europe, establishing trading posts in Istanbul, Vienna and Budapest, despite the limited education he received.

Being one of the founding members of Filiki Etaireia, after the outbreak of the War, he dedicated his fortune to organising and financing guerrilla troops. In March, 1821, he tried to coordinate his actions in Eastern Macedonia, with Anastasios Karatasos, who had started the revolution in West, with a view to spread it through the entire region, but their actions were not well synchronized, and had little success.

In Spring of 1821, he led 4,000 Macedonian fighters and landed to Chalkidiki, in Agion Oros, where on May 23 he started the Revolution, after all the leaders where grouped in the Koutloumousiou monastery. Quickly, the rise spread to Polygyros, Arnaia, Ormylia, Sithonia, and the area of Kalamaria.

Pappas was then named Leader and Defender of Macedonia and divided his force in two parts, the first under his leadership, moved towards Apollonia in order to intercept Ottoman forces moving from Constantinople and the second under Stamos Kapsas, through Arnaia and the mount Cholomon, reached Sedes outside Thessaloniki. After some impressive accomplishments in the beginning, where he managed to liberate the most part of the peninsula and even to threaten Thessaloniki, his lack of communication with Karatassos and the propinquity of Chalkidiki to Thessaloniki, where massive Ottoman troops were stationed, enabled the Ottomans to move against him with large forces.

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