Philhellenes’ Archive

Auguste-Théodore Garnot, the first chief of the Corps of Engineers of the Army

Auguste-Théodore Garnot was a Lieutenant Colonel of the Corps of Engineers in France, creator and first commander of the Fortification and Architecture Corps (i.e. the Corps of Engineers) of the Greek Army in Greece. He…

Ludwig I, King of Bavaria, one of the greatest Philhellenes and benefactors of Greece

Biographies

Ludwig I of Bavaria (25 August 1786, Strasbourg - 29 February 1868, Nice), was King of Bavaria from 1825 until the revolutions of 1848 in the German states. Born at the Hôtel des Deux-Ponts in Strasbourg, he was the eldest…

Camille Alphonse Trézel, Chief and Inspector General of the Greek Army

Biographies

Camille Alphonse Trézel was a French General born in Paris on January 5, 1780. His father was Pierre Jean Baptiste Antoine Auguste Trézel and his mother was Magdeleine Victoire Payen. Trézel was the son of a merchant. However,…

Baron Friedrich von Rheineck, great German Officer and Philhellene

Biographies

Baron Friedrich Eduard von Rheineck was born on November 2, 1796 in Potsdam, Prussia. He took part in the Napoleonic Wars against Napoleon as an officer of the Prussian Cavalry. From the beginning of the Greek war…

Robert François, French Philhellene, dies heroically in the Acropolis

Biographies

François Robert is one of the most famous French philhellenes, who played an important role and showed exemplary heroism during the siege of the Acropolis, under the command of Charles Fabvier. François Robert originated…

Alexander Kolbe, German officer, one of the first Philhellenes of 1821

Biographies

Alexander Wilhelm Kolbe (? - 1860), was a German officer and Philhellene. Born in Berlin, he served as a sergeant in the Prussian Army during the Napoleonic Wars[1], against the French. He was distinguished for his bravery…

Nicolas-Joseph Maison, marshal, marquis, head of the Expeditionary Corps of Morea

Biographies

Nicolas-Joseph Maison was born in Epinay-Sur-Seine, France on December 19, 1771. He was Earl as of 1813 and Marquis as of 1818. His father was Joseph Maison and his mother Marie Genevieve Guiard. His wife was named Marie-Madeleine-Françoise…

Karl Wilhelm Freiherr von Heideck: Swiss - Bavarian Philhellene, officer and painter of the Greek War for Independence

Biographies

Karl Wilhelm Freiherr von Heideck, also known as Heidegger (not to be confused with the famous philosopher of the 20th century), is associated with the fate of the foundation of the new Greek state, with his dual military…

Marie Henri Daniel Gaulthier de Rigny: French Admiral, commander of the French fleet in Navarino

Biographies

Marie Henri Daniel Gaulthier de Rigny, better known in Greek history as Admiral de Rigny, was born on February 2, 1782 in the city of Toul in the region of Meurthe in France. His father, according to a French biography,…

Denys Bourbaki, French Philhellene of Greek descent

Biographies

According to French records, Constantine Denis Bourbaki was born in Cephalonia on August 1, 1787 and was later naturalized in France on November 9, 1818. The bibliography usually refers to him as a philhellene of Greek…

Jean Henri Pierre Auguste Pauzié-Banne, Founder of the Military Academy in Greece

Biographies

Jean Henri Pierre Auguste Pauzié-Banne, as his full name is, was an Artillery officer in France. He was a graduate of the Polytechnic School of Paris, who became later the commander of the Artillery Corps in Greece,…

Wilhelm Müller: A great German poet, the soul of the Philhellenic movement in Germany

Biographies

Ohne die Freiheit, was wärest du Hellas? Ohne dich, Hellas, was wäre die Welt? Without Freedom, what would you be Hellas? Without you, Hellas, what would the world be like? ("Hellas und die Welt", Wilhelm Müller:…

Paul Marie Bonaparte, the Philhellene nephew of M. Napoleon

Biographies

Paul Maria Bonaparte was born on 19 February 1809 in Canino, Italy and died on 7 September 1827 in Nafplio. He was a prince of the Bonaparte family, a nephew of Napoleon the Great. He was a Philhellene and took part in…

Hyacinthe De Lavillasse, French chieftain in Greece, Chief of Staff of Kolokotronis

Biographies

During the Greek struggle, many Philhellenes arrived in Greece and fought alongside the Greeks in many different roles and in many different contexts. However, some of them really wanted to understand the character of…

Edgar Allan Poe, a great American poet and Philhellene

Biographies

Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) is considered a central figure of the Romantic period in the United States and of American literature in general. Even people who never consciously choose to read literature have heard his…

Latest Posts

Conference: The French Scientific Mission of Morea today – Discovering the Peloponnese3 October 2025 - 6:31 pm
*Under the auspices of H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Konstantinos An. Tassoulas *In collaboration with the Hellenic Parliament Date: 10 October 2025 Hours: 09:00 – 19:00 Venue: Auditorium Theo Angelopoulos – French Institute in Greece – 31, Sina Str., Athens Free admission | Simultaneous translation | Live broadcast! The French Institute […]
27-28/9/2025 Celebration of the anniversary of the naval battle of Itea30 September 2025 - 6:33 pm
The SHP and the Philhellenism Museum participated in the celebrations for the 198th anniversary of the naval battle of Itea (Angali), which took place on 27 and 28/9/2025. This historic naval battle played a decisive role in the success of the Greek Revolution and paved the way for the liberation of Western Central Greece. […]