Greek War of Independence
Topic: The Rise of Nationalism in Europe · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 1 "The Rise of Nationalism in Europe"
Meaning
The Greek War of Independence was the fight of the Greeks to free themselves from the Ottoman Empire. Greece had been part of the Ottoman Empire since the 15th century. The struggle began in 1821. Greeks living in exile backed it. So did many West Europeans who admired ancient Greek culture. They were called philhellenes, which means "lovers of Greece". They saw Greece as the cradle, or birthplace, of European civilisation. The war matters because it was an early nationalist success in Europe. It also showed that poets and painters could build public support for a national cause.
Example
The English poet Lord Byron raised money for the Greeks and went to fight for them. He died of fever there in 1824. Greece's independence was finally recognised by the Treaty of Constantinople in 1832.
Don't confuse with
- The start of the war (1821): Greece did not become independent in 1821. The struggle only began that year. Independence was recognised in 1832.
Related concepts
- July Revolution
- Romanticism
- Johann Gottfried Herder
- Volksgeist
- Ethnic nationalism
- Grimm brothers
- Partition of Poland