George Kastriotes

Who is George Kastriotes?

George Kastriotes or Kastoriotes was a high-rank officer of Hungro-Vlachia at the turn of 17th to 18th century, commissioner under voivoda John Constantin Basaraba. He was a Greek from the city of Kastoria, Macedonia. He is best known as benefactor of schools in Kastoria and Palestine. In 1708 he deposited about 13.000 ducats at the mint of Venice requesting the Greek community of Venice to pay the interest to the community of Kastoria for the support of a local school and teachers. In 1703 he sponsored the printing and publication in simple Greek of the “Orthodox dogmatic teaching” by Sebastos Trapezountios Kyminites. He was also a benefactor of the Orthodox schools in Palestine. He paid the wages of laymen and clergy for the instruction of Greek and Arabic in Palestine.