Nikolaos Petimezas Explained

Honorific Prefix:Lieutenant General
Nikolaos Petmezas
Native Name:Νικόλαος Πετ[ι]μεζάς
Birth Place:Soudena, Morea Eyalet, Ottoman Empire (now Greece)
Allegiance:
First Hellenic Republic
Kingdom of Greece
Branch: British Army
Rank:Lieutenant General
Unit:1st Regiment Greek Light Infantry
Battles:
Awards: Commander of the Order of the Redeemer
Relations:Athanasios Petimezas (father)
Vasileios Petimezas (brother)

Nikolaos Petimezas or Petmezas (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Νικόλαος Πετ[ι]μεζάς, 1790–1865) was a Greek revolutionary leader during the Greek War of Independence, politician and officer of the Hellenic Gendarmerie.

Life

Nikolaos Petimezas hailed from the important clan of the Petimezas or Petmezas from the village of Soudena, near Kalavryta. He was born in 1790 as the son of Athanasios Petimezas.

After his father was murdered in 1804 he fled to British-held Zakynthos, and enrolled in the British-sponsored Greek light infantry units there, along with his brother Vasileios.

He returned to the Peloponnese at the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence, and fought in several battles at Kalavryta, Levidi, Corinth, Argos, and Akrata. In 1826, with 600 men, he and his brother occupied Mega Spilaio and drove back the attacks of Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt. He then fought in Attica under Georgios Karaiskakis against Reşid Mehmed Pasha. He reached the rank of lieutenant general.

He died in Kalavryta in 1865.