First National Assembly at Epidaurus
Encyclopedia
The First National Assembly of Epidaurus was the first meeting of the Greek National Assembly
, a national representative political gathering of the Greek revolutionaries.
The assembly opened in December 1821 at Piada (today Nea (New) Epidaurus
). It was attended by representatives from regions involved in the revolution against Ottoman
rule.
The majority of the representatives were local notables and clergymen from the provinces of the Morea
, Rumeli and the islands. In addition, a number of Phanariotes
and academics attended. However, a number of prominent revolutionaries, including Alexandros Ypsilantis and the most prominent chieftains from Rumeli and the Peloponnese were absent. Of the 59 representatives at the assembly, 20 were landowners, 13 were ship-owners, 12 were intellectuals, 4 were military leaders, 3 were archpriests, 3 were merchants, with and 4 others.
The assembly passed a number of important documents, including the:
The Assembly elected a five-member executive on 15 January 1822, which was presided over by Alexandros Mavrocordatos
. The executive in turn appointed the first government which had 8 ministries.
The first legislature had 33 members.
Another characteristic of the First National Assembly is the absence of any reference in the Constitution to the Filiki Eteria
, although Dimitrios Ypsilantis, brother of Alexandros Ypsilantis and official representative of the Filiki Eteria
, was appointed president of the legislature, a body controlled by the local notables.
Greek National Assembly
The Greek National Assemblies are representative bodies of the Greek people. During and in the direct aftermath of the Greek War of Independence , the name was used for the insurgents' proto-parliamentary assemblies...
, a national representative political gathering of the Greek revolutionaries.
The assembly opened in December 1821 at Piada (today Nea (New) Epidaurus
Epidaurus
Epidaurus was a small city in ancient Greece, at the Saronic Gulf. Two modern towns bear the name Epidavros : Palaia Epidavros and Nea Epidavros. Since 2010 they belong to the new municipality of Epidavros, part of the peripheral unit of Argolis...
). It was attended by representatives from regions involved in the revolution against Ottoman
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...
rule.
The majority of the representatives were local notables and clergymen from the provinces of the Morea
Morea
The Morea was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It also referred to a Byzantine province in the region, known as the Despotate of Morea.-Origins of the name:...
, Rumeli and the islands. In addition, a number of Phanariotes
Phanariotes
Phanariots, Phanariotes, or Phanariote Greeks were members of those prominent Greek families residing in Phanar , the chief Greek quarter of Constantinople, where the Ecumenical Patriarchate is situated.For all their cosmopolitanism and often Western education, the Phanariots were...
and academics attended. However, a number of prominent revolutionaries, including Alexandros Ypsilantis and the most prominent chieftains from Rumeli and the Peloponnese were absent. Of the 59 representatives at the assembly, 20 were landowners, 13 were ship-owners, 12 were intellectuals, 4 were military leaders, 3 were archpriests, 3 were merchants, with and 4 others.
The assembly passed a number of important documents, including the:
- The Provisional Regime of Greece (Προσωρινό Πολίτευμα της Ελλάδος), sometimes translated as Temporary Constitution of Greece (more commonly known as the Greek Constitution of 1822Greek Constitution of 1822The Greek Constitution of 1822 was a document adopted by the First National Assembly of Epidaurus on January 1, 1822. Formally it was the Provisional Regime of Greece , sometimes translated as Temporary Constitution of Greece...
), which also included a Declaration of Independence.
The Assembly elected a five-member executive on 15 January 1822, which was presided over by Alexandros Mavrocordatos
Prince Alexander Mavrocordatos
Alexandros Mavrokordatos was a Greek statesman and member of the Mavrocordatos family of Phanariotes....
. The executive in turn appointed the first government which had 8 ministries.
The first legislature had 33 members.
Another characteristic of the First National Assembly is the absence of any reference in the Constitution to the Filiki Eteria
Filiki Eteria
thumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
, although Dimitrios Ypsilantis, brother of Alexandros Ypsilantis and official representative of the Filiki Eteria
Filiki Eteria
thumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
, was appointed president of the legislature, a body controlled by the local notables.
Eastern Greece
- Georgios Ainian
- Lambros Alexandrou
- Alexandros Axiotis
- Adam Doukas
- Sotiris Douros
- Anthimos GazisAnthimos GazisAnthimos Gazis was a scholar, a philosopher during the Greek Enlightenment, a cartographer and one of the heroes of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. He was born in Milies in Ottoman Greece in 1758 and died in 1828...
- Grigorios KonstantasGrigorios KonstantasGrigorios Konstantas was a Greek scholar and figure of the modern Greek Enlightenment. He was actively involved in various educational issues as well as participated in the Greek War of Independence.-Life:...
- Giannoutsos Kontes
- Ioannis Logothetis
- Drosos Mansolas
- Lambros Nakou
- Theodoros Negris
- Zacharias Panagiotidis
- Georgios Papailiopoulos
- Konstantinos Sapountzis
- Ioannis Skandalidis
- Neophytos Talantiou
Hydra, Spetses, Psara
- Hatzigiannis Mexis
- Anagnostis Monarchidis
- Anagnostis Oikonomou
- Ioannis Orlandos
- Petros Omiridis Skilitzis
- Emmanouil TombazisEmmanouil TombazisEmmanouil Tombazis was a Greek naval captain from Hydra, active during the Greek War of Independence, who was appointed Commissioner of Crete for the Greek provisional government in 1823–1824 and naval minister for a short period in 1828....
- Francesco Voulgaris
Western Greece
- Fotos Boboris
- Fotios Karapanou
- Ioannis KolettisIoannis KolettisIoannis Kolettis was a Greek politician who played a significant role in Greek affairs from the Greek War of Independence through the early years of the Greek Kingdom, including as Minister to France and serving twice as Prime Minister....
- Spyridon Kourkoumelis
- Alexandros Mavrokordatos
Peloponnese
- Sotirios Charalambis
- Germanos of PatrasGermanos of PatrasGermanos was an Orthodox Metropolitan of Patras.Germanos was born in Dimitsana, northwestern Arcadia, Peloponnese...
- Athanasios KanakarisAthanasios KanakarisAthanasios Kanakaris was a Greek politician. He was born in Patras in 1760. He fought in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. He was also a member of the Filiki Eteria....
- Giannoulis Karamanos
- Panoutsos Notaras
- Petros MavromichalisPetros MavromichalisPetros Mavromichalis , also known as Petrobey , was the leader of the Maniot people during the first half of the 19th century. His family had a long history of revolts against the Ottoman Empire, which ruled most of what is now Greece...
- Anagnostis Papagiannopoulos
- Polychronios Tzannetou
Others
- Georgios Apostolou
- Vasilios Boudouris
- Vincenzo Gallina
- Theoklitos Farmakidis
- Asimakis FotilasAsimakis FotilasAsimakis Fotilas was a Greek politician and a revolutionary leader.-Biography:He was born in Kalavryta and was a chief of Kalavryta who took part in the Greek War of Independence. Nearly two months before the start of the war, in January 1821, he took part in the Vostitsa council...
- Manolis Kasiotis
- Christodoulos Koutsis
- Zois Panou
- Dimitrios PanourgiasDimitrios PanourgiasDimitrios Panourgias , a Greek military commander during the Greek War of Independence, was born Dimitrios Xiros in the village of Dremissa, Phocis.- Early life :...
- Charalambos Papageorgiou
- PapaflessasPapaflessasPapaflessas , born Grigorios Demetrios Flessas , was a Greek patriot, priest, and government official of the old Flessas Family. The word papa- in the name "Papaflessas" indicates his status as a cleric since the word means "priest" in Greek...
- Ioannis Papadiamantopoulos
- Spyridon Patousas
- Dionysios Petrakis
- Giannakis Plakotis
- Anastasios PolyzoidisAnastasios PolyzoidisAnastasios Polyzoidis was a Greek politician and judicial official.He was born in Melnik, Ottoman empire , where he graduated local Greek school. From 1818 he was studying law, history and social studies in Vienna, Göttingen and Berlin. At the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence, he...
- Georgios Psyllas
- Nikolaos VilaetisNikolaos VilaetisNikolaos Vilaetis was a chief of Pyrgos and a Greek politician. He descended from a famous family of Pyrgos in which he was one of the first who inhabited the area. He was the cousin of Yiannis and brother of Haralambos...
- Demetrios Ypsilantis
- Andreas ZaimisAndreas ZaimisAndreas Asimakou Zaimis was a Greek freedom fighter and government leader during the Greek War of Independence.Born in Kalavryta, in the northern Peloponnesos, Zaimis was a leader of armed men who fought the Ottoman Turks, ultimately securing Greece's freedom.In 1826, Zaimis was chosen as the...