Battle of Maniaki

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The Battle of Maniaki was fought during the Greek War of Independence (1821 - 1829) from the Ottoman Empire.

In 1825, the revolutionary war was threatened by the coming of Ibrahim pasha from Egypt. Grigoris Papaflessas, a former priest turned revolutionary leader, took a force of 1,500 men and dug in to defend Maniaki in Messinia. Papaflessas was aided by Voidis Mavromichalis with his Maniote fighters, and several kinsmen, most notably his nephew Dimitrios Flessas.

The defenders expected reinforcements from General Dimitris Plapoutas. When Ibrahim's forces surrounded the Greek positions, most of Papaflessas' men fled. The former priest was left with 500 men to face 3,000 better-equiped Egyptians with artillery but refused to retreat. On May 20, 1825, in the ensuing 8-hour battle, Papaflessas fell alongside his men. Egyptian casualties numbered 600 dead.

It is said that after the battle, Ibrahim pasha ordered his men to find Papaflessas' body, had them wash it and lean it against a tree. Then, in admiration, the Egyptian pasha exclaimed "Now, there's a true man!".