Alexandros Mavrokordatos

Who was Alexandros Mavrokordatos?

Alexandros Mavrokordatos was a Greek statesman and member of the Mavrocordatos family of Phanariotes.

In 1812, he went to the court of his uncle Jean Georges Caradja, Hospodar of Wallachia, with whom he passed into exile in Austria and Italy, where he studied at the University of Padua. He was a member of the Filiki Eteria and was among the Phanariot Greeks who hastened to the Morea on the outbreak of the War of Independence in 1821. He was active in endeavouring to establish a regular government, and in January, 1822 he was elected by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus as the "President of the Executive".

He commanded the advance of the Greeks into western Central Greece the same year, and suffered a serious defeat at Peta on July 16, but retrieved this disaster somewhat by his successful resistance to the First Siege of Missolonghi.