Konstantinos Kanaris, also anglicised as Constantine Kanaris or Canaris (; c. 1790Αργολικη Αρχειακη Βιβλιοθηκη Ιστοριασ και Πολιτισμου (Argolis' File-Library of History and Civilisation).2 September 1877), was a Greek admiral, Prime Minister, and a hero of the Greek War of Independence.Woodhouse, p. 129.
Biography
Early life
Konstantinos Kanaris was born and grew up on the island of Psara, close to the island of Chios, in the Aegean.
The exact year of his birth is unknown.
Official records of the Hellenic Navy indicate 1795, however, modern Greek historians consider 1790 or 1793 to be more probable.Αργολικη Αρχειακη Βιβλιοθηκη Ιστοριασ και Πολιτισμου (Argolis' File-Library of History and Civilisation).
He was left an orphan at a young age.
Having to support himself, he chose to become a seaman like most members of his family since the beginning of the 18th century.
He was subsequently hired as a boy on the brig of his uncle Dimitris Bourekas.
Military career
Kanaris gained his fame during the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829).
Unlike most other prominent figures of the War, he had never been initiated into the Filiki Eteria (Society of Friends), which played a significant role in the uprising against the Ottoman Empire, primarily by secret recruitment of supporters against the Turkish rule.Αργολικη Αρχειακη Βιβλιοθηκη Ιστοριασ και Πολιτισμου (Argolis' File-Library of History and Civilisation).
By early 1821, the movement had gained enough support to launch a revolution.
This seems to have inspired Kanaris, who was in Odessa at the time.
He returned to the island of Psara in haste and was present when it joined the uprising on 10 April 1821.Αργολικη Αρχειακη Βιβλιοθηκη Ιστοριασ και Πολιτισμου (Argolis' File-Library of History and Civilisation).
The island formed its own fleet and the famed seamen of Psara, already known for their well-equipped ships and successful combats against sea pirates, proved to be highly effective in naval warfare.
Kanaris soon distinguished himself as a fire ship captain.Woodhouse, p. 138.
At Chios, on the moonless night of 6–7 June 1822, forces under his command destroyed the flagship of the Ottoman admiral Nasuhzade Ali Pasha in revenge for the Chios massacre.
The admiral was holding a Bayram celebration, allowing Kanaris and his men to position their fire ship without being noticed.
When the flagship's powder store caught fire, all men aboard were instantly killed.
The Turkish casualties comprised  men, both naval officers and common sailors, as well as Nasuhzade Ali Pasha himself.Αργολικη Αρχειακη Βιβλιοθηκη Ιστοριασ και Πολιτισμου (Argolis' File-Library of History and Civilisation).
Kanaris led another successful attack against the Ottoman fleet at Tenedos in November 1822.
He was famously said to have encouraged himself by murmuring "Konstantí, you are going to die" every time he was approaching a Turkish warship on the fire boat he was about to detonate.
The Ottoman fleet captured Psara on 21 June 1824.
A part of the population, including Kanaris, managed to flee the island, but those who didn't were either sold into slavery or slaughtered.
After the destruction of his home island, he continued to lead attacks against Turkish forces.
In August 1824, he engaged in naval combats in the Dodecanese.Αργολικη Αρχειακη Βιβλιοθηκη Ιστοριασ και Πολιτισμου (Argolis' File-Library of History and Civilisation).
The following year, Kanaris led the Greek raid on Alexandria, a daring attempt to destroy the Egyptian fleet with fire ships that might have been successful if the wind had not failed just after the Greek ships entered Alexandria harbour.Brewer, David The Greek War of Independence, London: Overlook Duckworth, 2011, page 244.
After the end of the War and the independence of Greece, Kanaris became an officer of the new Greek Navy, reaching the rank of admiral, and became a prominent politician.
Political career
Konstantinos Kanaris was one of the few with the personal confidence of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first Head of State of independent Greece.
After the assassination of Kapodistrias on 9 October 1831, he retired to the island of Syros.Woodhouse, p. 152.
During the reign of King Otto I, Kanaris served as Minister in various governments and then as Prime Minister in the provisional government (16 February30 March 1844).
He served a second term (15 October 184812 December 1849), and as Navy Minister in Alexandros Mavrokordatos' 1854 cabinet.
In 1862, he was among the rare War of Independence veterans who took part in the bloodless insurrection that deposed the increasingly unpopular King Otto I and led to the election of Prince William of Denmark as King George I of Greece.
During his reign, Kanaris served as a Prime Minister for a third term (6 March16 April 1864), fourth term (26 July 186426 February 1865) and fifth and last term (7 June2 September 1877).Αργολικη Αρχειακη Βιβλιοθηκη Ιστοριασ και Πολιτισμου (Argolis' File-Library of History and Civilisation).
Kanaris died on 2 September 1877 whilst still serving in office as Prime Minister.
Following his death his government remained in power until 14 September 1877 without agreeing on a replacement at its head.
He was buried in the First Cemetery of Athens, where most Greek prime ministers and celebrated figures are also buried.
After his death he was honoured as a national hero.
Family
In 1817, Konstantinos Kanaris married Despoina Maniatis, from a historical family of Psara.
They had seven children:
Nikolaos Kanaris (1818–1848), killed during a military expedition in Beirut
Themistoklis Kanaris (1819–1851), killed during a military expedition in Egypt
Thrasyvoulos Kanaris (1820–1898), admiral
Miltiadis Kanaris (1822–1901), admiral, member of the Greek Parliament for many years, Naval Minister three times in 1864, 1871, and 1878
Lykourgos Kanaris (1826–1865), naval officer and lawyer
Maria Kanaris (1828–1847), married A. Balabano
Aristeidis Kanaris (1831–1863), officer killed in the uprising of 1863
Wilhelm Canaris, a German Admiral, speculated that he might be a descendant of Konstantinos Kanaris.
An official genealogical family history that was researched in 1938 showed however, that he was of Italian descent and not related to the Kanaris family from Greece..
Honours
Greek honours
55px Order of the Redeemer (Kingdom of Greece): Grand Cross, 1864
Foreign honours
55px Royal Guelphic Order (Kingdom of Hanover): Grand Cross
55px Order of the Dannebrog (Kingdom of Denmark): Grand Cross
Eponyms
To honour Kanaris, the following ships of the Hellenic Navy have been named after him:History of HS Kanaris (F-464), including a list of the five ships of the Hellenic Navy named after Konstantinos Kanaris.
Kanaris, a patrol boat commissioned in 1835
Kanaris, a destroyer commissioned in 1880
, a Hunt-class destroyer commissioned in 1942
, a  commissioned in 1972
, an  commissioned in 2002
See also
Greek War of Independence
List of prime ministers of Greece
Kanaris family
History of Greece
First Cemetery of Athens
Greek ship Kanaris
References
Works cited
External links
A concise history of the Grand Lodge of Greece and the origins of the Philiki Etairia
Biography of Konstantinos Kanaris on Rulers.org
Statue of Konstantinos Kanaris on Chios island, Greece
Major figures of the Greek War of Independence
Modern Egypt under Mohammad Ali, Viceroy of Egypt
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