Markos Botsaris
| Markos Botsaris Μάρκος Μπότσαρης |
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| Born | c. 1788 Souli (Epirus), Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 21 August 1823 Karpenisi (Eurytania), Ottoman Empire |
| Buried at | Missolonghi |
| Allegiance |
 France (1807–1814) Revolutionary Greece (1821–1823) |
| Rank | General of the Greek Army |
| Commands held | Commanding General of Western Central Greece |
| Battles/wars |
Greek War of Independence: First Siege of Missolonghi Battle of Peta Battle of Karpenisi |
Markos Botsaris (Greek: Μάρκος Μπότσαρης, c. 1788 – 21 August 1823) was a Greek general and hero of the Greek War of Independence and captain of the Souliotes. Botsaris is among the most revered national heroes in Greece.
Botsaris was born into one of the leading clans of the Souliotes, in the region of Souli, Epirus. He was the second son of captain Kitsos Botsaris, who was murdered in Arta in 1809 under the orders of Ali Pasha. The Botsaris clan came from the village of Dragani (today Ambelia), near Paramythia.
In 1803, after the capture of Souli by Ali Pasha, Botsaris and the remnants of the Souliotes crossed over to the Ionian Islands, where he served in the Albanian regiment of the French army for 11 years and became one the regiment's officers.
In 1814, he joined the Greek patriotic society known as the Filiki Eteria. In 1820, with other Souliots, he came back to Epirus and fought against Ali Pasha in the Ottoman army at the Siege of Ioannina, but soon the Souliotes changed side and fought the Ottoman army with the troops of Ali Pasha, in exchange of their former region, the Souli.
In 1821, Botsaris took part in the revolution against the Ottoman Empire. He and other Souliot captains, including Kitsos Tzavelas, Notis Botsaris, Lampros Veikos, and Giotis Danglis only enlisted fellow Souliot kin into their bands. At the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence, he distinguished himself by his courage, tenacity and skill as a partisan leader in the fighting in western Greece, and was conspicuous in the defence of Missolonghi during the first siege of the city (1822–1823).
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