2431) "200 Years From the Chios Massacre (1822-2022)", Hellenic Republic of Greece: A €5 (Five Euro) Silver Coin recalls the horrific massacre of the citizens of Chios by the Ottoman Turks during the Greek War of Independence: Year of Coin issue: 2022:
200 YEARS FROM THE "CHIOS MASSACRE”:
The Chios massacre was the killing of tens of thousands of Greeks on the island of Chios by Ottoman troops during the Greek War of Independence in 1822.
For over 2,000 years, merchants and shipowners from Chios had been prominent in trade and diplomacy throughout the Black Sea, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean.
The Ottoman Empire allowed Chios almost complete control over its own affairs as Chioten trade and the very highly valued mastic plant, harvested only on Chios, were of great value to the Ottomans.
The cosmopolitan Chiotes were also very prominent in Constantinople.
The inhabitants of Chios rose up against Ottoman rule on 11.03.1822, incited by the revolt of the Samians led by Lykourgos Logothetis. Greeks from neighboring islands had arrived on Chios and encouraged the Chiotes (the native inhabitants of the island) to join their revolt.
The island's ruling classes were reluctant to join the Greek revolt, fearing the loss of their security and prosperity. Furthermore, they were aware that they were situated far too close to the Turkish heartland in Anatolia to be safe.
The Sultan, infuriated with the defiance of the Chiots, who enjoyed a privileged status, dispatched Kara Ali and his fleet against the island.
In response, Ottoman troops landed on the island and killed thousands of local residents. The massacre of Christians provoked international outrage across the Western world, and led to increasing support for the Greek cause worldwide.
Heavy bombardment was followed by the landing of 7,000 Ottoman troops. Reinforcements in the form of a Turkish fleet under the Kapudan Pasha Nasuhzade Ali Pasha arrived on the island on 22 March. On 12 April, orders were given to burn down the town, and over the next four months, an estimated 40,000 Turkish troops had arrived.
They quickly pillaged and looted the town.
In addition to setting fires, the troops were ordered to kill all infants under three years old, all males 12 years and older, and all females 40 and older, except those willing to convert to Islam.
The poorly planned uprising was easily suppressed, as Logothetis and the Samians abandoned the island to its fate.
All of Chios was set ablaze and tens of thousands of Christians were massacred or enslaved.
Approximately three-quarters of the population of 120,000 were killed, enslaved or died of disease.
It is estimated that 2,000 people remained on the island after 21,000 managed to flee, 52,000 were enslaved and 52,000 massacred. Tens of thousands of survivors dispersed throughout Europe and became part of the Chioten Diaspora.
Some young Greeks enslaved during the massacre were adopted by wealthy Ottomans and converted to Islam. Some rose to levels of prominence in the Ottoman Empire, such as Georgios Stravelakis (later renamed Mustapha Khaznadar) and Ibrahim Edhem Pasha.
The events provoked outrage across Europe, sparking a new wave of philhellenism.
In June 1822, the Greeks heroically avenged themselves with the burning of the Turkish flagship by Konstantinos Kanaris, in which Kara Ali himself was fatally injured.
The Chios massacre was immortalised by Eugène Delacroix in his painting "Scène des massacres de Scio" ("Scenes from the Massacres of Chios") and by Victor Hugo in his poem "L’enfant".
The Coin:
On the Reverse of the €5 (Five Euro) Silver Proof-like Coin is engraved a detail inspired from Eugène Delacroix in his painting "Scène des massacres de Scio" ("Scenes from the Massacres of Chios").
The inscriptions are - "The 200th Anniversary of the Chios Massacre - 1822-2022" (in Greek) and the denomination of the coin - "5 EURO" (also in Greek).
The painting by Eugène Delacroix
The specification of the €5 (Five Euro) Silver Coin are:
Country of issue: Hellenic Republic of Greece; Date/Year: 2022; Coin Theme: "200 Years from the Chios Massacre"; Denomination/Face Value: €5 (Five Euro); Metal Composition: .333 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 17.00 grams; Diameter/Size: 31.00 mm; Coin Quality: Proof-like; Mint: Mint of Greece, on behalf of the Bank of Greece; Edge: Plain; Mintage: 5,000 pieces; Designer: G. Stamatopoulos - M. Antonatou; Packaging: Blister Pack.
2) Some ancient coins depicting Greek mythology & history
13) Ancient Greek Theatres, Greece: Hellenic Post has brought out a set of five stamps featuring the Ancient Theatres of Dodona, Nocopolis, Kassope, Amvrakia and Gitana (all in Epirus): Stamp issue date: 08.04.2020
14) "MYRTIS", Greece: A 5 Euro Silver Coin dedicated to an 11 year old girl who was a victim of the PLague of Athens (430-426 BC) issued by the Bank of Greece: Coin issue date: 25.02.2020
Santosh Khanna has commented:
ReplyDelete"A VERY interesting I and informative post."
Thank you so much for visiting the post, Khanna sahab.
Delete