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Battle of Samos (1824)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Samos was a naval battle fought on August 5/17, 1824 off the Greek
island of Samos
during the Greek War of Independence
.
The island of Samos, under its leader, Lykourgos Logothetis, had successfully rebelled against the Ottomans
in 1821. The island's position however, a few miles off the Anatolia
n coast, made it vulnerable to a potential Ottoman attack. In the summer of 1824, following the destruction of Psara
, the Ottoman fleet and troops assembled on the Anatolian coast, with the intention of capturing the island. Anxious to avoid repeating the failure to protect Psara, the Greek fleet, under admiral Georgios Sachtouris, assembled to guard the island.
After some minor engagements on the previous days, the decisive battle occurred on August 17, as the Ottoman fleet moved to bombard the fortress of Samos town. The Greek fireships, including one under the celebrated Constantine Kanaris
, then attacked and succeeded in burning three Ottoman ships, forcing the Kapudan Pasha Mehmed Hüsrev to withdraw.
Together with the victory at the strait of Gerontas
soon after, the battle of Samos ensured the safety of the island this year. However, it was also not included in independent Greece; rather, it became an autonomous principality
under Ottoman suzerainty until the Balkan Wars
.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
island of Samos
Samoš
Samoš is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kovačica municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,247 people .-See also:...
during the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
.
The island of Samos, under its leader, Lykourgos Logothetis, had successfully rebelled against the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1821. The island's position however, a few miles off the Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
n coast, made it vulnerable to a potential Ottoman attack. In the summer of 1824, following the destruction of Psara
Destruction of Psara
The Destruction of Psara was an event in which the Ottomans destroyed the civilian population of the Greek island of Psara on July 5, 1824. According to George Finlay, the entire population of the island Psara before the massacre was about 7,000....
, the Ottoman fleet and troops assembled on the Anatolian coast, with the intention of capturing the island. Anxious to avoid repeating the failure to protect Psara, the Greek fleet, under admiral Georgios Sachtouris, assembled to guard the island.
After some minor engagements on the previous days, the decisive battle occurred on August 17, as the Ottoman fleet moved to bombard the fortress of Samos town. The Greek fireships, including one under the celebrated Constantine Kanaris
Constantine Kanaris
Constantine Kanaris or Canaris was a Greek Prime Minister, admiral and politician who in his youth was also a freedom fighter, pirate, privateer and merchantman.-Early life:...
, then attacked and succeeded in burning three Ottoman ships, forcing the Kapudan Pasha Mehmed Hüsrev to withdraw.
Together with the victory at the strait of Gerontas
Battle of Gerontas
The Battle of Gerontas was a naval battle fought close to the island of Leros in the southeast Aegean Sea. On August 29 , 1824, a Greek fleet of 75 ships defeated an Ottoman armada of 100 ships contributed to by Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria....
soon after, the battle of Samos ensured the safety of the island this year. However, it was also not included in independent Greece; rather, it became an autonomous principality
Principality of Samos
The island of Samos had participated in the Greek War of Independence and had successfully resisted several Turkish and Egyptian attempts to occupy it, but it was not included with the boundaries of the newly independent Kingdom of Greece after 1832...
under Ottoman suzerainty until the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
.