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→History
The city is first mentioned with its present name by a Venetian describing the Battle of Lepanto which took place nearby. It was under Venetian rule until [[1700]].
Mesolonghi revolted against Turkish rule on [[May 20]], [[1821]]. It was a major stronghold of the Greek revolutionaries in the Greek [[War of Independence]]. Its inhabitants, led by [[Markos Botsaris]], successfully resisted a [[First siege of Mesolonghi|siege]] by forces of the Ottoman Empire in [[1822]]. They also defeated the Ottomans in a second siege in [[1823]].
Mesolonghi held out heroically against a third siege from [[1825]] to [[1826]], before the Ottoman forces captured the town after a sortie by its entire population. On account of its inhabitants' heroism, it was named a "Holy City" - the only city in [[Greece]] to have such a distinction.
