The Souliote War was an armed conflict between Ali Pasha of Ioannina and a coalition of Souliotes and their Muslim allies. The war lasted between February 1789 and April 1793 and was fought in the context of the Russo-Turkish War and local power struggles. The Souliotes achieved a defensive victory but failed to foment a big Christian insurrection as originally planned.
Background
With the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War in August 1787, Russian Empress Catherine the Great laid out her plans to incite revolts across Ottoman Greece. Proclamations calling the Greek clergy to lead a war of liberation against the Ottomans were printed in September 1787 and February 1788. In March, Admiral Samuel Greig and Major-General Ivan Zaborovsky were tasked with signing alliances and facilitating revolts among the Christian populations in Dalmatia, Albania and Greece. The Russian consulate in the Heptanese activated its network of sleeper agents who had originally been recruited before the Orlov revolt. Louitzis Sotiris and Himariot Panos Bitsilis begin recruiting soldiers in the area of Epirus, while Antonis Psaros and Lambros Katsonis built a small naval force in Italy. For the most part Russian plans did not materialize as the Baltic Fleet failed to reach the Mediterranean Sea. Without its assistance most of Russia's local allies refused to take part in the rising. In March 1788, Sotiris reached Preveza where he delivered Russian proclamations to the chieftains of the Souliotes. He recruited numerous persons to man Katsonis' fleet destined for the Aegean Sea. He also managed to convince the Souliotes to swear an oath of allegiance to Catherine in September in return for patents granting them military ranks in the Russian army. On 3 March 1790, the leaders of the greatest Souliote clans reconfirmed their oath in written form, promising to fight against the Muslims of Rumelia. In May 1788, Ali the newly appointed pasha of Ioannina received orders to head north to assist the Sublime Porte in its war against the Austrians. When Ali was informed by Lassalle, the French consul in Preveza, of the upcoming Souliote revolt, he launched a recruitment drive in Ioannina in order to defend the Pashalik of Yanina.
Conflict
Hostilities began in February 1789, when Ali Pasha's men attacked a group of Souliotes in Louro and stole their cattle. The Souliotes responded by launching an offensive from the Lakka village and killing any Muslim they encountered. Ali Pasha dispatched an army of 3,000 Turco-Albanians to pursue the Souliotes back into their mountain strongholds. Hoping to divide Ali's lands between themselves Ibrahim Pasha of Vlorë, Mustapha Pasha of Delvinë, ChamAghas and the Beys of Gjirokastër secretly aid the Souliotes and open a new front against him in Korçë. The Souliotes thus found themselves temporarily allied with their erstwhile enemies. In May, Ali Pasha receives a firman from the Ottoman sultan, supporting his war against Souli. Ali Pasha captures Souliote lands laying beyond mount Tomaros, however he offers them peace to focus his attention on their allies. Seeing that Russian aid has yet to arrive and the treaty will result in their appointment as armatoloi, the Souliotes sign the peace agreement in June. A small minority of Souliotes that were not included in the treaty continue their armed struggle, robbing and massacring civilians regardless of their religious affiliation as far as Makrynoros and Pindus. Ali Pasha defeats Mustapha Pasha and Ibrahim Pasha in a series of clashes that take place in the vicinity of Kastoria and Korçë that last throughout the summer. Admiral Gibbs who replaced Zaborovsky, scolds the Souliotes for abandoning the service of the Russian crown in an official letter. Confusion ensues after Sotiris, Bitsilis and the Souliotes exchange accusations of embezzling Russian funds. Realizing that the longevity of their peace with Ali Pasha depends entirely on the outcome of the Russo-Turkish War, the Souliotes dispatch two representatives to the Russian court in Saint Petersburg to clear their name. They are denied an audience in December 1789 but are granted admission in April 1790, receiving the empress' support. Ali Pasha buys or seizes lands surrounding the Souliote villages and chases bandits and rebellious armatoloi into Venetian held Parga. In May 1792, he gathers 10,000 to 20,000 troops in preparation of an offensive against the Beys of Gjirokastër. The Souliotes are also called upon to participate but only Lambros Tzavelas and 70 of his men turn up. Tzavelas is immediately imprisoned and Souli is revealed to be the real target of the campaign. Georgios Botsaris organizes the defense of the four Souliote villages, Lambros Tzavelas promises Ali the support of his clan but betrays him and joins the defenders. On 27 July 1792, the two sides face off at Kiafa, where Ali Pasha is defeated and forced to retreat to Ioannina and initiate peace talks. According to Christoforos Perraivos, the battle resulted in the death of 2,000 Turco-Albanians and 74 Souliotes, while 97 Souliotes were wounded. A Venetian chronicle puts Ottoman casualties to 600. Talks last until April 1793, when the final peace treaty is signed. The rights of the Souliotes are upheld and Ali Pasha pays them ransom for the prisoners of war they had taken at Kiafa. Fotos Tzavelas the son of Lambros Tzavelas was released from Ottoman captivity, but his clan is blamed for the war by the Souliotes and lost its former prestige.
