THE GREEK REVOLUTION IN BEIRUT

On March 18th 1826, a small group of brave Greek Revolutionaries, led by Vasos Mavrovouniotis attempted to liberate the Ottoman-occupied city of Beirut, and thus spread the Hellenic Revolution to Coele-Syria.

According to then-British Consul John Barker, stationed in Aleppo, the Revolutionaries were thwarted by a local Mufti and a hastily arranged defense force. Although initially repelled, the Greek heroes did manage to hold on to a small portion of the city near the seashore in an area inhabited by local Greeks.

During that time, they appealed to the locals“to rise up and join them”, and even sent an invitation to the chief of the local Druzes to also join the Revolution. Although unsuccessful, their heroic attempt to incite the Greeks of the Levant lives on as a testament that the Greeks of Europe and those of the Levant were and still are one people.

Source: The Greco~Syrian Nation Facebook Page