Filiki Eteria: Encyclopedia II - Filiki Eteria - The beginnings

Filiki Eteria - The beginnings

In the context of ardent desire for independence of Turkish occupation and with the explicit influence of secret societies from Europe, three Greeks met one another in 1814 in Odessa and decided the constitution of a strictly secret organisation which would prepare the revolution of all Greeks. These men were 42-years old Nikolaos Skoufas from Arta province, 42-years old Emmanuel Ksanthos from Patmos and 26-years old Athanasios Tsakalov from Epirus. Skoufas had already particular contacts with Konstantinos Rados who was initiated into Carbonarism. Ksanthos was initianted in a Free-Masonic Lodge of Lefkada (Society of Free Builders, of St. Mavra), while Tsakalov was a founding member of the "Greek-speaking Hotel", (Ελληνόγλωσσο Ξενοδοχείο or Ellinoglwsso Xenodoxeio) a former but not successful society for the liberation of Greece.

The growth of the Friendly Society is impressive. At the beginning during the 1814-1816 period, there were roughly twenty members. During 1817, the Society developed mainly between the Greeks of Russia and of Moldowallachia (Moldavia and Wallachia), but once again its membership does not exceed thirty. They started doing massive initiations in 1818. In 1820 the Society expanded in almost all regions of Greece and most Greek communities abroad. By the first months of 1821, the membership numbered around one thousand and the Society had exceeded her own limits. Among her members there were tradesmen, clergy, executives of Ottoman Empire from Fanari, chieftains as Theodoros Kolokotronis, Odysseas Androutsos, the metropolite of Old Patrases German and more.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The beginnings", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki