Filiki Eteria

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Filiki Eteria

Motto	Ελευθερία ή θάνατος Eleftheria i thanatos Freedom or Death
Formation	14 September 1814
Purpose	Preparation of the Greek War of Independence
Location	Odessa, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)
Fields	Nationalism Egalitarianism Europeanism
Key people	Emmanuil Xanthos (founder) Nikolaos Skoufas (founder) Athanasios Tsakalov (founder) Alexander Ypsilantis (leader) Alexandros Mavrokordatos Theodoros Kolokotronis Anthimos Gazis Germanos III of Old Patras Emmanouel Pappas

Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends (Greek: Φιλική Εταιρεία or Εταιρεία των Φιλικών) was a secret organization founded in 1814 in Odessa, whose purpose was to overthrow the Ottoman rule of Greece and establish an independent Greek state.^[1] Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Constantinople and the Russian Empire, local political and military leaders from the Greek mainland and islands, as well as several Orthodox Christian leaders from other nations that were under Hellenic influence, such as Karađorđe from Serbia
^[2]Tudor Vladimirescu from Romania, and Arvanite military commanders.^[3] One of its leaders was the prominent Phanariote Prince Alexander Ypsilantis.^[4] The Society initiated the Greek War of Independence in the spring of 1821.^[5]

Contents

• 
  1 Translations and transliterations
  


• 
  2 Foundation
  


• 
  3 Hierarchy and initiation
  
  
  
  • 
    3.1 Members
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  4 Change of leadership
  


• 
  5 See also
  


• 
  6 References
  


• 
  7 Further reading
  

Translations and transliterations

The direct translation of the word "Φιλική" is "Friendly" and the direct translation of "Εταιρεία" is "Society", "Company" or "Association"). The common transliteration "Filiki Eteria" reflects the pronunciation of the name in modern Greek. Other possible transliterations are "Filike Etaireia", which reflects Greek orthography, and "Philike Hetaireia", which is reflects the ancient Greek etymology.

Foundation

House of Filiki Eteria on Greek Square in Odessa

In the context of ardent desire for independence from Turkish occupation, and with the explicit influence of similar secret societies elsewhere in Europe, three Greeks came together in 1814 in Odessa to decide the constitution for a secret organization in freemasonic fashion. Its purpose was to unite all Greeks in an armed organization to overthrow Turkish rule. The three founders were Nikolaos Skoufas from the Arta province, Emmanuil Xanthos from Patmos and Athanasios Tsakalov from Ioannina.^[1] Soon after they initiated a fourth member, Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos from Andritsaina.

Passport of the Filiki Eteria, bearing its insignia and written in its coded alphabet.

Skoufas met with Konstantinos Rados, who was initiated into Carbonarism. Xanthos was initiated into a Freemasonic Lodge at Lefkada ("Society of Free Builders of Saint Mavra"), while Tsakalov was a founding member of the Hellenoglosso Xenodocheio (Greek: Ελληνόγλωσσο Ξενοδοχείο, meaning Greek-speaking Hotel) an earlier relative society for the liberation of Greece which had been founded in Paris and made a progress to the Greek natitonalistic ideas. ^[6]

At the start, between 1814 and 1816, there were roughly twenty members. During 1817, the society initiated members from the diaspora Greeks of Russia and the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. The lord (hospodar) of Moldavia Michael Soutzos himself, became a member.^[7] Massive initiations began only in 1818 and by early 1821, when the Society had expanded to almost all regions of Greece and throughout Greek communities abroad, the membership numbered in thousands.^[8] Among its members were tradesmen, clergy, Russian consuls, Ottoman officials from Phanar and revolutionary Serbs, most notably, the leader of the First Serbian Uprising, father of the modern Serbia and founder of the Karadjordjevic dynasty Karageorge Petrovic.^[8][9] Members included primary instigators of the Greek revolution, notably Theodoros Kolokotronis, Odysseas Androutsos, Dimitris Plapoutas, Papaflessas and the metropolitan bishop Germanos of Patras.

Hierarchy and initiation

The Oath of Initiation into the Society, painting by Dionysios Tsokos, 1849.

The Great Oath of the Filiki Eteria, written on a monument at Kolonaki, Athens.

Filiki Eteria was strongly influenced by Carbonarism and Freemasonry.^[6] The team of leaders was making and spreading its decisions, saying that they transmit the commends of the "Invisible Authority" (Αόρατος Αρχή), which was thought that was one or more strong persons, so from the start it was shrouded in mystery, secrecy and glamour. It was generally believed that a lot of important personalities were members, not only eminent Greeks, but also notable foreigners such as the Tsar of Russia Alexander I. The reality was that initially, the Invisible Authority comprised only the three founders. From 1815 until 1818, five more were added to the Invisible Authority, and after the death of Skoufas' another three more. In 1818, the Invisible Authority was renamed to the "Authority of Twelve Apostles" and each Apostle shouldered the responsibility of a separate region.

The organisational structure was pyramid-like with the "Invisible Authority" coordinating from the top. No one knew or had the right to ask who created the organisation. Commands were unquestionably carried out and members did not have the right to make decisions. Members of the society came together in what was called a "Temple" with four levels of initiation: a) Brothers (Αδελφοποίητοι) or Vlamides (Βλάμηδες), b) the Recommended (Συστημένοι), c) the Priests (Ιερείς) and d) the Shepherds (Ποιμένες).^[10] The Priests were charged with the duty of initiation.^[11]

“	I swear in the name of truth and justice, before the Supreme Being, to guard, by sacrificing my own life, and suffering the hardest toils, the mystery, which shall be explained to me and that I shall respond with the truth whatever I am asked.	”
— The Oath of Initiation in to the Filiki

When the Priest approached a new member, it was first to make sure of his patriotism and catechize him in the aims of society; the last stage was to put him under the lengthy principal oath, called the Great Oath (Μέγας Όρκος).^[11] Much of the essence of it was contained in its conclusion:^[10]

“	Last of all, I swear by Thee, my sacred and suffering Country,— I swear by thy long-endured tortures,— I swear by the bitter tears which for so many centuries have been shed by thy unhappy children, by my own tears which I am pouring forth at this very moment,— I swear by the future liberty of my countrymen, that I consecrate myself wholly to thee; that hence forward thou shall be the cause and object of my thoughts, thy name the guide of my actions, and thy happiness the recompense of my labours.	”
— Conclusion of the Great Oath of the Filiki

When the above was administered the Priest then uttered the words of acceptance of the novice as a new member:^[11]

“	Before the face of the invisible and omnipresent true God, who in his essence is just, the avenger of transgression, the chastizer of evil, by the laws of the Eteria Filiki, and by the authority with which its powerful priests have intrusted me, I receive you, as I was myself received, into the bosom of the Eteria.	”
— words of acceptance into Filiki

Afterwards the initiated were considered neophyte members of the society, with all the rights and obligations of his rank. The Priest immediately had the obligation to reveal all the marks of recognition between the Vlamides or Brothers. Vlamides and Recommended were unaware of the revolutionary aims of the organisation. They only knew that there existed a society that tried hard for the general good of the nation, which included in its ranks important personalities. This myth was propagated deliberately, in order to stimulate the morale of members and also to make proselytism easier.

Members

A stamp of Filiki Eteria. Contains codified the initial letters of the names of the most important members, according to Xanthos Memoirs.

Members in the secret society divided to three parts: a) Etairoi: Shepherds with important duty, b) Apostles: Priests with important duty, and c) all other members.^[12]

Etairoi	Apostles
Nikolaos Skoufas Athanasios Tsakalov Emmanuil Xanthos Antonios Komizopoulos Gregorios Flessas Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos Panagiotis Sekeris Anthimos Gazis Nikolaos Patsimadis Athanasios Sekeris Georgios Leventis Alexandros Ypsilantis	Anagnostaras Christoforos Perraivos 1 Yiannis Pharmakis Elias Chrysospathis Kamarinós Kyriakós † Aristeidis Pappas Nikolaos Ypatros Demetrios Themelis Antonios Pelopidas Nikolaos Galatis † 2 Charalambos Mattis Georgios Sekeris Constantinos Pentedekas Athanasios Xodilos Gavriil Katakazi 3
1 In source referended as Christodoulos Perraivos (p. 44). 2 In source referended as N. Galatis (p. 44) and Galanis (p. 45). 3 In source referended as Georgios Katakazis (p. 44). † Members who were killed as traitors (p. 45).
Source: List of 12 Etairoi and 15 Apostles, sorted by their initiation date.[12]

Change of leadership

Main articles: Greek War of Independence and Alexander Ypsilantis

Fighting in Bucharest (1821)

In 1818, the seat of Filiki Eteria had migrated from Odessa to Constantinople, and Skoufas' death had been a serious loss. The remaining founders attempted to find a major personality to take over the reins, one who would add prestige and fresh impetus to the society. In early 1818, they had a meeting with Ioannis Kapodistrias, who not only refused, but later wrote that he considered Filiki Eteria guilty for the havoc that was foreboded in Greece.

Alexandros Ypsilantis was contacted and asked to assume leadership of Filiki Eteria,^[7] which he did in April 1820. He began active preparations for a revolt and with the setting up of a military unit for the purpose that he named the Sacred Band. Various proposals were made for the location regarding the break out of the revolution. One of them was the to be started in Constantinople, the heart of the empire, that was the long-term target of the revolutionaries. Finally the decision that was taken was to start from the Peloponnese (Morea), and the Danubian Principalities for a feint at the same time. The society especially wanted also to take advantage of the involvement of significant Ottoman forces, including the pasha of the Moreas, against Ali Pasha of Ioannina.

See also

• Ellinoglosso Xenodocheio


• Filomousos Eteria


• Marigo Zarafopoula

References

1. 
   ^ ^ab Alison, Phillips W. (1897). The war of Greek independence, 1821 to 1833. London : Smith, Elder. pp. 20, 21..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em} (retrieved from University of California Library)
   


2. 
   ^ Filiki Eteria: The Diaspora Secret Society That Sparked Greek Independence
   


3. 
   ^ Clogg, Richard (1976), "'Social Banditry': The Memoirs of Theodoros Kolokotronis", The Movement for Greek Independence 1770–1821, Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 166–174, doi:10.1007/978-1-349-02845-0_10, ISBN 9781349028474
   


4. 
   ^ Greek War of Independence. A Dictionary of World History. 2000.
   retrieved 9 May. 2009 Encyclopedia.com
   


5. 
   ^ John S. Koliopoulos, Brigands with a Cause - Brigandage and Irredentism in Modern Greece 1821-1912, Clarendon Press Oxford (1987), p. 41.
   


6. 
   ^ ^ab Michaletos, Ioannis (2006-09-28). "Freemasonry in Greece: Secret History Revealed". Balkanalysis.com. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
   


7. 
   ^ ^ab Berend, Tibor Iván (2003). History derailed. University of California Press. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-520-23299-0.
   


8. 
   ^ ^ab Cunningham, Allan; Ingram, Edward (1993). Anglo-Ottoman encounters in the age of revolution. Routledge. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-7146-3494-4.
   ISBN 0-7146-3494-8
   


9. 
   ^ Wintle, Michael (2008). Imagining Europe: Europe and European civilisation as seen from its margins and by the rest of the world, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Peter Lang. p. 112. ISBN 978-90-5201-431-9. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
   


10. 
    ^ ^ab Waddington, George (1825). A visit to Greece, in 1823 and 1824. London: John Murray. p. xviii (28). Retrieved 5 March 2018.
    


11. 
    ^ ^abc Waddington, George (1825). A visit to Greece, in 1823 and 1824. London: John Murray. p. xx,xxi (20,21). Retrieved 5 March 2018.
    


12. 
    ^ ^ab Flessas, Constantinos (1842). History of the Holy Fight (PDF) (in Greek). Athens: P.A.Comnenos. pp. 44–45. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
    

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Filiki Etaireia.

.mw-parser-output .refbegin{font-size:90%;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul{list-style-type:none;margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>dl>dd{margin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em;list-style:none}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-100{font-size:100%}

• Vournas, Tasos. Friendly Society: her illegal organisational and persecution by the foreigners, Tolides Bros, (Athens 1982).


• 
  Metropolitan of Old Patras Germanos, Memoirs, (Introductory note, index, ref. Ioanna Yiannaropoulos – Tassos Gritsopoulos), (Athens 1975).


• 
  Kordatos, Yannis. Rigas Feraios and Balkan Federation, (Athens 1974).


• 
  Xanthos, Emmanuil. Memoirs for the Friendly Society, (facsimile reprint of 1834 ed), Vergina, (Athens 1996).


• Michaletos, Ioannis. The History of a Greek Secret Society: Structure and Rites of the Philiki Etaireia, (www.balkanalysis.com 2007).

v t e Greek War of Independence (1821–29)
Background
Ottoman Greece	People Ali Pasha Armatoloi Proestoi Klephts Daskalogiannis Cosmas of Aetolia Dionysius the Philosopher Lambros Katsonis Maniots Phanariotes Souliotes Events Orlov Revolt Souliote War (1803)
Greek Enlightenment	People Athanasios Christopoulos Theoklitos Farmakidis Rigas Feraios Anthimos Gazis Theophilos Kairis Adamantios Korais Eugenios Voulgaris Organizations Ellinoglosso Xenodocheio Filiki Eteria Filomousos Eteria Society of the Phoenix Serene Grand Orient of Greece Publications Adelphiki Didaskalia Asma Polemistirion Hellenic Nomarchy Pamphlet of Rigas Feraios Salpisma Polemistirion Thourios or Patriotic hymn
European intervention	Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca Greek Plan of Catherine the Great Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792) French Revolution Fall of the Republic of Venice Napoleonic Wars Septinsular Republic Adriatic campaign of 1807–14 Albanian Regiment 1st Regiment Greek Light Infantry United States of the Ionian Islands
Ideas	Nationalism Eastern Orthodox Christianity Liberalism Constitutionalism
Events
Battles	Kalamata Patras Wallachian uprising Alamana 1st Acropolis Gravia Valtetsi Doliana Dragashani Sculeni Vasilika Trench Tripolitsa Peta Dervenakia 1st Messolonghi Karpenisi 2nd Messolonghi Greek civil wars Sphacteria Neokastro Maniaki Lerna Mills 3rd Messolonghi Mani 2nd Acropolis Arachova Kamatero Phaleron Chios expedition Petra
Massacres	Constantinople Thessaloniki Navarino Tripolitsa Naousa Samothrace Chios Psara Kasos
Naval conflicts	Nauplia Psara Samos Andros Sphacteria Gerontas Souda Alexandria Itea Navarino
Ships	Greek sloop Karteria Greek brig Aris
Greek regional councils and statutes	Messenian Senate Directorate of Achaea Peloponnesian Senate Senate of Western Continental Greece Areopagus of Eastern Continental Greece Provisional Regime of Crete Military-Political System of Samos
Greek national assemblies	First (Epidaurus) Second (Astros) Third (Troezen) Fourth (Argos) Fifth (Nafplion)
International Conferences, Treaties and Protocols	Congress of Laibach Congress of Verona Protocol of St. Petersburg Treaty of London Conference of Poros London Protocol of 1828 London Protocol of 1829 Treaty of Adrianople London Protocol of 1830 London Conference Treaty of Constantinople
Related	Russo-Turkish War (1828-29)
Personalities
Greece	Chian Committee Odysseas Androutsos Anagnostaras Markos Botsaris Laskarina Bouboulina Constantin Denis Bourbaki Hatzimichalis Dalianis Athanasios Diakos Germanos III of Old Patras Dimitrios Kallergis Athanasios Kanakaris Constantine Kanaris Ioannis Kapodistrias Stamatios Kapsas Georgios Karaiskakis Nikolaos Kasomoulis Ioannis Kolettis Theodoros Kolokotronis Georgios Kountouriotis Antonios Kriezis Nikolaos Kriezotis Kyprianos of Cyprus Georgios Lassanis Lykourgos Logothetis Andreas Londos Yannis Makriyannis Manto Mavrogenous Alexandros Mavrokordatos Petrobey Mavromichalis Andreas Metaxas Andreas Miaoulis Theodoros Negris Nikitaras Antonis Oikonomou Ioannis Orlandos Papaflessas Dimitrios Papanikolis Emmanouel Pappas Ioannis Papafis Christoforos Perraivos Nikolaos Petimezas Georgios Sachtouris Georgios Sisinis Iakovos Tombazis Anastasios Tsamados Ioannis Varvakis Demetrios Ypsilantis
Philhellenes	London Philhellenic Committee Joseph Balestra Lord Byron François-René de Chateaubriand Richard Church Lord Cochrane Jean-Gabriel Eynard Vincenzo Gallina Charles Fabvier Thomas Gordon Frank Abney Hastings Carl von Heideck Johann Jakob Meyer Karl Normann Maxime Raybaud Giuseppe Rosaroll Santorre di Santa Rosa Friedrich Thiersch Ludwig I of Bavaria German Legion [el] Serbs
Moldavia and Wallachia (Danubian Principalities)	Alexander Ypsilantis Sacred Band Nikolaos Ypsilantis Alexandros Kantakouzinos Georgios Kantakouzinos Giorgakis Olympios Yiannis Pharmakis Dimitrie Macedonski Tudor Vladimirescu
Ottoman Empire, Algeria, and Egypt	Sultan Mahmud II Hurshid Pasha Nasuhzade Ali Pasha Ismael Gibraltar Omer Vrioni Kara Mehmet Mahmud Dramali Pasha Koca Hüsrev Mehmed Pasha Reşid Mehmed Pasha Yussuf Pasha Ibrahim Pasha Soliman Pasha al-Faransawi
Britain, France and Russia	Stratford Canning Edward Codrington Henri de Rigny Nicholas I of Russia Login Geiden
Morea expedition	Military Nicolas Joseph Maison Louis-Eugène Cavaignac Antoine Virgile Schneider Amédée Despans-Cubières Auguste Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély Camille Alphonse Trézel Scientific Jean Baptiste Bory de Saint-Vincent Gabriel Bibron Gaspard Auguste Brullé Gérard Paul Deshayes Eugène Emmanuel Amaury Duval Pierre-Narcisse Guérin Edgar Quinet
Impact
Art	Eugène Delacroix Louis Dupré Peter von Hess Victor Hugo François Pouqueville Alexander Pushkin Karl Krazeisen Andreas Kalvos Dionysios Solomos Theodoros Vryzakis Hellas The Reception of Lord Byron at Missolonghi Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi Le siège de Corinthe The Massacre at Chios The Free Besieged Hymn to Liberty The Archipelago on Fire The Apotheosis of Athanasios Diakos
Remembrance	25 March (Independence Day) Hymn to Liberty Eleftheria i thanatos Pedion tou Areos Propylaea (Munich) Garden of Heroes (Missolonghi) Royal Phalanx Evzones (Presidential Guard)

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