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People
Greek War Of Independence (1821-1829)
Nikitaras (1782-1849)
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Nikitas (Nikitaras) Stamatelopoulos {Νικήτας (Νικηταράς) Σταματελόπουλος} (1782-1849). Nikitaras was Kolokotronis' [People] nephew and worked closely with him. After the death of his Armatolos {Αρματωλός} (name for those charged with the security of certain areas under Ottoman occupation) father in 1805, he followed Kolokotronis to the Heptanese {Eptanisa ~ Επτάνησα}. He became a member of the Society Of Friends [The Society] in 1818 and in February 1821 was in Kalamata {Καλαμάτα} for the declaration of the War of Independence.
After the liberation of Kalamata, Nikitaras marched to Arkadia {Αρκαδία} with Papaflessas [People] and Kolokotronis to liberate Tripolis (Tripolitsa) {Τρίπολις} ({Τριπολιτσά}). A few days after the battle of Valtetsi {Βαλτέτσι} he repelled an attack by 6,000 Ottomans at Doliana {Δολιανά}. The Ottomans left 300 dead on the battlefield, and all their artillery. That is when Nikitaras was called "Turk-Eater" {Τουρκοφάγος}.
In the summer of 1822 he and some other chieftains devastated Mahmud Dramali Paşa (1780-1822, Ottoman General born in Drama {Δράμα}). His deeds continued in Attica {Attiki ~ Αττική} and the Peloponnese {Peloponnisos ~ Πελοπόννησος}.
During the civil strife [Civil Wars] he sided with Kolokotronis. When Kapodistrias [People] arrived in Greece he was among those who worked closely with him. Although he was on the pro-Russian side, he was not actively involved in political disputes. But his opposition to the Germans was apparent. In 1839 he was arrested for belonging to the "Phil-Orthodox Society" {Filorthodoksos Eteria ~ Φιλορθόδοξος Εταιρεία}, which opposed King Otto [People]. He was tried and aquitted, but the King ordered him confined to the island of Aegina {Egina ~ Αίγινα}.
After the 1843 Rebellion [Place Names] he was made Lieutenent-General, and a Senator in 1847. He died in Piraeus {Pireefs ~ Πειραιεύς}, blind and penniless. He was buried according to his wishes, beside Theodoros Kolokotronis in the 1st Cemetery of Athens [Place Names].
Nikitas (Nikitaras) Stamatelopoulos
(1782-1849)
(by K. Krazeisen)
04-23-2004