Theodoros Kolokotronis
The wily 'Old Man of the Morea,' a guerrilla commander whose strategic genius and indomitable spirit forged the first victories of the Greek War of Independence.
1770–1843 (age 73)·Greek revolutionary leader·Birthday: April 3
Biography
Theodoros Kolokotronis was the soul of the Greek revolution. Born into a family of klephts—mountain bandits who resisted Ottoman rule—he learned warfare in the hills of the Peloponnese. After serving as a junior officer in the British army on the Ionian Islands, he returned home to ignite the 1821 uprising. His masterstroke was the ambush at Dervenakia, where his ragged force annihilated a large Ottoman army, saving the rebellion from early collapse. More than a tactician, he was a unifying symbol, with his distinctive helmet and long beard, offering a narrative of stubborn, ancient Greek resilience. His later years were fraught with political imprisonment during the nascent kingdom, but his legacy was secure: he had transformed a scattered insurrection into a war for a nation, proving the Ottoman colossus could be beaten.
#1 When Theodoros Was Born
The biggest hits of 1770
Theodoros's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1770Born
1775Started school
1783Became a teenager
1786Could drive
1788Could vote
1791Turned 21
1800Turned 30
1810Turned 40
1820Turned 50
1830Turned 60
1840Turned 70
1843Died at 73
Key Achievements
- Engineered the decisive Greek victory at the Battle of Dervenakia in 1822, which crippled Ottoman forces in the Peloponnese.
- Successfully commanded the siege of Tripolitsa, the first major Greek success that captured a key Ottoman administrative center.
- Served as the pre-eminent military leader of the Peloponnesian forces, providing crucial strategic direction in the war's early years.
- His memoirs provide a vital first-hand account of the strategies and internal politics of the Greek Revolution.
Did You Know?
He was nicknamed 'O Geros tou Morea' (The Old Man of the Morea), a term of respect for his leadership.
Kolokotronis spent six years in an English prison on the island of Zakynthos for his anti-Ottoman activities before the war.
After the war, he was imprisoned for treason by Greece's first king, Otto, but was later pardoned and reinstated.
His iconic helmet, now in the National Historical Museum in Athens, was a gift from the British Philhellene, Sir Richard Church.
“Greeks, God has signed our Liberty and will not go back on his promise.”
