Notable Arvanites

Kjo gjuha arbërishte
është gjuhë trimërie
e fliti Admiral Miauli
Boçari dhe gjith Suli


This Arbërishte language
is a language of bravery
it was spoken by Admiral Miauli
Bocari and the whole Suli


Markos Botsaris
Markos Botsaris (Albanian: Marko Boçari) (c. 1788 – 21 August 1823) was a leader of the Souliotes and a hero of the War of Greek Independence.Botsaris was born into one of the leading clans of the Souliotes, in Epirus. He was the second son of captain Kitsos Botsaris. The Botsaris clan came from the village of Dragani (today Ambelia), near Paramythia.In 1803, after the capture of Souli by Ali Pasha, Botsaris with the remnants of the Souliotes, crossed over to the Ionian Islands, where he ultimately took service in a French regiment. In 1814, he joined the Greek society known as the Filiki Eteria, and in 1820, with other Souliots, made common cause with the Greeks against the Ottoman Empire. On the outbreak of the Greek revolt, he distinguished himself by his courage, tenacity and skill as a partisan leader in the fighting in western Greece, and was conspicuous in the defence of Missolonghi during the first siege (1822-1823). On the night of 21 August 1823 he led the celebrated attack at Karpenisi of 350 Souliots on around 1000 Ottomans who formed the vanguard of the army with which Mustai Pasha was advancing to reinforce the besiegers. Botsaris managed to take Mustai Pasha as a prisoner during the raid but he was shot in the head - most probably by Lleshi i Zi, a Catholic Albanian Mirdite mercenary - while leaving the encampment.Markos's brother Kostas (Constantine) Botsaris, who fought at Karpenisi and completed the victory, lived to become a respected Greek general and parliamentarian in the Greek kingdom. He died at Athens on the 13 November 1853. Markos's son, Dimitrios Botsaris, born in 1813, was three times minister of war during the reigns of Otto of Greece and George I of Greece. He died at Athens on 17 August 1870. His daughter, Katerina "Rosa" Botsaris, was in the service of Queen Amalia of Greece.

Labëria kur dëgjoi
Se u vra Marko fajkoi
Ra në zi e ra në goj
Kënga i mbeti në goj

When the Labëria heard of it
that Marko the Hawk was killed
they plunged into mourning and sorrow
they couldn't sing anymore




E kush e bëri Morenë, ( Greqinë )
Gjith shqiptarë qenë,
S’ishin shqiptar Marko Suli( Marko Boçari )
Xhavela e Mjauli?
Shiptar, bir shqiptari,
Me armët e Shqipnis.
Ia hodhën themelin Greqis.


And who made the Morea,(Greece)
they were all albanians,
wasn't albanian Marko Suli( Marko Boçari )
Tzavela and Miaouli?
they were all albanians and sons of albanians,
with the arms of Albania
they laid the foundations of Morea.




Nicholas Kriezoti
Nicholas Kriezoti(Nikollë Kryezoti) (1785-185) is one of the most important figures of Greek War of Independence.He was born in arvanite village of Karistas in Euboea.The Revolution in Euboea it was a match between Christian and Muslim Arvanites.If he was called Kriezoti by Christian Arvanites,by the Muslim Arvanites he was called Alizoti. It is also a fact that revolutionary activity in Eubea was limited in those areas where the Arvanites lived.Kriezoti took part in the most important battles of Rumelia and Eubea, but after the liberation he was persecuted and jailed, and eventually was forced to isolate themselves in Turkey, in Istanbul and in Prusha, where he died.


Gjuha jonë vetëm thuhet
nuk e lanë që të shkruhet
Bëmë këngë këshillat e urta
që të mos harrohet gjuha

Our language is only spoken
they didn't let it to be written
we made songs our old sayings
so the language wouldn't be forgotten


Athanas Skurtanioti (1793-1825)
The self-immolation of Thanas Shurtanioti in St. Sotira in Mavromatia of Thiva on 16.20.1825, was one of the most heroic and tragic events of the Revolution in the Province of Boetia. Thanas Shkutanioti was born in Dervenohori of Shkurta. Its ancient name was Thanas Jarcji (Jarci, abbreviation for Jorgji). Already in the first days of the Revolution,he was made the leader of the Dervenorten and he was a nightmare for the Turks of Beotia, Attika and Morea.In 1825, he was surrounded with his 70 fighters in the monastery of St. Sotira, where he standed against 800 Turkish soldiers.By putting on fire the Monastiry of St. Sotira,he and his fighters decided to self-immolate in the name of cause.This event,plunged into mourning and despair the whole Boetia.



Andreas Miaoulis
Andreas Vokos-Bokos, nicknamed Miaoulis (Andrea Miauli May 20, 1768 - June 24, 1835), was an admiral and politician who commanded Greek naval forces during the Greek War of Independence (1821-1829.He was the son of the Arvanite Dhimitër Boku(Voku).A grandfather of Andreas,changed his surname from Boko to Miauli.He took the name of the ship "Miauli" where he worked for many years.Miaoulis, who was of Arvanite origin, was born in Euboea and settled on the island of Hydra east of the Morea and was known among his fellow islanders as a trader in corn who had gained wealth and made a popular use of his money. He had been a merchant captain, and was chosen to lead the naval forces of the islands when they rose against the government of the Sultan.He had a major role in the successful relief of the first siege of Messolonghi in December 1822 and January 1823. In 1824, after the conquest of Psara by the Turks, he commanded the Greek forces which prevented the further progress of the Sultan's fleet, though at the cost of the loss of many fire ships and men.As the war went on, the naval power of the Greeks diminished, partly owing to the penury of their treasury and partly to the growth of piracy in the anarchy of the Eastern Mediterranean. He continued to be the naval chief of the Greeks until the former Royal Navy officer Thomas Cochrane entered their service in 1827. Miaoulis then retired in order to leave the British officer free to act as commander.




Theodoros Kolokotronis-The old man of the Morea

Theodoros Kolokotronis-Teodor Bythguri 3 April 1770 – 5 February 1843 was a Arvanite general in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire.He spent all his life with Arvanites, whether Muslim or Christian. Kollokotroni made bloodbrothers Marko Boçarin and Ali Farmaqin (Both Albanians). Soldiers of Kollokotroni were Arvanites of Morea and Çamëria. Epithet "Kollokotron" is correct translation of the Arvanite expression "Byth -Guri" and was given to his grandfather first(Janit).Their old surname was Çergjini.The Kollokotroni family was a powerful and respected family in Arcadia in the 18th century. Their legend of pride and insubordination is commemorated in a well-known folk song that survives from that time:

Ahorse they go to church,
Ahorse they kiss the icons,
Ahorse they receive communion
From the priest's hand.

His political enemies in the Greek provisional government, led by Petrobey Mavromichalis had him imprisoned in the Palamidi with Dimitris Plapoutas in the same jail, but he was released when an Egyptian army under the command of Ibrahim Pasha invaded the Morea.After the war Kolokotronis became a supporter of Count Ioannis Kapodistrias and a proponent of alliance with Russia. When the count was assassinated on 8 October 1831, Kolokotronis created his own administration in support of Prince Otto of Bavaria as a king of Greece. However, later he opposed the Bavarian-dominated regency during his rule. He was charged with treason and on 7 June 1834 sentenced to death; but he was pardoned in 1835. Theodoros Kolokotronis died in 1843 in Athens one day after his son's wedding.


Kitsos Tzavelas
Kitsos Tzavelas (Kiço Xhavella) (1800 - 1855) was a Greek War of Independence fighter of Souliote origin and Prime Minister. Tzavelas was born in Souli, Epirus in 1800, the son of Fotos Tzavelas and grandson of Lambros Tzavelas both of whom were famous for their roles in the Souliot struggles against Ali Pasha, the Pasha of Janina. He grew up in exile in Kerkyra.Tzavelas played a leading role in the Greek War of Independence in 1821, alongside Georgios Karaiskakis, distinguishing himself especially during the siege of Messolonghi. After the arrival in Greece of Ioannis Kapodistrias, during the latter part of the war, Tzavelas was responsible for liberating a large part of Central Greece. He was a long-time rival of fellow Souliot Markos Botsaris.After independence, Tzavelas became a supporter of Kapodistria and eventually a leader in the Russian Party which was the conservative and arch-Orthodox political faction in the period of King Otto. Accused of planning a revolt against the king in 1834, Tzavelas was imprisoned by the Regency Council head by von Armansperg along with other politicians of the Russian Party. When King Otto reached the age of majority and took over the reigns of government, Tzavelas was released and later was named aide-de-camp to the king. He was subsequently appointed Minister of War in 1844 and, in 1847-1848, Prime Minister. Kitsos Tzavelas died on March 21, 1855.


Moscho Tzavela
Moscho Tzavela (Mosko Xhavella)1760 - 1803 was a Souliote heroine of the years before the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence, who has been mentioned in modern Greek and Albanian literature.Moscho Tzavela was a Souliote, the wife of Lambros Tzavelas, with whom she had a son, Fotos. She commanded a crowd of 400 female rebels, who took part in the winning battle of Kiafa against the army of Ali Pasha,in July 20, 1792, resulting in 2,000-3,000 people killed from the army of Ali, and only 74 from the Greek side. After the defeat of the Souliotes, she went to Parga and then moved to the Ionian Islands, where she died in 1803. People, who had met her in Kerkyra, described her as a slight woman, with a beautiful face and a sparkling glance.