Antonio Figueira d’Almeida: Portuguese soldier and Philhellene, leader of the Greek Cavalry

 

 

Antonio Figueira d’Almeida (1784-1847), was a Portuguese officer and Philhellene, one of the organizers of the Greek Cavalry^[1], of which he was also the leader.

He was born in the Portuguese city of Elvas. From 1807 to 1813, he served as an officer in the Portuguese Cavalry and later as an officer in the Lusitanian Legion and the Royal Volunteer Battalion of the Anglo-Portuguese Army under British General Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington^[2]. During this period, he fought against the French, who had invaded Spain and Portugal during the Napoleonic Wars. In fact, he was particularly prominent in the battles of Bussaco^[3] and Toulouse^[4], which took place in September 1810 and April 1814.

In the late 1810s and early 1820s, Almeida began to develop his Philhellenic interests^[5]. It is worth noting that there was no significant movement of Philhellenism organized in Portugal. This was in contrast to case of Great Britain, the German states, France and the Italian states. Almeida’s intense interest in the Greek Revolution led him to go to Greece in September 1825 and to enlist in the Regular Army. At that time, the command of the Regular Army was taken over by another important Philhellene, the French officer Charles Fabvier (1783-1855)^[6].

Almeida was offered the rank of Colonel in Greece. On July 18, 1826, he took part in the victorious for the Greeks, battle of Gareas Mantineias. There he distinguished himself as commander of the Cavalry of the Regular Army. In fact, due to his action, he received the praise of Theodoros Kolokotronis, who suggested the use of the Cavalry in other services^[7]. However, due to the difficult situation that prevailed in Greece at that time, the Cavalry eventually remained an integral part of the Regular Army^[8].

In January 1827, Almeida also took part in the Battle of Distomo^[9], in which the Greek forces again won. After this battle, he was transferred to Nafplio and then he took part in the campaign of Chios, always under the command of Fabvier, in January 1828^[10].

After the failure of the campaign in Chios, and the arrival of Ioannis Kapodistrias in Greece, Almeida was appointed inspector of the Cavalry, in charge of the task of reorganizing it. Then, on January 22, 1830, he was appointed military commander of Nafplio^[11].  From this position, he contributed in September 1831, to the arrest of Georgios Mavromichalis (one of the murderers of Kapodistrias), who had taken refuge in the house of the French ambassador Rouen, and to the maintenance of order in the population of Nafplio^[12].

In 1832, due to his action during the Liberation Struggle, he was offered the title of Honorary Citizen of Nafplio and the 5th National assembly gave him the Greek citizenship^[13]. When King Othon came to Greece in January 1833, Almeida was appointed military commander at Aegina^[14].

In 1836, Almeida served with the rank of Colonel as military commander of Messolonghi. His important contribution during the Greek Revolution was recognized. Likewise his work in Messolonghi. In fact, in this context he helped to suppress the local uprising, which took place in early 1836. For these reasons, he was promoted to major general, and in 1839 he was appointed military commander of Nafplio^[15].

In Nafplio he married the sister of Alexandros Mavrokordatos, Zoe Mavrokordatos, with whom he had 2 children^[16]. Emmanuel Almeida and Dimitrios Almeida. The son of the latter, was Antonios Almeida the youngest, one of the founders of the Athens Tennis Club in 1895. Antonios Almeida fell heroically in the battle of Kilkis – Lahana on June 20, 1913^[17], continuing the glorious history of his family and its contribution to Greece.

Antonio Figueira d’Almeida, died in 1847 in Batalia, Venice^[18].

Almeida was an important Philhellene, with a useful and multifaceted contribution to Greece and the common values ​​on which Europe is based. Almeida became a Greek citizen and his family participated in all the liberation struggles in Greece. SHP and Greece honour this great Philhellene and his memory connects Greece with the friendly people of Portugal.

 

References

^[1] Βυζάντιος, Χρήστος Σ., “Ιστορία των κατά την Ελληνικήν Επανάστασιν εκστρατειών και μαχών και των μετά ταύτα συμβάντων, ων συμμέτεσχεν ο Τακτικός Στρατός από του 1821 μέχρι του 1833”, εκδ. Κ. Αντωνιάδη, Αθήνα, 1874.
^[2] Chartrand, Rene, Younghusband, Bill, “The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars”, εκδ. Osprey, Λονδίνο, 2000.
^[3] Muir, Rory, “Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon”, εκδ. Yale University Press, New Haven, 2008.
^[4] Fortescue, John William, “History of the British Army: 1814–1815”, εκδ. MacΜillan, Λονδίνο, 1920.
^[5] “Ιστορικόν Αρχείον Αλεξάνδρου Μαυροκορδάτου”, επιμ. Εμμ. Πρωτοψάλτης, Γενικά Αρχεία του Κράτους, Αθήνα, τόμος 3.
^[6] Βυζάντιος, Χρήστος Σ., “Ιστορία των κατά την Ελληνικήν Επανάστασιν εκστρατειών και μαχών και των μετά ταύτα συμβάντων, ων συμμέτεσχεν ο Τακτικός Στρατός από του 1821 μέχρι του 1833”, εκδ. Κ. Αντωνιάδη, Αθήνα, 1874.
^[7] Βλ. στο ίδιο.
^[8] Γενικό Επιτελείο Στρατού, “Ιστορία Ιππικού – Τεθωρακισμένων”, εκδ. Τυπογραφείο Ελληνικού Στρατού, Αθήνα, 1995.
^[9] “Αρχείον στρατηγού Γεωργίου Καραϊσκάκη (1826-1827)”, εκδ. Δημιουργία, Αθήνα, 1996.
^[10] Σπηλιάδης, Νικόλαος, “Απομνημονεύματα δια να χρησιμεύσωσι εις την νέαν ελληνικήν ιστορίαν 1821-1843”,  εκδ . Χ. Νικολαΐδου – Φιλαδελφέως, Αθήνα, 1857, γ’ τόμος.
^[11] “Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Πάπυρος – Larousse –Britannica”, εκδ. Δομή, Αθήνα, 1999, 5^ος τόμος.
^[12]  Λούκος, Χρήστος, ‘’Ιωάννης Καποδίστριας’’, εκδ. εφ. ‘’Τα Νέα’’, Αθήνα, 2009, σελ. 109.
^[13] “Τα αρχεία της Ελληνικής Παλιγγενεσίας”, εκδ. Βουλή των Ελλήνων, Αθήνα, 1974, 5^ος τόμος.
^[14] “Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Πάπυρος – Larousse – Britannica”, εκδ. Δομή, Αθήνα, 1999, 5^ος τόμος.
^[15]  Βλ. στο ίδιο.
^[16]  Βλ. στο ίδιο.
^[17]  Σκιαδάς, Ελευθέριος, “100 χρόνια Όμιλος Αντισφαίρισης Αθηνών 1895-1995”, εκδ. Μικρός Ρωμηός, Αθήνα, 1995.
^[18] “Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Πάπυρος – Larousse –Britannica”, εκδ. Δομή, Αθήνα, 1999, 5^ος τόμος.

 

Bibliography – Sources

• Βυζάντιος, Χρήστος Σ., ‘’Ιστορία των κατά την Ελληνικήν Επανάστασιν εκστρατειών και μαχών και των μετά ταύτα συμβάντων, ων συμμέτεσχεν ο Τακτικός Στρατός από του 1821 μέχρι του 1833’’, εκδ. Κ. Αντωνιάδη, Αθήνα, 1874.
• Chartrand, Rene, Younghusband, Bill, ‘’The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars’’, εκδ. Osprey, Λονδίνο, 2000.
• Muir, Rory, ‘’Tactics and the Experience of Battle in the Age of Napoleon’’, εκδ. Yale University Press, New Haven, 2008.
• Fortescue, John William, ‘’History of the British Army: 1814–1815’’, εκδ. MacΜillan, Λονδίνο, 1920.
• ‘’Ιστορικόν Αρχείον Αλεξάνδρου Μαυροκορδάτου’’, επιμ. Εμμ. Πρωτοψάλτης, Γενικά Αρχεία του Κράτους, Αθήνα, τόμος 3.
• Σπηλιάδης, Νικόλαος, ‘’Απομνημονεύματα δια να χρησιμεύσωσι εις την νέαν ελληνικήν ιστορίαν 1821-1843’’, εκδ . Χ. Νικολαϊδου – Φιλαδελφέως, Αθήνα, 1857, γ’ τόμος.
• ‘’Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Πάπυρος – Larousse – Britannica’’, εκδ. Δομή, Αθήνα, 1999, 5^ος τόμος.
• ‘’Τα αρχεία της Ελληνικής Παλιγγενεσίας’’, εκδ. Βουλή των Ελλήνων, Αθήνα, 1974, 5^ος τόμος.
• Σκιαδάς, Ελευθέριος, ‘’100 χρόνια Όμιλος Αντισφαίρισης Αθηνών 1895-1995’’, εκδ. Μικρός Ρωμηός, Αθήνα, 1995.
• Τρικούπης, Σπυρίδων, ‘’Ιστορία της Ελληνικής Επαναστάσεως’’, εκδ. Βουλή των Ελλήνων, Αθήνα, 2007, δ’ τόμος.
• Γενικό Επιτελείο Στρατού, ‘’Ιστορία Ιππικού- Τεθωρακισμένων’’, εκδ. Τυπογραφείο Ελληνικού Στρατού, Αθήνα, 1995.
• “Αρχείον στρατηγού Γεωργίου Καραϊσκάκη (1826-1827)”, εκδ. Δημιουργία, Αθήνα, 1996.
• Λούκος, Χρήστος, ‘’Ιωάννης Καποδίστριας’’, εκδ. εφ. ‘’Τα Νέα’’, Αθήνα, 2009