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Battle of Sphacteria
Part of the Greek War of Independence
Battle of Sfakteria and siege of Navarino
Depiction of the Battle of Sphacteria and the siege of Navarino, as depicted by Panagiotis Zographos
Date8 May 1825
LocationSphacteria, Greece
Result Ottoman Egyptian victory
Belligerents
Greece Greek revolutionaries Egypt Ottoman Egypt
Commanders and leaders
Anastasios Tsamados Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt
Strength
Small Greek contingent 1500


The Battle of Sphacteria was fought on 8 May 1825 in Sphacteria, Greece between the Egyptian forces of Ibrahim Pasha and Greek forces led by Captain Anastasios Tsamados along with Alexandros Mavrokordatos.

Battle[]

Commanding both a powerful army and navy, Ibrahim initiated attacks on both Paliokastro and the island of Sphacteria. As a result, Mavrocordatos rushed to their defense while Captain Tsamados from Hydra held off Ibrahim's forces. Fifteen hundred Arabs landed on the island only to be met with resistance by Tsamados who led a small contingent of sailors and soldiers. Shot in the leg, Tsamados continued fighting on his knees until he was killed.

The remaining Greek sailors rushed back to their ship, the Aris, and with Mavrocordatos sailed through a Turkish fleet of thirty-four ships. For four hours, the remaining Greeks were bombarded and casualties entailed two dead along with eight wounded.[1]

References[]

  1. Smith and Felton, p. 641. [Footnote] "In May, 1825, Ibrahim Pacha attacked Palaeo-Castro and the little island of Sphacteria, with a powerful fleet and army. Mavrocordatos had rushed to their defence. He threw himself with his suite into the island, which was at the moment held by a brave young Hydriote captain named Tsamados, and a small body of soldiers and sailors. Fifteen hundred Arabs landed on the island, but met with a desperate resistance from Tsamados and his gallant band. Tsamados was shot in the leg, but continued fighting on his knees until he was knocked down and killed. When this was known, the sailors, regaining their brig, on board which Mavrocordatos had already taken refuge, ran out through the Turkish fleet of thirty-four ships of war, and, having been exposed for more than four hours to their fire, escaped with riddled sails and rigging shot away, with two men killed and eight wounded. The surrender of Navarino followed; and not long after, the whole Morea, except the unconquerable Manotes, lay at the mercy of Ibrahim."

Sources[]

  • Smith, William and Felton, Cornelius Conway. A History of Greece: From the Earliest Times to the Roman Conquest, with Supplementary Chapters on the History of Literature and Art. Hickling, Swan, and Brown, 1855.
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