Ioannis Kostas (1796 – 1877)

Ioannis Kostas (1796 – 1877)

From the village of Krapsi, east of Ioannina in Epirus, he was a Greek warrior and revolutionary.

Due to the barbaric Turk-Albanian atrocities, which were being committed against the Greeks all over Epirus, he like many others of the time, fled to Corfu.

While there, he joined the Phalanx of Souliotes, which was a regiment of Greek fighters, first fighting with the French and then later with the English.

A vociferous fighter, he also fought under the then King of Naples, Ferdinand of the 2 Sicilies. But by 1820, he had returned to Corfu, where he was initiated into Filiki Etaireia.

He quickly took up arms, fighting together with his brother Souliotes, most notably with the Botsaris clan.

Some of the more notable battles he fought in were at Arta, Agrafa, Messolonghi, Skiathos and Vonitsa. As well as, several other battles against the Turk-Albanians.

Following the Greek Revolution of 1821, Ioannis Kostas was appointed as a Colonel of the Royal Phalanx, which was composed of veteran officers of the Greek War of Independence.