Georgios Fountoulis
Georgios Fountoulis | |
|---|---|
 Picture of Georgios Fountoulis "Psaras", taken in 1928. | |
| Native name | Γιώργος Φουντούλης |
| Born | 1872 Karavostamo, Ikaria |
| Died | Winter, 1942 Karavostamo, Ikaria |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Greece, Free State of Ikaria |
| Service/ | Hellenic Army |
| Years of service | 1896-1887 |
| Rank | Soldier |
| Unit | 4th Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Velestino |
Georgios Fountoulis was a hero of the Ikarian Revolution and the man in charge of the Ikarian armed forces during.
"Psaras" was born in Karavostamo, in 1872. He learnt building, carpentry and architecture from a young age.He left Ikaria at the age of 24 and went to Crete as a volunteer in the uprising at the end of 1896. At that time, the Greek Government was preventing the movement of volunteers from Greece to Crete. The following year, on April 25, 1897, he enlisted as a volunteer in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, in the 4th Cavalry Regiment. He was discharged on September 28 of the same year.
When he returned, he became wanted by Ottoman authorities for fervent "anti-Ottoman" activities.The Ottomans sentenced him to death for these actions, but he was pardoned due to his architectural talents, allowing him to continue his work.
A day before the revolution initiated, on July 16th 1912, Ioannis Malachias, the leader of the revolution, as well as the revolutionary committee, visited him at his home in Fountoulato and assigned him the command of all the military forces of the island be,cause he was the only man in Ikaria who had some military experience.
He led the forces at Chrysostomos and at the siege on the administrative building at Agios Kirykos, the one he was pardoned for when he agreed to designed it. The siege ended bloodless after the Ottomans ran out of ammunition and were low on food.
After the success of the revolution, Fountoulis handed over the command of the armed forces to Evangelos Koukoudeas and served under his orders, as deputy commander of the Ikarian guard.
Fountoulis went on to build 11 more buildings and amenities for the Ikarian public. He died in the winter of 1942 in Italian occupation. During the occupation, he quote, "could not bear to see his fellow villagers dying of hunger and the Italian occupiers taking the people's oil from the oil press."
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