Konstantinos Moschopoulos
Encyclopedia
Konstantinos Moschopoulos was a senior Greek
Army
officer who distinguished himself in the Balkan Wars
of 1912–1913 and served as Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
.
in 1854, studied at the Greek Army Academy and graduated in 1877 as an Artillery Ensign. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 28 September 1879, to Lieutenant in 1882 and to Captain in 1886. In the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, he commanded a battery. After the war he was promoted to Major (1898), Lieutenant Colonel (1906) and Colonel (1910). During this time he served for a time as head of the Artillery School, Chief of the Athens
Gendarmerie and Garrison Commander for Athens.
Promoted to Major General in 1912, during the First Balkan War
he commanded the 4th Infantry Division, which played a crucial role in the Battle of Sarantaporo
and the Battle of Yenidje. After the capitulation of the VIII Ottoman Provisional Corps
at Thessaloniki
, the 4th Division and Moschopoulos were transferred to the Army of Epirus. On 4–6 January (O.S.) he substituted for Lt Gen Konstantinos Sapountzakis
as commander of the Army of Epirus. During the second Greek assault against the Ioannina
fortified zone on 7 January 1913 (O.S.), Moschopoulos commanded the right (eastern) flank, comprising the 4th Division and the Epirus Division. During the final Greek offensive
, Moschopoulos commanded the Second Army Detachment on the army's left (western) flank, which executed the main attack against the forts around Ioannina.
During the Second Balkan War
against Bulgaria, Moschopoulos continued to lead the 4th Division, fighting in the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
. During the final phases of the war he commanded the Moschopoulos Army Detachment (Τμήμα Στρατιάς Μοσχοπούλου), grouping the 4th and 2nd Divisions. After the war, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and given command of the newly established III Army Corps at Thessaloniki. From 13 August to 11 November 1916, he served as Chief of the Army General Staff
, and in 1917, he was appointed as Military Governor of Epirus
and Corfu
. He retired on 25 April 1920.
In 1922, he served as General-Governor of Thessaloniki. He died in 1942.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Army
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army , formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece.The motto of the Hellenic Army is , "Freedom Stems from Valor", from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War...
officer who distinguished himself in 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...
of 1912–1913 and served as Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff
Hellenic Army General Staff
The Hellenic Army General Staff is the general staff of the Hellenic Army, the terrestrial component of the Greek Armed Forces. It was established in 1906 as the Army Staff Service . Since 1950, the HAGS is subordinated to the Hellenic National Defense General Staff...
.
Life
He was born in ConstantinopleIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 1854, studied at the Greek Army Academy and graduated in 1877 as an Artillery Ensign. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 28 September 1879, to Lieutenant in 1882 and to Captain in 1886. In the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, he commanded a battery. After the war he was promoted to Major (1898), Lieutenant Colonel (1906) and Colonel (1910). During this time he served for a time as head of the Artillery School, Chief of the Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
Gendarmerie and Garrison Commander for Athens.
Promoted to Major General in 1912, during the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
he commanded the 4th Infantry Division, which played a crucial role in the Battle of Sarantaporo
Battle of Sarantaporo
The Battle of Sarantaporo, variously also transliterated as Sarantaporon or Sarandaporon took place on October 9-10 , 1912...
and the Battle of Yenidje. After the capitulation of the VIII Ottoman Provisional Corps
VIII Corps (Ottoman Empire)
The VIII Corps of the Ottoman Empire was one of the corps of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the early 20th century during Ottoman military reforms.- Order of Battle, 1911 :...
at Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, the 4th Division and Moschopoulos were transferred to the Army of Epirus. On 4–6 January (O.S.) he substituted for Lt Gen Konstantinos Sapountzakis
Konstantinos Sapountzakis
Konstantinos Sapountzakis was a Greek Army officer. He is notable as the first head of the Hellenic Army General Staff and as the first commander of the Army of Epirus during the First Balkan War.- Early career :...
as commander of the Army of Epirus. During the second Greek assault against the Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
fortified zone on 7 January 1913 (O.S.), Moschopoulos commanded the right (eastern) flank, comprising the 4th Division and the Epirus Division. During the final Greek offensive
Battle of Bizani
The Battle of Bizani took place in Epirus on March 4–6, 1913. The battle was fought between the Greek and the Ottoman forces during the last stages of the First Balkan War, and revolved around the forts of Bizani, which covered the approaches to Ioannina, the largest city in the region.At the...
, Moschopoulos commanded the Second Army Detachment on the army's left (western) flank, which executed the main attack against the forts around Ioannina.
During the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
against Bulgaria, Moschopoulos continued to lead the 4th Division, fighting in the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
The Battle of Kilkis–Lahanas took place during the Second Balkan War between Greece and Bulgaria for the town of Kilkis in Macedonia. The battle lasted three days from 19 to 21 June 1913 and ended with a Greek victory.-Background:...
. During the final phases of the war he commanded the Moschopoulos Army Detachment (Τμήμα Στρατιάς Μοσχοπούλου), grouping the 4th and 2nd Divisions. After the war, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and given command of the newly established III Army Corps at Thessaloniki. From 13 August to 11 November 1916, he served as Chief of the Army General Staff
Hellenic Army General Staff
The Hellenic Army General Staff is the general staff of the Hellenic Army, the terrestrial component of the Greek Armed Forces. It was established in 1906 as the Army Staff Service . Since 1950, the HAGS is subordinated to the Hellenic National Defense General Staff...
, and in 1917, he was appointed as Military Governor of Epirus
Epirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
and Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. He retired on 25 April 1920.
In 1922, he served as General-Governor of Thessaloniki. He died in 1942.