Memoirs of the Ionian Islands ... including the life and character of Ali Pacha the present Ruler of Greece ... Translated from the Original inedited MS. by W. Walton

Front matter

MEMOIRS ON THE IONIAN ISLANDS, CONSIDERED IN A COMMERCIAL, POLITICAL, AND MILITARY, POINT OF VIEW; IN WHICH THEIR ADVANTAGES OF POSITION ARE DESCRIBED, AS WELL AS THEIR RELATIONS WITH THE CREEK CONTINENT: INCLUDING THE LIFE AND CHARACTER or ALI PACHA, THE PRESENT RULER OF GREECE; TOGETHER WITH A COMPARATIVE DISPLAY or THE ANCIEST ANfl MOBfcRS GEOGRAPHY OF THE EP1RUS, THESSALV, MOLEA. PART OP MACEDONIA; &C &C. B '■ GEN. GUILLAUME DE YAUDONCOL'RT. LATE OP THE ITALIAN SERVICE Translated from the. Original inndited MS Bv WILLIAM WALTON, Esq. LONDON: PRINTED FOR BALDWIN, CRADOCK, AND JOY 47, PATERNOSTER ROW; 3816. C. Baldwin, Printer, Vew Bridge-street, London. THE acquisition of a new country cannot fail ' to excite a degree of interest hrthe public mind, and a wish to be informed of the various aspects and relations under which it may be viewed.

In accepting the protection of the Ionian Islands, Great Britain has, besides, to provide for the civil welfare of a considerable and interesting portion of population, and the merchant may also look to an extension of trade. To promote these two objects, as well as to develope the political advantages to be de rived from an establishment at the head of the Mediterranean, as a means of better preserving the general equilibrium of Europe and guarda ing against rival projects, constitutes a leading feature in the present work. The country al luded to has already been partially described by others on the score of science, antiquities, and even mineralogy ; but it has not been con sidered in a political, commercial, or military point of view ; nor has its ancient geography hitherto been correctly delineated, from a want of knowledge of its present situation and divisions, Owing to the difficulty of access and the great changes therein lately experienced.

The position of the Ionian Islands will be found superior, in a variety of respects, to that of Malta ; and of these its contiguity and relations with ancient Greece is not one of the least interesting. It is impossible to preclude feelings of regard for our masters in the arts and sciences, or to be indifferent when we be hold the present situation of a people with whose former exploits we are familiar. This V great contrast can only result from the fide lity of the modern picture. In the present un dertaking the department of biography will also receive a valuable acquisition in the Memoirs of Ali Pacha, one of the most extraordinary men of his age, whose feats and elevation have already furnished subject to song and romance, but whose real life, character, and means of aggrandisement, were never before known from an authentic source.

Chapter I

Situation of the Ottoman Empire previous to the French Revolution. — Projects and Conduct of Russia and Austria. — The French Revolution has changed the Situation of the Ottoman Empire. — Position of Turkey from 1807 to 1812. — The Occupation of the Ionian Islands favourable to her 13

Chapter II

Governmental System of the Venetian Senate. — Effects of this System on the Ionian Islands. — Situation of these Islands from 1800 to 1812 49

Chapter III

Relations of the Ionian Islands with the neighbouring Continent when under the Venetians.— Obstacles opposed thereto by Ali Pacha. — Policy of the Venetians towards him. — Advantages they derived from the Towns of the Greek Continent.— Influence of these Towns on the Defence of the Ionian Islands. — Faults committed by Russia in ceding four of these Towns to Turkey CONTENTS. XII

Chapter IV

Page Relations of the Ionian Islands with the Continent after the Fall of the Republic of Venice.— Ali Pacha still restrains these Relations. — War with Russia enables him to render them nearly null.— France would have been able to re-establish them in 1807 93

Chapter V

Geographical Description of the States of Ali Pacha. — Origin of the Albanians. — Sandgiaks of Delvino and Avlona.— Berat and Avlona. — Chimara. — Delvino.— Philates.— Margariti. — Paramithia. — Souliots.— Argiro-Kastro.— Sandgiak of Joannina — Klissoura. — Premiti. — Zagoria.— Liapis.— Pachalics of Joannina and of Arta. — Sandgiaks of Ochrida and Kapudan-Papha. Monastir. — Kastoria. — Grevno. — Sarigol. — Servitza Sandgiak of Trikala. — Larissa. — Platamona. — Alassona. — Pharsalia. — Volo. — Zeitoun. — Modunish 107

Chapter VI

Description of Ali Pacha's Dominions continued. — Sandgiaks of Karli-lli and Lepanto. — Acarnania. — Sandgiak of Egribos. — Delphos. — Thebes. — Platea. — Athens. — Sandgiak of Morea. — Corinth.— Patras. — Gastuni. — Elis. — Olympia. — Tripolitza. — Argos. — Napoli di Romania. — Napoli di Malvasia. — Mistra. — Koron. — Arcad'a 160

Chapter VII

Origin of Ali Pacha.— Character of his Mother.— His Education.— First Events of his Life.— An extraordinary Occurrence places him in the Road to Fortune. CONTENTS. Page —He becomes Chief of Tepeleni. — Death of his Bro ther. — He becomes a Robber. — He obtains the Pro tection of Kourd Pacha, marries, and his Fortune commences. — Serves in the Army of the Grand Vizir; enters into Relations with Russia ; obtains the Pacha lic of Trikala ; seizes on Joannina ; becomes a Der vendgi-Pacha ; negotiates with France ; extends his Conquests ; enters into Correspondence with Buona parte ; breaks with France ; seizes on the Venetian Towns, and fails before Corfu ; is made Roumeli-Valachi ; his Exactions ; treats with France ; makes War on Russia ; sends an Agent to Napoleon ; fails in his Views at Tilsit ; and addresses himself to England 213

Chapter VIII

Character of Ali Pacha. — His cruel Policy. — His Qualities as a Head of Government. — His Administration. — His Affectation in appearing to patronise the Greeks. — His Divan. — Ministers.— Interior and external Police. — Palaces. — Revenue and Riches. — Military Establishment. — Population. — His Political Views on the Ionian Islands. — Character of his Children 257

Chapter IX

Interior Situation of the Dominions of Ali Pacha. — History of the Souliots. — The Chimariots. — Albanian Dress and Soldiers. — Manners and Character of the Albanians. — Tchinguenes, or Gipsies. — Albanian Language. — Climate Productions. — Commerce. — Character and Manners of tlie Epirots and Continental Greeks. — State of the Morea. — Character CONTENTS. Page and Manners of its Inhabitants. — Misfortunes this Country experienced in 1770. — Productions and Commerce 303

Chapter X

Roads from Bucintro to Berat and to Joannina — From Keracha, Parga, and Prevesa to Joannina. — From the latter to Berat and Grevna. — From the latter to Monastir. — From Berat to Kastoria. — From Grevna to Salonica. — From Joannina to Larissa, and thence to Grevna, Salonica, Volo, Zeitoun, and Thebes.— From Arta to Lepanto and Thebes. — From the latter to Corinth. — From Patras to Corinth, and Tripolitza. — From Patras to Tripolitza, through Kariteni. — From Patras to Mistra, Napoli di Malvasia, and Koron. — From the latter to Tripolitza and Patras, through Kariteni. — From Napoli di Romania to Corinth, and from Tripolitza to Corinth and Mistra. — Mode of Travelling 349

Chapter XI

Description of the Ionian Islands. — Corfu. Paxo. St. Maura. — Thiaki. — Cephalonia. — Zante. — Cerigo. — Observations on the Position of four of the above Islands 384

Chapter XII

Manners and Character of the Ionians.— Influence of the Political Vicissitudes which the Ionian Islands have experienced, on the Education of the Inhabitants as well as the Public Mind.— Commerce of Corfu and Cephalonia CONTENTS. XV

Chapter XIII

Page Military Sketch of the Frontiers of Turkey. — Recapitulation of the Political Views of the neighbouring Powers on that Country. — Plan of Operations which each one of them may follow. — Political and Military Probabilities in their Favour. — Means of Defence possessed by Turkey. — Outline of the Campaigns of the Romans against the Macedonians in Albania, the Epirus, and Thessaly. — Military Consequences which the Outline presents

INTRODUCTION.

. A SOLEMN Treaty has just acknowledged and guaranteed the independence of the Seven Islands, under the protection of Great Britain. Since the period when Europe beheld the tot tering edifice of Venetian power crumble into dust, this is the third time that a transaction, signed by the High Powers, secures to the Ionian Islands their liberty and a rank among the States of Europe. By a happy combination of circum stances, the French revolution, spreading like a torrent over Italy, whose entire dominations were thereby swallowed up, had carried even as far as Ionia the sparks which, afterwards, served to revive sentiments time had been unable to destroy in the hearts of the Greeks. Without bringing in its train the evils which an exaggeration of democratical ideas and the ignorance of the true principles of civil liberty have always entailed on the first steps of every nation aiming B at a liberal government, the revolution which placed the Ionian Islands under the control of France recalled to the inhabitants the name of their country, which the Venetians in vain had endeavoured to obliterate from their minds.

The very form of government which the French republic had introduced into conquered countries caused the interior administration to pass into the hands of native-born magistrates ; and the Ionian people reconquered their language and their religion, and heard their name pronounced in public acts. Abuses, undoubtedly, occurred in the exercise of power on the part of French superior agents, and the military burdens must have pressed heavily on a country, whose chief resources consist in the prosecution of a com merce which then no longer existed. Yet these passing evils were forgotten by the mass of the Ionian nation, just emerging from a hard and disgraceful slavery; and shortly, among the great majority of the citizens there remained no other than the sentiment of civil liberty they enjoyed and the regeneration of their country, so long lorded over by the decrepid lion of St. Marc.

It is difficult to say what would have been the fate of the Ionian Islands, without the catastrophe which snatched them from the power of France. The circumstance, however, may be

INTRODUCTION.

. 3 considered extremely fortunate, which united two rival powers, jealous of each other, to effect their conquest. If either of the two had alone been able to attempt the enterprise, their inde pendence was at an end : united to the domi nions of the conqueror, by new revolutions they might possibly have changed their master, but the idea of their political existence would have disappeared from the memory of man, and been blotted out from the diplomatic archives. Russia and Turkey, unwilling to consent reciprocally to cede to each other this interesting conquest, delivered up the Ionian Islands to themselves, reserving only the rights of a common protec tion. We shall, hereafter, have occasion to show what were the effects of this double protection, and the causes which, shortly afterwards, placed it in the hands of Russia alone.

The immediate consequence of this singular transaction, which gave rise to the creation of a republic by two of the most despotic states of Europe, whilst, at the same time, the French republic was erect ing a kingdom,* was to the advantage of the Ionian Islands. They were added to the cata logue of the States of Europe, their flag waved on the ocean, and their arms, composed of seven * This alludes to the creation of the kingdom of Etruria, in 1802.— Tr. B2 arrows bound together, announced that a new and united state existed in the Mediterranean. The result of the disastrous war waged by Prussia and Russia against the French empire, in 1 807, obliged the Seven Islands again to come under the dominion of the latter ; but the most important step towards their independence had already been taken, and it was, a second time, guaranteed to them, by a new treaty.

What ever, at that time, may have been the views of Napoleon on the Grecian continent ; whether it was, that he was contented, for the present, with having attained a most important object, in depriving the Russians of an establishment in the Mediterranean, for which they had long sighed, or whether he judged it necessary to temporize with the Ottoman Porte, whom the absolute possession of these islands would have too greatly alarmed, certain it is, he was satisfied with the title of protector, and it was on this footing that one of his deputies took possession. The events of 1814 gave rise to a new poli tical revolution in the affairs of Europe, the im mediate effect of which was the dismember ment of the empire of Napoleon ; and among the consequences thence resulting, was the se paration of the Ionian Islands from the influence of the French government. It was again,

INTRODUCTION.

. 5 at this period, a fortunate circumstance for these islands, that the naval forces of Great Britain were so near at hand. The weakness of the French government, and their distance from the general political interests of Europe, would have prevented France from promoting the welfare of so detached a state, even by giving it up ; and the Seven Islands might have been exposed to the danger of being delivered up to themselves, by the retreat of the French troops, and of, perhaps, falling under the power of the ambitious Ali Pacha, before they could receive succours from any of the European powers. Now, however, their destinies are secured, and their independence acknowledged and entered among the component parts of the European edifice. In guaranteeing to them a protection so essentially necessary in their political infancy, and in the state of relative weakness under which they stand with regard to their neigh bours, the foundations of their future prosperity and happiness have been laid.

An union of favourable circumstances, and a tendency uniform in itself, bear the Septinsulars on towards a total resurrection from that political death with which, for many ages, they had been struck. In the midst of the storms and revolutions which have destroyed or created a part of the States of Europe, and after wa/ ds shaken all, the above people have been led on, by a slow but continued progression, towards their independence and prosperity. This extraordinary phenomenon, though perhaps, in some measure, resulting from the progress of moral light and knowledge, which have extended their sphere throughout all Europe, must, ne* cessarily, attract the attention of the philanthropic observer, and excite a lively interest in an enlightened public. All classes of readers must naturally be actuated by a wish to know and contemplate a people who, impelled by a combination of fortuitous events into the career of liberty and independence, now find themselves in the direction of a nation capable of guiding and securing its steps, in the rank and course to which it has been called.

Such are the motives which have influenced and determined the publication of the present memoir. The contents are not only the fruit of the observations the Author has been able to make on the spot, during the period of an in teresting mission * he was called upon to fulfil, * At the commencement of 1807, the Author was en trusted with a political mission near the Beys of Erzego vina, the Pacha of Scutari, that of Berat, and particularly Vi. ir AU Pacha of Joannina. During the whole of tlie above ♦;

INTRODUCTION.

. but, also, constitute the result of a variety of authentic and inedited materials, furnished by persons in office, of which he has been able to obtain communication or copies; materials so much the more interesting, because they were purposely drawn up to describe the situation and promote the welfare of the people to whom they allude. It would, undoubtedly, be pos sible to publish something more complete ; it were vain pride to deny it ; but no one can take from the Author the merit of his inten tions, which are no other than to render his labours useful to the public. May the perusal of his work excite, in the hearts of his readers the same interest he himself feels for the de scendants of our masters in the arts and sci ences, and may it awaken feelings of regard towards a country where a wise, enlightened,' and protecting government will so easily find the means of combining its own personal ad vantages with the good of humanity, and the glory of founding and securing the prosperity of a people formed to appreciate so great a benefit. year, he resided in the states of Ali Pacha and at Corfu, and from that period has had frequent means of being fully acquainted with the affairs of that country.

In 1807, he also directed the operations of the siege of St. Maura and the de fence of Prevesa. — Tk. The memoir now offered to the public prin. cipally contains and displays six particular sub jects, which may be classed under the following heads, viz. — 1st. The general situation of Turkey in Eu rope, at the issue of the revolutions of the latter continent, together with the real advantages she ought to derive, with regard to her political existence, from the occupation of the Ionian Islands by Great Britain. 2d. The political state of the Ionian Islands under the Venetians ; the influence of the vicissitudes they have experienced on the public mind of the Septinsulars, and the existing ne cessity they are under of obtaining an enlight ened and protecting government, in order to direct and fix the course of their interior admi nistration. 3d. The relations of the Ionian Islands with the continent of Greece; the advantages France and Russia thence derived during their possession of these islands, and the means of extending and improving these relations. 4th.

The geographical and statistical descrip tion of the Seven Islands, and of the neigh bouring continent of Greece, in conformity to ancient and modern geography. The present situation of the Epirus and South Albania, under the famous Ali Pacha ; his history, and

INTRODUCTION.

. the manner in which he has formed his states ; his political position, and views on the Ionian Islands. 5th. A description of the manners, habits, and customs of the Septinsulars, and of the inhabitants of the neighbouring continent qf Greece. A sketch of the active and passive trade, and the land communications of Corfu with European Turkey, together with their application, as well to the commerce now carried on, as that which might still be called forth. 6th. The military situation of Turkey in Eu rope, with a view to the projects of invasion by her neighbours ; means of attack, and probabi lities of defence. In she construction of his work, the Author has by no means rigidly confined himself to the order and classification just pointed out. The course of events he has been obliged to follow, the connection of the direct bonds of one object with another among those he has treated, together with the accessary points he has had to present, as proofs or elucidations of his remarks, would otherwise have produced transitions more inconvenient to the reader than useful to his object.

The purport and result pf the thirteen chapters constituting this memoir, will present to the reader the aggregate of the points before laid down ; and the table of contents, by marking the place of each particular fact and object, will make up for the want of a more formal classification. The work is accompanied by a detailed map, comprising the Seven Islands, South Albania, part of Macedonia, the Epirus, Thessaly, Livi cla, and the Morea. This map has been con structed according to the observations of the Author on the spot, as well as in conformity to the memoirs and notes of Monsieur Pouqueville, French Consul at Joannina ; the researches of Monsieur Barbier Dubocage, aided by astro nomical observations, fixed courses, and au thentic itineraries; nor does the Author hesitate to pledge that his map is absolutely new, and filled with details which have not hitherto met the public eye.

As, however, in a publication of this nature, it is not possible to present a map sufficiently large to satisfy any other than the common purposes of reading, Mr. John Cary, of the Strand, is preparing for publication, in four sheets, the Author's original map of Ancient and Mo dern Greece ; embracing the United Ionian Is lands, the territories of Ali Pacha, and the Morea ; exhibiting their physical and political

INTRODUCTION.

. divisions, roads, the distances from town to town, principal villages, with their modern and ancient names, chains of hills, rivers, &c. which will completely fill up the void the public has so long had to lament on this interesting portion of the globe, and not only highly illustrate the present memoir, but also serve as a guide to all other, ancient as well as modern, works written on the subject.

Chapter I

Situation of the Ottoman Empire previous to the French Revolution. — Projects and Conduct of Russia and Austria. — The French Revolution has changed the Situation of the Ottoman Empire. — Position of Turkey from 1807 to 1812. — The Occupation of the Ionian Islands favourable to her. AMIDST the momentous revolutions which have, more or less, rent the various States of Europe, and broken down the political balance, one only has been able to preserve itself un touched, and remain a quiet spectator of the phases which have humbled or raised the others, tending to exhaust them all. Such has been the fortune of the Ottoman Empire. This ex position alone would suffice for the praises of its government, if so happy an exception had, or could have been, the result of a wise and en lightened conduct in times of danger and difficulty.

It is, however, no other than the con sequence of the inertness of a colossal power, which has no other weight in the political balance than that of its physical mass, rendered j.,. -jlll, IONIAN ISLANDS. [cHAP. I. foreign to the interests of its neighbours, and to all combined and regular relations therewith, by national ignorance aud a diversity of reli. gion. Turkey has thus been able to keep aloof from the vortex and point of contact with the other contending nations. The only reasaoabjjj consequence to be drawn from this singular phe m. motion is, that the existence and result of the revolutions of Europe have served to prolong the duration of an enervated empire, and which, similar to those ancient monuments origiually placed on solid foundations, still sustains itself on pilasters half mouldered away through the lapse of time.

Turkey may, consequently, now repot>c trio* quil within the limitsassigned to her by the last peace, * which has only deprived her of a dis* • By tht* peace, signed between Russia and Turkey, id 1812, the first? obtained possession of Besswnbiaj asfbrfll Pmth, and do the Danube. Tho strong places of Kilis ami Ismail also fell into her power. By the possession of Kilia, the Russians became masters of the mouths of tk Danube, and they are enabled tu prevent the commerce of the Black Sea, earned on by the above river. JVin; already in possession of' the Ciimea, and of tile port of Odt ..», they were in no want of that ol Kilia for ooifl(B«' cial purposes; but the interruption of the trade pf the Black Sea, by she Danube, will become extremely injurious to Auv ti-ia, Hungary, and the interior provinces of Turkey, such as Bosnia and Smiu.

This is what the author ltd s intended lotoiaiy. Tit. CHAP .1.] THE IONIAN ISLANDS. 15 trict of small extent, more useful to the other nations of Europe than it was to herself, or than it will be to the Russian government. The ami bition of Russia and Austria has been awakened by other aliments, whicb draw the attention of these governments towards the west and south. Poland, Germany, and Italy present too vast a field open to systematic conceptions and hostile encroachments, not to absorb, for a long period of time, the thoughts of the chiefs forming the continental league. The power which, in the west of Europe, constituted a counterpoise useful to the preservation of Turkey, and still more so to stop the ambitious projects of Russia, has now become the object of a constraint extend ing from the east to the west of our continent ; and this movement, contrary to that which might have been observed for more than twenty years past, removes still further from Turkey (the idea of all continental danger.

Few years previous to the French revolution, the situation of the Ottoman Empire was quite different, and nothing more has frequently been wanting to its total destruction than the union and concert of the two neighbouring powers. The decline of the French monarchy, the first symptoms of which had appeared in the dis astrous war of 1756, had taken from the Court of Versailles the greatest part of its influence, in. lg THE IONIAN ISLANDS. [CHA1». s. the affairs oftlie east of Europe. The efforts expended by France on the ruinous war of America, and the weakness and frequent revo. Jutions of her ministries, entirely deprived her of the action and credit which her position :iwl real forces apparently had assigned to her in the political scale of Europe. The partition of 1\> land was effected without any opposition beitqj attempted on her side, nor did she obtain oc require a compensation due to her for the main tenauce of the general equilibrium.

This bar- Her, which separated Austria front Russia, ami, as it were, divided the latter from the rest of the continent, being once overturned, these two empires found themselves in immediate contact. Both governed by sovereigns of superior merit, and of equal ambition, notwithstanding the one disguised his views under the cloak of glory, and the other of philanthropy, it became ne cessary for them mutually to contend, aud at tempt the destruction of each other, or else seek in another quarter a suitable field to satisfy theii prevailing passions. The first alternative was too dangerous. Prussia, under the wise and glorious reign of the great Frederic, had ac quired a real force, which gave to her an influ ence, still more increased by her vicinity ; on whatever side she turned, she was sufficient to lower the scale.

France could not be opposed to her ; the government of the latter already began to slide towards the precipice which a bad administration and numerous abuses had prepared, and where it soon afterwards found its tremendous destruction. Obliged, therefore, to respect each other mutually, the two empires, as if by one accord, directed their attention to wards Turkey. Their first measures were not concerted, but they met in their political at tempts, or sometimes guessed each others views, in which case policy obliged them to assume an apparent union, less to aid than to have a plau sible pretext of thwarting each others ends. It was thus that the united attack of two powerful and well-governed empires against a tottering and debilitated empire was seen to produce no thing but the capture of Oczakow and Belgrade, soon afterwards followed by an extraordinary peace.

Notwithstanding this rivality, marked by an apparent harmony, which at that time saved Turkey from the inevitable misfortune of falling a prey to the united efforts of her neighbours, she nevertheless had dangers to run, so much the greater, because the means by which they were excited were the more hidden. Each of the two neighbouring sovereigns secretly la boured to dismount the springs of the interior government of the Ottoman empire, to prepare e its Christian subjects for a general insurrection, and to combine all the means of being able to execute alone, by means of a sudden irruption, what one neither could nor wished to do in concert with his rival. We will take a rapid glance at the means which each respectively employed. This examination is so much the more useful, because the elements of which they then availed themselves still exist, the tendency of seeling is the same, and by the same circumstances can again be called forth.

An inedited Memoir, presented to the French government in the month of May, 1783, attributed to Monsieur Lafitte Clave, furnishes inte resting details respecting the situation of Turkey at that period, corresponding to that already pointed out as being the most dangerous to the Ottoman empire, and arising out of a want of cre dit sufficiently strong on the part of France in the affairs of the east of Europe*, so as to enable her to take an active part therein. We shall here insert an extract from this Memoir, interesting in many respects, and particularly containing facts very little known. " The projects of the Emperor and the Czarine," says the Memoir, " are now no longer one of those events which the most profound policy can alone foresee ; these two powers no longer dread the discovery of their hopes ; they do not cease to raise up new subjects of discus sion, and their projects of usurpation are sus tained by formidable preparations.

The Turks themselves see the danger by which they are threatened ; their terrors are as blind as was formerly their confidence in the days of success ; and, under a state of absolute depression, they know not the resources which are still left them. The ministers seek to delay a rupture, whose consequences make them tremble ; they rather wish to grant all, than to run the risks inseparable from a refusal, and by their inexhaustible weakness do nothing more than encourage their enemies to new demands. Anarchy, which always walks by the side of despotism, has spread complete desolation throughout all the provinces of the empire: the treasures of the sovereign have been exhausted in the last war, and his unlimited authority de prives him of all the resources which credit offers to princes faithful in complying with their engagements.