page_title: Markos Botsaris
section_title: Greek War of Independence
hierarchical_section_title: Markos Botsaris / Greek War of Independence
context_page_description: Markos Botsaris was a Greek general and hero of the Greek War of Independence and captain of the Souliotes. Botsaris is among the most revered national heroes in Greece.
context_section_description: In 1821, Botsaris took part in the revolution against the Ottoman Empire. He and other Souliot captains, including Kitsos Tzavelas, Notis Botsaris, Lampros Veikos, and Giotis Danglis only enlisted fellow Souliot kin into their bands.  At the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence, he distinguished himself by his courage, tenacity and skill as a partisan leader in the fighting in western Greece, and was conspicuous in the defence of Missolonghi during the first siege of the city (1822–1823).
  Recognizing his bravety and strategy, the Greek Govermment made him General of Western Greece. This act though angered the rest unranked Greek chieftains so Botsaris tear his millitary diploma apart in order to show them that he didn't care about ranks but only for the greater good of his country. 
  On the night of 21 August 1823 he led the celebrated attack on Karpenisi by 350 Souliotes, against around 4,000 Albanian troops who formed the vanguard of the army with which Mustafa Pasha, the Pasha of Shkoder (modern northern Albania) and advanced to reinforce the besiegers. Botsaris' men ambushed the enemy camp and inflicted serious casualties, but Botsaris was shot in the head and killed.
  Botsaris was buried with full honors in Missolonghi. After the Ottomans captured the city, in 1826, his grave was desecrated by Ottoman Albanian groups.
caption: Botsaris surprises the Turkish camp and falls fatally wounded by Eugène Delacroix
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