“In Greece something incomparable happened. This enslaved for four hundred years nation managed to form its own army, within the conqueror’s state. It planned its freedom with the help of Klephts and Armatoli. A klepht is not a thief; he is the armed Greek fighting the Turk conqueror and seized what had been robbed of...
“He was born around 1744 in Tepeleni in Albania. At the age of nine, he was left fatherless and he was raised by his mother, Hamko. By means of several intrigues, he eliminated his rivals and in 1784 he was made in charge of the mountain passes (dervenagas) in Thessalia and Ipiros. The Sublime Port,...
“A beautiful girl was taken from her parents by the Turk-Albanians. She was only 12 and destined for the harem of a man who had turned 61. Vassiliki was the daughter of Kitsos Kontaxis, a ‘pruhontas’ –privileged rich person having social prestige- of the Plesivitsa area. She was renowned for her beauty, as she was...
