Souli

Souli, 1836

Souli (Greek: Σούλι) is a municipality in Epirus, northwestern Greece. It became renowned in early 19th century for his inhabitants, the Souliotes an autonomous militant community who resisted against the Ali Pasha and participated in the Greek War of Independence. It was evacuated in 1803 after Souliotes were defeated. Various Greek authors and Western travellers (like Lord Byron of early 19th century wrote about Souli and Souliotes.

Quotes

• In northwestern Greece there is the village of Souli or Kakosouli, consisting of one big village, called Kakosouli, and of other smaller around, which are Kiafa, Navarikos, Samoniva, Tzagari, Koukouli, Paliochori, Aloupochori, Romanates and others. The area of these villages was inhabited by warrior Greeks [Γραικοί, in the text], who held a 18 years war against all Albania, which [Albania] was led by the tireless leader (Satrap) Ali Pasha from Tepelen, and finally they dispersed by a treaty to Corfu and other places, and now [Souli] is deserted. (Source: Papacharissis Athanasios, complete edition of the "Geography of Albania and Epirus" by Kosmas Thesprotos and Athanasios Psalidas. Epirotic Studies Society, 2nd edition, Ioannina 1964. p. 62. In Greek.)

• The Suliotes are villainous Romans & speak little Illyric. (Source: Lord Byron to John Hobhouse, Nov. 2, 1811, p. 55)

• "The Suliotes were not Greeks but Albanian Christians. They always used the Albanian language at home; but being borderers, all the men and many of the women could speak Greek. Most of the places at Suli and in the neighbourhood had two names, one Greek and the other Albanian." (William Martin Leake, Researches in Greece, σελ. 414: )