OTD 10-11 April 1826, on the dawn of Palm Sunday, after one year of blockade the people of Missolonghi decided to not surrender to the Ottomans and both armed men and unarmed women and children to attempt a sortie protected by the garrison's swords through the enemy lines.
They were split in three columns under the flags of:
- Demetrios Makris
- Kitsos Tzavellas
- Notis Botsaris
Injured or sick men, elders, unable women and children wishing to fight until the end and kill themselves were gathered to the fortified house of
- oldman Christos Kapsalis
Ottomans were informed and blocking their exit. Most women & children following the garrison were trapped, killed or captured. But most of the men were proceeding to their salvation towards the nearby mountain Zygos. Kapsalis in the city finally blew up the ammunition building
- Most of Missolonghi garrison fell, but ca 2,000 men survived the sortie.
- Men captured >12 years old executed
- 6,000 women & children sold slaves in CPolis & Alexandria, though some bought back later
- Ibrahim pasha army 8-10: returned ca 3,500
- Reshid pasha similar losses
Many warlords killed in battle, esp those accompanying their own families. Arab tactical army was follwing them, while Albanians were shooting in skirmishes. Finally, while 2 columns were merged into one under Makris, they lost 500 men after final trap of Musta-bey Albanians
The revenge on Musta-bey & his 2,000 soldiers who caused the greatest losses of the garrison, few meters before their salvation came a few months later on 18-24 Nov 1826 when they were trapped in Arachova and almost entirely eliminated. An Ottoman-style head pyramid was also made
Siege & sortie of Missolonghi showed that Greeks had no intention to live under Ottoman rule any more & raised public sympathy. Delacroix painted Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi. G. Rossini's inspired the opera Le siĂšge de Corinthe. V. Hugo’s wrote poem ‘’Les TĂȘtes du sĂ©rail’’
Missolonghi municipality is called Iera Polis Messolongiou (Sacred Town of Messolonghi) and every year the Memorial Day for the Exodus is celebrated on Palm Sunday; with high-ranking officials, foreign ambassadors & the whole population of the region participating.
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