Demetrios Ypsilantis

Dimitrios Ypsilantis Δημήτριος Υψηλάντης
Born	1793 Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Died	16 August 1832 Nafplion, Greece
Allegiance	Russia Greece
Years of service	1814-1832
Commands held	Moldavia and eastern Greece
Battles/wars	Greek War of Independence Battle of Dervenakia Battle of Petra

Dimitrios Ypsilantis (1793 – January 3, 1832), (Greek: Δημήτριος Υψηλάντης), (Romanian: Dumitru Ipsilanti), also spelt Demetrius Ypsilanti, dragoman of the Ottoman Empire, served as an officer in the Russian Army in Moldavia, was appointed as the first Field Marshal in modern Greece by Ioannis Kapodistrias, a hero of the Greek War of Independence, and brother of Alexander Ypsilantis, the leader of Filiki Eteria.

Early life

A member of an important Phanariote family, he was the second son of Prince Constantine Ypsilantis of Moldavia. He was sent to France where he was educated at a French military school.

The Union of Moldavia and Wallachia

He distinguished himself as a Russian officer in the campaign of 1814. In 1821 there was a Greek rebellion under Demetrios Ypsilantis, in Moldavia, that indirectly benefited the Principalities (of Moldavia and Wallachia).^[1]

The Greek War of Independence

The flag of the Sacred Band.

A bust of Demetrius Ypsilantis in front of the Ypsilanti Water Tower in Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA.

In 1821 he went to the Morea, where the Greek War of Independence had just broken out. He was one of the most conspicuous of the Phanariote leaders during the early stages of the revolt, though he was much hampered by the local chiefs and by the civilian element headed by Prince Alexander Mavrocordatos, as a result the organisation of a regular army was slowed and operations were limited.^[2]

On 15 January 1822, he was elected president of the legislative assembly. However, due to the failure of his campaign in central Greece, and his failure to obtain a commanding position in the national convention of Astros, he was compelled to retire in 1823.

In 1828, he was appointed by Ioannis Kapodistrias as commander of the troops in eastern Greece. On 25 September 1829, he successfully compelled the Turkish commander Aslan Bey to capitulate at the Pass of Petra, thus ending the active operations of the war.

Romance

He was known for an affair with Manto Mavrogenous who was a Greek heroine of the Greek War of Independence.

Death

He died at Nafplion on August 16, 1832. The city of Ypsilanti, Michigan in the United States is named after him. A bust of Demetrios Ypsilanti stands between American and Greek flags at the base of the landmark Ypsilanti Water Tower.

See also

Alexander Ypsilantis (1725-1805) - grandfather
Constantine Ypsilantis - father
Alexander Ypsilantis (1792-1828) - brother

References

1. ^ East, The Union of Moldavia and Wallachia, 1859, p. 8.
2. ^ John S. Koliopoulos, Brigands with a Cause - Brigandage and Irredentism in Modern Greece 1821-1912, Clarendon Press Oxford (1987), p. 68.

Sources

• East, The Union of Moldavia and Wallachia, 1859 - An Episode in Diplomatic History, Thirlwall Prize Essay for 1927, Cambridge University Press (1929).

Persondata
Name	Ypsilantis, Demetrius
Alternative names
Short description	Greek politician
Date of birth	1793
Place of birth	Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Date of death	16 August 1832
Place of death	Nafplion, Greece