Notis Botsaris ( el, Νότης Μπότσαρης, 1756 – March 26, 1841) was a
Souliote fighter and general in the
Greek Revolution of 1821. He was the son of the late Giorgis Botsaris and was the leader of the Souliote ''fara'' of the Botsari.
Life
Notis Botsaris was born in
Souli
Souli ( el, Σούλι) is a municipality in Epirus, northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town of Paramythia.
Name and History
The origin of the name Souli is uncertain. In the earliest historical text about Souli, written b ...
in 1756. He was a member of the Botsaris ( sq, Boçari; el, Botsaraioi, Μποτσαραίοι) clan of the
Souliotes
The Souliotes were an Orthodox Christian Albanian tribal community in the area of Souli in Epirus from the 16th century to the beginning of the 19th century, who via their participation in the Greek War of Independence came to identify with the ...
. His clan emerged as the strongest clan in Souli and the one which
Ali Pasha, the ruler of the
Pashalik of Yanina
The Pashalik of Yanina, sometimes referred to as the Pashalik of Ioanina or Pashalik of Janina, was an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous Albanian Pashaliks, pashalik within the Ottoman Empire between 1787 and 1822 covering large a ...
where Souli was located, recognized as its lawful representative. He was a son of
George Botsaris and as such brother of
Kitsos Botsaris and uncle of the latter's son,
Markos.
After the death of his brother
Kitsos, he took over the leadership of the Botsari clan. During skirmishes with Ottomans in
Agrafa
Agrafa ( el, Άγραφα, ) is a mountainous region in Evrytania and Karditsa regional units in mainland Greece, consisting mainly of small villages. It is the southernmost part of the Pindus range. There is also a municipality with the same n ...
he was wounded and captured, but after six months he managed to escape from the fortress of
Këlcyrë
Këlcyrë ( sq-definite, Këlcyra) is a town and a municipality in southern Albania, located on the bank of the river Vjosë. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Ballaban, Dishnicë, Këlcyr ...
where he was imprisoned.
After the mediation of Ibrahim Pasha of Berati, a relative of
Ali Pasha, he accepted to enter the service of Ali, on the condition that he stays in Kakolakkos Pogoniou. Ali Pasha invited him to
Ioannina and allegedly sent him on a mission to Larissa, with the intention of setting an ambush for him in order to kill him on the way. However,
Veli, son of Ali Pasha, warned him, and so Botsaris fled to
Corfu. There he gathered the local
Souliotes
The Souliotes were an Orthodox Christian Albanian tribal community in the area of Souli in Epirus from the 16th century to the beginning of the 19th century, who via their participation in the Greek War of Independence came to identify with the ...
and incited them to head to
Parga
Parga ( el, Πάργα ) is a town and municipality located in the northwestern part of the regional unit of Preveza in Epirus, northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Kanallaki. Parga lies on the Ionian coast between the ...
and from there to
Preveza
Preveza ( el, Πρέβεζα, ) is a city in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located on the northern peninsula at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza, which is part of the region of Epiru ...
, to fight with the Ottoman troops against Ali Pasha. When after the fall of Preveza (1820) it was decided to besiege Ioannina, Botsaris and the Souliotes also took part, as revenge for Ali Pasha. The Sultan's commander-in-chief, however, did not keep the promise he had made to Botsaris, and instead of giving land to the Souliotes, he capitulated with Ali Pasha, turning his arms towards the Sultan's army and marching towards Souli.
He took part in the 3rd Assembly of Western Greece in the East. In Preveza, the house of Notis Botsaris, which he had acquired in 1806, was preserved until 1970.
[Βλ. Ηλίας Β. Βασιλάς]
''Άπαντα''
(Επ. Νίκος Δ. Καράμπελας), Πρέβεζα 2012, σελ. 486, όπου και η φωτογραφία της οικίας. Η μαρμάρινη επιγραφή εικονίζεται στη φωτογραφία του παρόντος λήμματος. Notis Botsaris was honored by
Othon with the rank of Lieutenant General.
He died in
Nafpaktos
Nafpaktos ( el, Ναύπακτος) is a town and a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, situated on a bay on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, west of the mouth of the river Mornos.
It is named for Naupaktos (, Latini ...
in 1841.
References
Sources
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{{Greek War of Independence
Souliotes
1756 births
1841 deaths