Battle of Gravia

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Battle of Gravia
Part of the Greek War of Independence
The battle at the Inn of Gravia
Date May 8, 1821 Location Gravia, Greece Result Decisive Greek victory
Belligerents
Greek revolutionaries	Ottoman Empire
Commanders
Odysseas Androutsos	Omer Vryonis
Strength
120 fighters	8,000 troops[citation needed]
Casualties and losses
unknown	>assumed heavy (> 400)

The Battle of Gravia Inn (Greek:Μάχη στο Χάνι της Γραβιάς) was fought between Greek revolutionaries and the Ottoman Empire during the Greek War of Independence.

[edit] Background

In May 1821, after crushing the Greek resistance at Alamana and putting Athanasios Diakos to death, Omer Vryonis headed south into the Peloponnese, seeking to crush the Greek rebellion. On May 8, he advanced with the 8,000 men he had under his command and launched an attack against a Greek inn near Gravia.

[edit] The battle

Androutsos took up a defensive position at the inn with no more than 120 men, supported by Panourgias and Diovouniotis. The Turkish attack followed, only to be repulsed with heavy casualties, numbering at around 400 men. Vryonis was forced to call for reinforcements and artillery support but the Greeks escaped before the reinforcements arrived.

[edit] Aftermath

Androutsos, proving himself to be a capable commander and having lost only two men in the battle, earned the title of commander in chief of the Greek forces in Rumeli (Central Greece). The victorious battle fought by the Greeks greatly impeded Vryonis' progress and secured the success of the revolution at its early stage.