Dimitris Plapoutas

Who was Dimitris Plapoutas?

Dimitris Koliopoulos Plapoutas was a Greek general who fought during the Greek War of Independence against the rule of the Ottoman Empire.

He was born on in Paloumba, Arcadia, the son of Kollias Plapoutas, an Albanian Armatolos, being this the reason why Theodoros Kolokotronis referred to him simply as "Koliopoulos".

In 1811, he left Paloumba for the Ionian Islands where he became an officer in the British army. In 1818, he joined the Filiki Eteria, which was planning to liberate Greece from Ottoman control.

During the revolution, Dimitris Plapoutas took part in the Siege of Tripoli, the capture of the castle at Korinthos, the Battle of Valtetsi, the Battle of Maniaki and other battles.

After independence, in 1833, along with General Theodoros Kolokotronis and General Kitsos Tzavelas, Plapoutas supported Prince Otto of Bavaria as the King of Greece. However, later he opposed the Bavarian-dominated regency during his rule. He was charged with high treason and on June 7, 1834 he was imprisoned at the Palamidi along with Kolokotronis and sentenced to death. He was later pardoned in 1835. Plapoutas then became involved in Greek politics and served in Parliament and in the Senate.