Battle of Vromopigada The Battle of Vromopigada was fought between the Ottoman Turks and the Maniots of Mani in 1770 . The location of the battle was in a plain between the two towns of Skoutari and Parasyros . The battle ended in a Greek victory . Prelude . Following the Venetian defeat to the Ottoman Empire in the Turkish - Venetian War ( 1714 - 1718 ) , the Peloponnese once again returned to Ottoman hands . However , the autonomous Mani , who had refused to accept Ottoman sovereignty in the first Ottoman occupation of the Peloponnese once again refused to accept Ottoman rule . The Maniots through an agent they had in Russia began conspiring with Catherine the Great and Count Aleksey Grigoryevich Orlov . In 1770 , terms were agreed and a Russian fleet sailed into the Aegean Sea and landing in Mani en rout destroying an Ottoman fleet at the Battle of Chesma . After initial success , the Orlov Revolt ended in failure . Arguments between Aleksey Grigoryevich Orlov , the Russia n leader and John the Canine , the Maniot leader led to the separation of the armies . John ' s army suffered a devastating defeat at Rizomilo in Messenia against the Ottoman army with only John surviving . Meanwhile , the Russian army having made no long term gains retreated . The Ottomans had , meanwhile , unleashed a horde of Turko - Albanians , on Greece . They pillaged their way through Attica before attacking the Peloponnese where they massacred Greek civilians . They launched several incursions into Mani but they were all beaten back with heavy casualties . This string of defeat aggravated the Ottoman Pasha in the Peloponnese , Hatzi Osman and he mustered an army of 16 , 000 men and invaded Mani . He was held back for twelve days at Kastania but after capturing the towers he advanced down the coast to Skoutari , where he was once again delayed by a tower . This tower was garrisoned by fifteen men who held back the Ottoman army for three days until the tower as undermined and blown up . Battle . Meanwhile , a Maniot force consisting of 3 , 000 men and 2 , 000 women under the command of Exarchos Grigorakis and his nephew Zanet Grigorakis had mustered in the hills above the town of Parasyros , which were known as Trikefali , and had fortified themselves . Hatzi , meanwhile , had advanced with his army to Agio Pigada ( a plain that lay between Parasyros and Skoutari ) and from there sent envoys demanding the surrender of the Maniots . However , the Maniots were hesitant in sending envoys back because if the answer was negative , Hatzi would have the envoys executed . Three old men , two priests and a layman volunteered and went to the Turkish camp . When they reached the camp , they went to the pasha and without bow they asked him what they wanted from the poor and free Maniots . The pasha demanded that the Maniots give " . . . ten captains ' children as hostages . All your guns and every year a poll tax for your head because you attacked against the Sultan with the Russians , our enemies " . The Maniot envoys replied : " We prefer to die than give you our guns and freedom . We don ' t pay taxes because our land is poor " . Hatzi , infuriated by their answer , had them decapitated and mutilated before planting their heads on stakes . When the Maniots saw the fate of their envoys they decided how to defeat the Ottomans . During the night , a force of 1 , 500 Maniots outflanked the Ottoman positions and approached from the Turkish rear . Meanwhile , the main Maniot force attacked the Ottomans as they slept . The Ottomans , surprised by this night attack started to flee but where cut off by the Maniots at their rear . The remaining Turks managed to retreat to Mystras .