439-452

The Greek War of Independence through some dipolomatic documents from the Vatican archives

• Ζώρας, Γεράσιμος Γ.

The author presents a selection of the reports sent to the Holy See by two successive papal consuls in Corfu, the Marquis de Ribas-Pieri and Count degli Oddi, concerning the Greek Insurrection of 1821 against Ottoman rule. De Ribas-Pieri voiced at first serious doubts about both the revindications of the Greeks and the viability of their revolt. Nevertheless, the heroism of the insurgées and the brutality of Turkish retalitaton made him change his mind and support the Greek struggle for freedom; he even went as far as to offer assistance to the refugees from mainland Greece who arrived in Corfu fleeing the Turkish wrath. Much more numerous (ca. 300) are the reports sent by the next papal consul in Corfu, the Count degli Oddi. These reports concern the critical period of 1826-1830, rich in dramatic upheavals, which resulted in the proclamation of the independent Greek State. Degli Oddi portrays with sympathy the devastating effects of Turkish measures against the Insurrection on the population, especially in the Peloponnese, which became the main theater of operations. Furthermore, he seems to condivide the deception of Greeks concerning the boundaries of their newly founded State, that did not comprise the major part of Greekspeaking areas of the Ottoman Empire.

• History and Archaeology

• Ιστορία

Αποτελεί πανηγυρικό λόγο που εκφωνήθηκε στις 24 Μαρτίου 2006, κατά τον εορτασμό της εθνικής επετείου, στην αίθουσα τελετών του Φιλολογικού Συλλόγου Παρνασσός