Georgios Karaiskakis (1782 – April 23, 1827)
Born in the village of Mavrommati, Karditsa, western Thessaly, he was a Klepht and a Greek Military Commander who during the Greek Revolution of 1821, was given the rank of Field Marshal. He is a Major Figure of the Greek War of Independence.
Georgios Karaiskakis operated throughout the Peloponnese, Roumeli (now Sterea Ellada) and Attica, fighting in battle after battle and in doing so, forging a fearsome reputation.
One of his most famous victories was at the Battle of Arachova, where the Turks were attempting to travel through Boeotia and onwards to Athens, to bolster the Turk forces there.
Karaiskakis’ unit of some 500 men, crushed a 2,000+ strong joint force of Turks and Albanians. It was a total wipe-out, as only a handful of the enemy would survive, as opposed to less than 10 Greek casualties.
Georgios Karaiskakis died in the Battle of Analatos on April 23, a campaign which was launched as a means to relieve Greek forces in Athens, who were being besieged inside the Acropolis of Athens. Karaiskakis was fatally wounded, his death was a significant blow to Greek morale.
He died on the date of his name day in 1827 at Neo Faliro, in Piraeus and as per his wishes, he was buried at the Church of Agios Dimitrios on the island of Salamis, where his tomb lies and can be seen today.
