Third Siege of Missolonghi The Third Siege of Missolonghi ( , often erroneously referred to as the Second Siege ) was fought in the Greek War of Independence , between the Ottoman Empire and the Greek rebels , from 15 April 1825 to 10 April 1826 . The Ottomans had already tried and failed to capture the city in 1822 and 1823 , but returned in 1825 with a stronger force of infantry and a stronger navy supporting the infantry . The Greeks held out for almost a year before they attempted a mass breakout , which however resulted in a disaster , with the larger part of the Greeks slain . Prelude . Missolonghi was first besieged by the Ottomans in 1822 , then in 1823 . In April 1824 , Lord Byron died of an illness , adding to the fame of the city . Siege . In spring 1825 , the Ottomans came to besiege the Greeks again . The commander of the Ottomans , Reşid Mehmed Pasha was joined early 1826 by Ibrahim Pasha who crossed the Gulf of Corinth . During the early part of 1826 , Ibrahim had more artillery and supply brought in . However , his men were unable to storm the walls . The High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands , Sir Frederick Adam , tried to make both forces sign a treaty , but his efforts were unsuccessful . The Greek Admiral Andreas Miaoulis kept breaking through the Ottoman naval blockade and bringing in supplies . However , when the Ottomans captured the fortress island of Anatolikon , Miaoulis was not able to bring in supplies . Sortie . The situation soon became desperate for the defenders . After around a year of holding out the leaders of the Greeks , Notis Botsaris , Kitsos Tzavelas and Makris made a plan to escape the city . When all food supplies had run out and there was no hope of relief , the besieged Greeks decided that some of the menfolk of fighting age should burst out of the gates and attempt to lead the women and children to safety , while the rest would remain to defend the town to the death . Georgios Karaiskakis would attack the Turks from the rear and create a diversion while the besieged Greeks would escape the city . Of the 9 , 000 inhabitants only 7 , 000 were strong enough to take part . The Turks had been made aware of the escape plan . When the refugees charged out of the city gates they were fired upon by Turks and Egyptians from defensive positions . Many of the Greeks panicked and fled inside the walls . Of the 7 , 000 people that tried to escape only 1 , 000 made it to safety . The next morning Palm Sunday the Turks entered the city . Many of the Greeks killed themselves by blowing themselves up with gunpowder rather than surrender . The rest were slaughtered or sold into slavery . The Turks displayed 3 , 000 severed heads off the walls . Aftermath . Though a military disaster , the siege and its aftermath proved a victory for the Greek cause , and the Ottomans paid dearly for their harsh treatment of Missolonghi . After this incident , many people from Western Europe felt increased sympathy for the Greek cause , as manifested for example in the famous Delacroix painting " Greece Expiring on the Ruins of Missolonghi " ( 1827 ) . The siege of Missolonghi also inspired Gioacchino Rossini ' s opera " Le siège de Corinthe " . This public sympathy for the Greeks had a significant influence on the eventual decision of Britain , France and Russia to intervene militarily in the Battle of Navarino and secure Greece ' s independence - with the result that , among other things , within four years Missolonghi fell into Greek hands again . The unfinished poem " The Free Besieged " by Dionysios Solomos is dedicated to the siege . Victor Hugo ’ s poem ‘ ’ Les Têtes du sérail ’ ’ from his ‘ ’ Les Orientales ’ ’ ( 1829 ) celebrates the Greek heroes of the siege . The siege is referenced in the ALPHA 60 song " Ruins of Missolonghi " .