Post by kartadolofonos on Aug 27, 2008 18:55:02 GMT -5
A brief history of Ancient Epirus to Present
Epirotians are the oldest Greek tribe. Our history begins 5.000 years B.C. Our land is situated in the Balkan peninsula between the North Western part of Greece and the South of Albania. The northern part of our land ,the known NORTH EPIRUS is occupied by the ALBANIANS from 1916.
Ancient period
Our classic ancient history is dominated by the unification of the GREEK Epirotic tribes by the MOLOSSIAN (Epirotic tribe)King NEOPTOLEMOS in the early 1.900-1.550 B.C. The capital city of the ancient Epirotian kingdom was PASSARON. Some ruins of the city are located today near the modern capital IOANNINA.The niece of the Molossian King ARYBBAS ,the beautiful OLYMPIAS was married with the King of MACEDONIA PHILIP II and gave birth to our national hero , the famous ALEXANDER the GREAT.
The Ancient Theater of Dodoni
King Pyrros of Epirus
The biggest King of Epirus was PYRROS .He contributed to the development of the region with the construction of temples and cultural buildings , but his major occupation was the teritorial enlargement of Epirus. Inspired by the campaign of Alexander the Great in Asia,he planificated a similar campaign , in the west. He invaded Italy and confronted , the Roman Army.He won a lot of batles but after the excausting of his army by several diseases he was forced to return in Epirus .Then he enlarged Epirus in the south, occuping several territories. He was assasinated young in Peloponisos.
Medieval Period
The next important historical period for Epirus, was during the Middle Ages.The Byzantine Empire contribute to the development of the region, thousands of impressive churces were built all over Epirus .The Emperor JUSTINIAN founded in 527 A.C.the city of IOANNINA which became the capital of Epirus.During the Latin occupation of Greek Byzantine territories, the habitants of Epirus established a free kingdom .This kingdom was known as the DESPOTATE OF EPIRUS with capital the city of IOANNINA and first leader the prince MICHAEL KOMNINOS Who founded in 1207 B.C. the Equestrian Order of Epirotean Eagle.
Agia Sofia of Constantinople
Georgios Kastriotis
Another important person in our history is the figure of GEORGIOS KASTRIOTIS. He was the son of Ioannis Kastriotis, a GREEK Epirotian leader of the medieval feudal of Krugia.The young KASTRIOTIS became leader of his people and he united the divided medieval Epirotic kingdoms.He confronted with his brave Epirotians the mighty Asian hordes of the Turkish invaders and he won all the batlles. In his whole life as a leader he was never defeated , so became a legend not only for his people the Epirotians but for all the GREEKS. Unlucky the modern Albanian state created a mythological propaganda that KASTRIOTIS was of Albanian origin.This is a huge lie, because in the middle ages it didnt exist in the BALKANS any Albanian nation or other similar to it.Albanian nation was the creation of the mixture between Turks and Slavic tribes, for this reason Albanians are nowadays the only muslim nation state. KASTRIOTIS was a christian GREEK leader.
Modern times
After the death of KASTRIOTIS unfortunately the Epirotian district was occupied by the OTOMAN TURKS.During the Turkish ocupation several times the Epirotians as all the Greeks tried to revolt and liberate their land without success .Very famous leader of the last-before freedom- revolutions was MARKOS BOTSARIS known also as THE LION OF EPIRUS.He faught against the Turks with huge courage and became one of the EPIROTIAN LEGENDS.In 1908 the pre-eminent Albanian nationalist, Ismael Kemal Bey, requested Greek troops to advance north to the town of Vlora. Greek Prime Minister Theotokis complied with the request and the boarder, set by this action, was later ratified by the Ambassadorial Conference and the International Control Committee. In 1912, 482 years of Ottoman rule came to an end in the region and Epirotean forces liberated most of what would later be termed North Epirus. Unfortunately in 1913 the Protocol of Florence ceded, to Albania, all of Epirus north of the districtsof Delvine and Konitsa. The unjust action of the "Great Powers" which was justified as providing the Albanian state with "...adequate territorial dominion..." was the source of all future upheavals in the region. Epiroteans reacted violently to the situation. Almost Eastern Ortodox Christians with a minority of Catholic Christians of latin rite and of Greek rite, Epirotens feared leaving one oppressive Moslem government, the Ottoman Empire, for another, Albania. So in 1914 with leader the figure of I.ZOGRAFOS the GREEK regional assembly of NORTHERN part of Epirus declare the revolution against Albanian invaders and proclaim the AUTONOMOUS ( attention: in greek ÁÕÔÏÍÏÌÉÁ it means ENDEPENDENCE) state of North Epirus . Fastly the Epirotians start the battles against the muslim invaders.The strugle was helped by Greeks of the free zone.The Albanians commited several massacres against the Greek Epirotians,so they could force them to resign from their position.Unfortunately the Epirotic revolution was stopped by the Internatonal community and in exchange some rights within the Albanian state were given to the revolutionaries. Epirotean People didn't accept this imposition and Epirotean Government went in exile, so it exist today a legitime Government in exile with a King of Epirus de jure. After a small quiet period the Albanian goverment annexed officially this area and it started to suppress again the Epirotian population of the North Epirus with several measures.
Epirotians are the oldest Greek tribe. Our history begins 5.000 years B.C. Our land is situated in the Balkan peninsula between the North Western part of Greece and the South of Albania. The northern part of our land ,the known NORTH EPIRUS is occupied by the ALBANIANS from 1916.
Ancient period
Our classic ancient history is dominated by the unification of the GREEK Epirotic tribes by the MOLOSSIAN (Epirotic tribe)King NEOPTOLEMOS in the early 1.900-1.550 B.C. The capital city of the ancient Epirotian kingdom was PASSARON. Some ruins of the city are located today near the modern capital IOANNINA.The niece of the Molossian King ARYBBAS ,the beautiful OLYMPIAS was married with the King of MACEDONIA PHILIP II and gave birth to our national hero , the famous ALEXANDER the GREAT.
The Ancient Theater of Dodoni
King Pyrros of Epirus
The biggest King of Epirus was PYRROS .He contributed to the development of the region with the construction of temples and cultural buildings , but his major occupation was the teritorial enlargement of Epirus. Inspired by the campaign of Alexander the Great in Asia,he planificated a similar campaign , in the west. He invaded Italy and confronted , the Roman Army.He won a lot of batles but after the excausting of his army by several diseases he was forced to return in Epirus .Then he enlarged Epirus in the south, occuping several territories. He was assasinated young in Peloponisos.
Medieval Period
The next important historical period for Epirus, was during the Middle Ages.The Byzantine Empire contribute to the development of the region, thousands of impressive churces were built all over Epirus .The Emperor JUSTINIAN founded in 527 A.C.the city of IOANNINA which became the capital of Epirus.During the Latin occupation of Greek Byzantine territories, the habitants of Epirus established a free kingdom .This kingdom was known as the DESPOTATE OF EPIRUS with capital the city of IOANNINA and first leader the prince MICHAEL KOMNINOS Who founded in 1207 B.C. the Equestrian Order of Epirotean Eagle.
Agia Sofia of Constantinople
Georgios Kastriotis
Another important person in our history is the figure of GEORGIOS KASTRIOTIS. He was the son of Ioannis Kastriotis, a GREEK Epirotian leader of the medieval feudal of Krugia.The young KASTRIOTIS became leader of his people and he united the divided medieval Epirotic kingdoms.He confronted with his brave Epirotians the mighty Asian hordes of the Turkish invaders and he won all the batlles. In his whole life as a leader he was never defeated , so became a legend not only for his people the Epirotians but for all the GREEKS. Unlucky the modern Albanian state created a mythological propaganda that KASTRIOTIS was of Albanian origin.This is a huge lie, because in the middle ages it didnt exist in the BALKANS any Albanian nation or other similar to it.Albanian nation was the creation of the mixture between Turks and Slavic tribes, for this reason Albanians are nowadays the only muslim nation state. KASTRIOTIS was a christian GREEK leader.
Modern times
After the death of KASTRIOTIS unfortunately the Epirotian district was occupied by the OTOMAN TURKS.During the Turkish ocupation several times the Epirotians as all the Greeks tried to revolt and liberate their land without success .Very famous leader of the last-before freedom- revolutions was MARKOS BOTSARIS known also as THE LION OF EPIRUS.He faught against the Turks with huge courage and became one of the EPIROTIAN LEGENDS.In 1908 the pre-eminent Albanian nationalist, Ismael Kemal Bey, requested Greek troops to advance north to the town of Vlora. Greek Prime Minister Theotokis complied with the request and the boarder, set by this action, was later ratified by the Ambassadorial Conference and the International Control Committee. In 1912, 482 years of Ottoman rule came to an end in the region and Epirotean forces liberated most of what would later be termed North Epirus. Unfortunately in 1913 the Protocol of Florence ceded, to Albania, all of Epirus north of the districtsof Delvine and Konitsa. The unjust action of the "Great Powers" which was justified as providing the Albanian state with "...adequate territorial dominion..." was the source of all future upheavals in the region. Epiroteans reacted violently to the situation. Almost Eastern Ortodox Christians with a minority of Catholic Christians of latin rite and of Greek rite, Epirotens feared leaving one oppressive Moslem government, the Ottoman Empire, for another, Albania. So in 1914 with leader the figure of I.ZOGRAFOS the GREEK regional assembly of NORTHERN part of Epirus declare the revolution against Albanian invaders and proclaim the AUTONOMOUS ( attention: in greek ÁÕÔÏÍÏÌÉÁ it means ENDEPENDENCE) state of North Epirus . Fastly the Epirotians start the battles against the muslim invaders.The strugle was helped by Greeks of the free zone.The Albanians commited several massacres against the Greek Epirotians,so they could force them to resign from their position.Unfortunately the Epirotic revolution was stopped by the Internatonal community and in exchange some rights within the Albanian state were given to the revolutionaries. Epirotean People didn't accept this imposition and Epirotean Government went in exile, so it exist today a legitime Government in exile with a King of Epirus de jure. After a small quiet period the Albanian goverment annexed officially this area and it started to suppress again the Epirotian population of the North Epirus with several measures.