Greek War of Independence

On the 25th of March 1821, the Greeks’ fight for independence from the Turks began. After years of numerous battles, Greece was able to gain their independence in 1829, although it was not officially recognized by the world until 1833. Out of desperation, the Greeks called out for support from foreign nations. Many answered their call, and their independence would not have been achievable without the help of their allies, who were mainly the French, Russia, and Great Britain. The philhellenes, or Greece-loving people, in those countries would rally support for Greece. As a result, their revolution was a success. Greece’s independence would not have been attainable if not for the help of influential philhellenes, like Lord Byron and George Canning, in Great Britain.

Lord Byron, a 19th century Romantic poet, was one of the influential philhellenes in Great Britain. He had sparked the Briton’s interest in Greece through his book the Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, originally published in around 1813. It was a collection of poems from his journeys around the world, especially when he was in Greece, and it had been immensely popular among the Britons. He wrote about everything that occurred during his trips, even events from his nightlife. The Britons at the time were in love with the mythical and ancient times of Greece, where the gods would overlook all of Greece, and Lord Byron was the same. He had viewed Greece as “Earth’s heaven.” His poem stated,

“Fair Greece! sad relic of departed worth!

Immortal, though no more; though fallen, great!”

Many of the people who read Byron’s poems became infatuated with Greece, like Byron, because of Byron’s praises and sugarcoated depictions of Greece.

Byron later fell in love with the modern Greek...

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...nverted many Britons into philhellenes who would later fight for the Greek cause, like military officers Charles James Napier and Edward Balquire. Without the efforts of George Canning, the British government would not have agreed to help the Greek and would have remained a strict neutral party. Despite all the inhumane things the Turks committed, the British government refused to give to the Greeks because of the King’s proclamation. If Canning had not replied, the Greeks would not have started their revolution. Lord Byron and George Canning contributed greatly during the revolution and their efforts paid off, but they were not the only two philhellenes that had contributed. Britons, such as Colonel Gordon Thomas and Sir Richard Church, personally went to Greece and fought with them during the revolution. In the end, the Greeks were able to win their independence.