Lambros Katsonis (1752 – 1805)

Lambros Katsonis (1752 – 1805)

From Livadeia in Boeotia, he was a Privateer, Greek Revolutionary and Greek Naval Hero of the 18th century.

At 18, he joined the Orlov Revolt (1770), a major precursor to the Greek War of Independence, which was centred around the Peloponnese and Crete.

The Revolt would eventually be put down. Russia, who pushed the Greeks to revolt, so that the Turks would send significant resources to Greece, in order to alleviate the pressure of a Turk offensive in the main theatre of the war which was in the Black Sea, betrayed the Greeks. Arms, supplies and re-enforcements they promised, never eventuated.

By 1788, Katsonis was a leader of a Greek uprising against the Turks. He had first gone to Trieste to acquire the support of the Greek merchants there, thanks to their contributions, he was able to purchase a frigate.

Together with his men, Katsonis sailed down the Ionian, raiding numerous Turkish ships and then adding them to his own fleet, which grew to some 70 ships.

Now in the Aegean, Katsonis managed to wrestle control of the Cyclades away from the Turks, make the Turks flee from and abandon Kastellorizo & also achieved a great victory over the Turks at Karpathos.

Dismayed over the truce signed between the Russians and Turks (War of 1787-1792), he accused the Russians of once again betraying the Greeks.

Katsonis now based in Porto Kagio, Mani, was a marked man. The truce between the Russians and Turks enabled the Turks to now focus all their attention on Katsonis’ fleet.

Heavy losses on Katsonis’ ships and men, saw him escape to Ithaca and then to Russia. Katsonis was given land and settled in Crimea, on land he renamed Livadeia Estate, after his home town.

Dying in 1805, the circumstances of which are still debated today, Lambros Katsonis was a Greek Hero and the Hellenic Navy today has several vessels named after Katsonis.