How internal power struggles nearly destroyed the Greek fight for independence from Ottoman rule.
During the Greek War of Independence, regional factions turned against each other in a series of civil wars. Pitting mainland Roumeliotes and island shipowners against Peloponnesian notables, this infighting severely compromised military readiness just as an Egyptian intervention threatened to crush the nascent Greek state entirely.
The conflict originated from deep-seated regional divisions. By 1821, the Peloponnese had revolted against the Ottoman Empire, leading to the formation of local governing bodies like the Messenian Senate. As centralizing efforts grew, figures like Alexandros Mavrokordatos and the Hydriot shipowners clashed with military leaders, most notably Theodoros Kolokotronis. While the First National Assembly in 1821 attempted to establish a unified government, the Peloponnesian Senate remained a powerful, autonomous force that the central administration struggled to control.
Tensions boiled over in 1823 when the legislative body, dominated by Roumeliotes and islanders, dismissed the executive led by Petros Mavromichalis and Kolokotronis. This triggered the formation of a rival executive at Kranidi under Kountouriotis. Open warfare erupted in March 1824, leading to the siege of Tripolitsa. Although a temporary agreement briefly halted hostilities, the arrival of English loans and political maneuvering by figures like Ioannis Kolettis ensured the peace was fragile. The government sought total victory, viewing the Peloponnesian leaders as obstacles to central authority.
The final phase of the conflict saw the government deploy Roumeliote and Souliot forces to invade the Peloponnese in late 1824. By January 1825, Kolokotronis and other prominent leaders were arrested. The internal strife only concluded in May 1825, when the looming threat of Ibrahim Pasha’s Egyptian intervention forced the government to grant amnesty to the imprisoned leaders. This period of infighting left the nation fractured and vulnerable, illustrating the precarious nature of building a state while simultaneously fighting for its survival.
Source: Greek civil wars of 1823–1825
