First Siege of Messolonghi

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First Siege of Messolonghi
Part of the Greek War of Independence

Date 25 October - 31 December 1822
Location Messolonghi, Greece
Result Greek Victory
Belligerents
Greek revolutionaries Ottoman Empire
Commanders
Alexandros Mavrokordatos
Markos Botsaris
Athanasios Ratzikotsikas		 Omer Vryonis
Reşid Mehmed Pasha
Yussuf Pasha
Strength
ca. 2,000 ca. 10,000-12,000

The First Siege of Messolonghi was an attempt by Ottoman forces to capture the strategically located port town of Messolonghi during the early stages of the Greek War of Independence.

[edit] The Siege

Omer Vryonis initially tried to take the town by negotiations, against the opinion of Reşid Mehmed and Yussuf Pasha of Patras. The besieged Greeks took advantage of this, dragging the negotiations out until November 8, when they were reinforced by sea with over 1,500 fighters. Then the Ottomans realized their mistake, and resumed the siege in earnest. After a month of bombardment and sorties, the main Ottoman assault was set for the night of December 24, before Christmas, calculating that the Greeks would be caught by surprise. The Greeks however were warned by Vryonis' Greek secretary, and the attack failed. The siege was subsequently lifted on December 31.

[edit] Aftermath

Messolonghi remained under Greek control, and resisted another Ottoman attempt at its capture a year later. Its resistance achieved wider fame when Lord Byron arrived there, dying in the town of fever in April 1824. The city was besieged for a third and final time, resisting both Ottoman and Egyptian armies for almost a year, until its final fall on April 10, 1826.

[edit] References

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