The House of Levidis () is a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
aristocratic family with roots from the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
, hailing from
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
and with a distinguished role in the history of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
, the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
,
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...
,
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
and
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
.
History
From as early as the 17th century, members of the family, which had acquired great wealth and political influence, occupied high posts in the Ottoman Empire, as dignitaries in the Imperial Court (
the Sublime Porte). They also held important secular offices of the
Patriarchate
Patriarchate (, ; , ''patriarcheîon'') is an ecclesiological term in Christianity, referring to the office and jurisdiction of a patriarch.
According to Christian tradition, three patriarchates—Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria—were establi ...
until the outbreak of the
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...
. During the latter, various members of the family took active part as members of the ''
Filiki Eteria
Filiki Eteria () or Society of Friends () was a secret political and revolutionary organization founded in 1814 in Odesa, Odessa, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman Empire, Ottoman rule in Ottoman Greece, Greece and establish an Independenc ...
''. On the onset of the revolution members of the family played a crucial role in organising a revolt inside the city of Constantinople. Prominent members of the family were accused of planning the destruction of the Turkish fleet and decapitated on Sultan orders.
[ Spyridon Trikoupis: History of the Greek Revolution, vol 1.] Their bodies were hanged before the doors of the Levidis' mansion in Tatavla in Constantinople. Those who escaped fled to
Odessa
ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
and formed the Russian branch of the family.
Notable members
* Angelos Levidis (Constantinople 1655–1738), an early distinguished member, because of his wealth he enjoyed a powerful position in the Sultan's court.
* Nikolaos Levidis (1685–1777). Present as a dignitary at the Court. Had been closely associated with the Sultan and the political establishment of the empire.
* Angelos N. Levidis (1725–1810). Also known as Tsalikis. Enjoyed a privileged position in the Ottoman Court. Through his relationship to the Sultan he was granted an exceptional Letter of Privilege allowing him to enter the city on horseback.
* Nikolaos A. Levidis (1765–April 28, 1852). Was a distinguished man of letters and scholar of the Greek Enlightenment. Levidis was born in Tatavla,
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
. He had a remarkable education and he was appointed Treasurer of the Great Church of the
Patriarchate
Patriarchate (, ; , ''patriarcheîon'') is an ecclesiological term in Christianity, referring to the office and jurisdiction of a patriarch.
According to Christian tradition, three patriarchates—Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria—were establi ...
, before 1821. Due to his outstanding contribution towards the Nation and the Church, Levidis received the hereditary title of Most Noble Archonde, and was also named ''Grand Dikeophylax'' (Keeper of the Great Seal) of the Patriarchate, an honorary title bestowed upon him by
Patriarch Gregory V. Before the Greek Revolution, Levidis influenced by the French Enlightenment and the
Encyclopaedists
An encyclopedia is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge, either general or special, in a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles or entries that are arranged alphabetically by artic ...
was active in Constantinople publishing, at his expense, works on historic, philosophic and religious matters. These books included a grammar of the Greek language, published before 1821, an encyclopaedic work translated from the French language, called ''Elementary knowledge from the French language, Stixiodis gnosseis ek tis Gallikis glossis, ''(1818), an edition of the collected works of early father of the church,
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom (; ; – 14 September 407) was an important Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and p ...
, another on the comments by Greek educator and famous pedagogist and encyclopaedist of the time Konstantin Vardalach, on the works of early Church Father Saint
Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory of Nazianzus (; ''Liturgy of the Hours'' Volume I, Proper of Saints, 2 January. – 25 January 390), also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen, was an early Roman Christian theologian and prelate who served as Archbi ...
, or Gregory the Theologian. At the time of the 1821 massacres in Constantinople, where three of his brothers perished he was residing in
Walachia
Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Muntenia ( ...
by the
Hospodar
''Gospodar'' or ''hospodar'', also ''gospodin'' as a diminutive, is a term of Slavic origin, meaning "lord" or " master". The compound (, , , sh-Latn-Cyrl, gospodar, господар, ) is a derivative of ''gospod'' / ''gospodin'', , or when spe ...
Michail Voda Soutzos, where he was active as a member of the
Filiki Eteria
Filiki Eteria () or Society of Friends () was a secret political and revolutionary organization founded in 1814 in Odesa, Odessa, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman Empire, Ottoman rule in Ottoman Greece, Greece and establish an Independenc ...
, initiating Soutzos and many others and financially supporting the secret society, thus preparing the ground for revolt. He later fled to
Odessa
ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
and afterwards went to Greece during the
War of Independence
Wars of national liberation, also called wars of independence or wars of liberation, are conflicts fought by nations to gain independence. The term is used in conjunction with wars against foreign powers (or at least those perceived as foreign) ...
. In 1832, after the assassination of governor
Ioannis Kapodistrias
Count Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias (; February 1776 –27 September 1831), sometimes anglicized as John Capodistrias, was a Greek statesman who was one of the most distinguished politicians and diplomats of 19th-century Europe.
Kapodistrias's ...
, he was appointed to the direction of the newly erected National Mint in
Aegina
Aegina (; ; ) is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina (mythology), Aegina, the mother of the mythological hero Aeacus, who was born on the island and became its king.
...
, the first
capital of Greece and after leaving public service in 1833, he lived for the most part in retirement. He was one of the first collaborators of the early Greek periodical ''
Hermes o Logios
''Hermes o Logios'', also known as ''Logios Ermis'' (, "Hermes the Scholar") was a Greek periodical printed in Vienna, Austria, from 1811 to 1821. It is regarded as the most significant and longest running periodical of the period prior to the o ...
''.
* Dimitrios Levidis (also known as Tsalikis) (Constantinople 1768–Constantinople 26 March 1821). On the night of 25 March 1821 he was called to the Ottoman palace for reasons supposedly concerned with his commercial activities and close contacts with the dockyards. He was immediately arrested on suspicion of being involved in the conspiracy of the secret revolutionary society ''Filiki Eteria'' to start an uprising in Constantinople. He was personally accused of planning the destruction of the Ottoman fleet inside the docks and/or of organising to seize the Ottoman Navy's entire fleet there and becoming himself the ''
Kapudan Pasha
The Kapudan Pasha (, modern Turkish: ), also known as the (, modern: , "Captain of the Sea") was the grand admiral of the Ottoman Navy. Typically, he was based at Galata and Gallipoli during the winter and charged with annual sailings durin ...
''. He was also accused of actively being a member of the ''
Filiki Eteria
Filiki Eteria () or Society of Friends () was a secret political and revolutionary organization founded in 1814 in Odesa, Odessa, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman Empire, Ottoman rule in Ottoman Greece, Greece and establish an Independenc ...
'' and of being responsible for his brothers' recruitment in the
Sacred Band, a military unit composed of young Greek volunteers who rallied to
Alexander Ypsilantis
Alexandros Ypsilantis (12 December 1792 – 31 January 1828) was a Greek nationalist politician who was member of a prominent Phanariot Greeks, Phanariot Greek family, a prince of the Danubian Principalities, a senior officer of the Imperial R ...
' call for an uprising. He was arrested and subsequently beheaded, shortly before Patriarch Gregory V was hanged. He was one of the first to be executed, followed by about seventy other prominent Greeks from the
Phanar, including the Greek Patriarch.
His decapitated body was publicly displayed by the front door of the Levidis mansion in
Tatavla. The day after the execution a raging crowd looted the house. The surviving members of the Levidis clan that managed to escape thereupon abandoned Constantinople and fled to Odessa.
* Alexander Levidis (1771–27 March 1821). Killed by the raging crowd invading the Levidis mansion, the day after the beheading of his brother Dimitrios.
* Pantaleon Levidis (1773–27 March 1821). Brother of Dimitrios Levidis. Also died in the house of the Levidis the next day of his brother's execution.
* Stamatios Levidis (Constantinople 1790–
Syros
Syros ( ), also known as Siros or Syra, is a Greece, Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. It is south-east of Athens. The area of the island is and at the 2021 census it had 21,124 inhabitants.
The largest towns are Ermoupoli, Ano S ...
1867). A hero of the Greek War of Independence. On the night of 27 March 1821, one day after his brother Demetrios' execution, Stamatios managed to escape the raging crowds that had invaded the family mansion by jumping off a window to the garden below, and took refuge in a neighbouring friendly house. He then fled to Odessa and Paris and after traveling through central Europe, he arrived in Greece to participate in the Greek War of Independence. He distinguished himself in the
First Siege of Missolonghi, where his generous founding from his own fortune, allowed the construction of a fortified wall around the town. He succeeded in breaking through the Turkish forces besieging Missolonghi in an attempt to deliver official letters to the island of
Zante
Zakynthos (also spelled Zakinthos; ; ) or Zante (, , ; ; from the Venetian form, traditionally Latinized as Zacynthus) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands, with an area of , and a coastline in ...
and managed to raise funds and to provide the besieged city with food and ammunition supplies. For his heroic actions he was named an honorary citizen by the Council of Missolonghi on 4 January 1825. In 1825 he was appointed Chief Administrator and inspector of the army during the campaign of
Georgios Kountouriotis
Georgios Kountouriotis (; 1782 – 13 March 1858) was a Greek ship-owner and politician who served as prime minister from March to October 1848.
Life
He was born in 1782 on the Saronic island of Hydra to an Arvanite family. The family, appar ...
. He was called in Hydra and from there he was sent to the island of Cephalonia, amongst great dangers, to meet
Lord Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...
, where he also contributed in securing a Loan for a sum of 20,000 Austrian ''
Thaler
A thaler or taler ( ; , previously spelled ) is one of the large silver coins minted in the states and territories of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg monarchy during the Early Modern period. A ''thaler'' size silver coin has a diameter o ...
s''. He also fought in the campaign against the Egyptian forces at Ligovisti and took part in the battles for the defence of Neokastro barely escaping capture in the disaster at
Sphacteria
Sphacteria ( - ''Sfaktiria'') also known as Sphagia (Σφαγία) is a small island at the entrance to the bay of Pylos in the Peloponnese, Greece. It was the site of three battles:
*the 425 BC Battle of Sphacteria in the Peloponnesian war.
*th ...
, on 9 May 1825, by swimming to
Navarino Navarino or Navarin may refer to:
Battle
* Battle of Navarino, 1827 naval battle off Navarino, Greece, now known as Pylos
Geography
* Navarino is the former name of Pylos, a Greek town on the Ionian Sea, where the 1827 battle took place
** Old Na ...
. By orders of Koundouriotis, he was once again sent from Nafplion to Missolonghi where he succeeded in sneaking for a second time through the enemy lines and into the
besieged city, thus boosting considerably the morale of the besieged. In 1827, he took over the administration of the army garrison at Phaleron and he fought bravely and obstinately in the
fierce battles there. In 1829 he was appointed caretaker of the army in
Nafpaktos
Nafpaktos () or Naupactus, is a town and a former municipality in Nafpaktia, Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, situated on a bay on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, west of the mouth of the river Mornos.
It is named for Naupaktos (, Latini ...
fighting under general Sir
Richard Church in the campaign for the reconquest of
Western Greece
Western Greece Region (, ) is one of the thirteen Modern regions of Greece, administrative regions of Greece. It comprises the western part of Central Greece (geographic region), continental Greece and the northwestern part of the Peloponnese pen ...
. Levidis engaged in a correspondence with major figures of his era. Of utmost historic importance is his extended correspondence during the entire War of Independence with his friend
Alexandros Mavrokordatos
Alexandros Mavrokordatos (; 11 February 179118 August 1865) was a Greek statesman, diplomat, politician and member of the Mavrocordatos family of Phanariotes.
Biography
In 1812, Mavrokordatos went to the court of his uncle John George Caradja ...
and
Georgios Praidas.
* Alexander N. Levidis (Constantinople 1795 -
Athens
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
before 1848). At the outbreak of the
Greek Revolution
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...
in early 1821, he was residing with his father in Wallachia, at the court of
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
Michail Voda Soutzos. Levidis, along with his brother and five cousins, the Ainardaris brothers, joined the ranks of Ypsilantis'
Sacred Band. He fought under
Alexander Ypsilantis
Alexandros Ypsilantis (12 December 1792 – 31 January 1828) was a Greek nationalist politician who was member of a prominent Phanariot Greeks, Phanariot Greek family, a prince of the Danubian Principalities, a senior officer of the Imperial R ...
and alongside
Giorgakis Olympios
Giorgakis Olympios (; ; ; 1772–1821) was an armatole and military commander during the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. Noted for his activities with the Filiki Eteria in the Danubian Principalities, he is considered to b ...
. He thereupon arrived in Greece in order to participate in the War of Independence, where he took part in many battles and served as an officer of the tactical army under the French Philhellene, Colonel
Charles Fabvier together with whom he entered the besieged
Acropolis
An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens ...
of Athens on the night of 12 December 1826.
* Periklis Levidis (Constantinople 1798–Braila ?) Brother of the above. Studied Fine Arts in Italy well before 1821 and worked successfully as a painter in Wallachia in the style of
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), now generally known in English as Raphael ( , ), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of paintings by Raphael, His work is admired for its cl ...
.
*
Constantine Levidis (Constantinople 1790–Athens, 4 October 1868) was a Greek scholar, writer, editor, considered as "the father of Greek journalism". Noted for his vociferously pro-
constitutional
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed.
When these princ ...
stance during the reign of King
Otto
Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants '' Audo'', '' Odo'', '' Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity".
The name is recorded fr ...
.
*Dimitrios N. Levidis (Constantinople 1806 - Athens 1893), was a Greek statesman. Managed to escape the
Constantinople massacres and flee to Odessa with his family, under the protection of the famous General Prince
Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov
Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov (; ) was a Russian nobleman and field-marshal, renowned for his success in the Napoleonic Wars and most famous for his participation in the Caucasian War from 1844 to 1853.
Early life
Vorontsov was born on ...
, then governor of Odessa. Prince Vorontsov owed to the Levidis family, who had supported him before the
Grand Vizier
Grand vizier (; ; ) was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. It was first held by officials in the later Abbasid Caliphate. It was then held in the Ottoman Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Soko ...
during an earlier diplomatic visit to Constantinople. Levidis finished his studies in Accountancy as a bursar of
Tsar Alexander I at the ''
lycée Richelieu'' in Odessa, having
Alexandros Rizos Rangavis
Alexandros Rizos Rangavis or Alexander Rizos Rakgabis" (; ; 27 December 180928 June 1892), was a Greek man of letters, poet and statesman.
Early life
He was born in Constantinople to a Greek Phanariot family. He was educated at Odessa and the ...
and
Constantine Paparrigopoulos as classmates. After graduation, Levidis was under obligation to serve as officer in the
Imperial Russian army
The Imperial Russian Army () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...
, but soon persuaded the Emperor to grant him special permission to leave the army and go to Greece, in order to join the Greek War of Independence. After Independence, he was appointed by Greek governor
Ioannis Kapodistrias
Count Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias (; February 1776 –27 September 1831), sometimes anglicized as John Capodistrias, was a Greek statesman who was one of the most distinguished politicians and diplomats of 19th-century Europe.
Kapodistrias's ...
public commissioner in Nafplion. Later he was Chief Accountant of the General Accounts Office and, in 1846,
Minister of Finance
A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position .
A ministry of finance's portfolio ...
. Served twice as Minister of Finance at the cabinet of the
Epameinondas Deligeorgis government (1876–77). He was the founder of the Political Employees Fund (TPY).
* Georgios N. Levidis (? – Braila ?) Brother of the above. He was educated at the ''lycée Richelieu'' as a bursar of the Tsar Alexander I, and became a rich merchant in Wallachia and man of letters.
* Miltiadis Levidis (Odessa 1821–Athens 1878). The son of Dimitrios A. Levidis, he was born in Odessa. His father was killed in the
Constantinople massacres when the Greek War of Independence erupted in 1821. His mother, who survived the slaughters fled and sought refuge in Odessa. He followed a military career as an artillery officer in the
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army (, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the army, land force of Greece. The term Names of the Greeks, '' Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the largest of the three branches ...
.
* General Constantine Levidis (Athens 30 May 1862 – 1928). Son of the above, he served as an army officer, rising to the rank of lieutenant general of the artillery and
aide de camp to King
Constantine I of Greece
Constantine I (, Romanization, romanized: ''Konstantínos I''; – 11 January 1923) was King of Greece from 18 March 1913 to 11 June 1917 and again from 19 December 1920 to 27 September 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army dur ...
. He participated in the
Greco-Turkish War of 1897
The Greco-Turkish War of 1897 or the Ottoman-Greek War of 1897 ( or ), also called the Thirty Days' War and known in Greece as the Black '97 (, ''Mauro '97'') or the Unfortunate War (), was a war fought between the Kingdom of Greece and the O ...
and the
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans, Balkan states in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan states of Kingdom of Greece (Glücksburg), Greece, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Montenegro, M ...
of 1912-13.
* Spyridon Miltiadis Levidis (died 1937), a Greek diplomat, ambassador and author.
* General Nikolaos Levidis (1868–1921), a cavalry officer, he rose to the rank of lieutenant general. He took part in the
Greco-Turkish War of 1897
The Greco-Turkish War of 1897 or the Ottoman-Greek War of 1897 ( or ), also called the Thirty Days' War and known in Greece as the Black '97 (, ''Mauro '97'') or the Unfortunate War (), was a war fought between the Kingdom of Greece and the O ...
, in the
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans, Balkan states in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan states of Kingdom of Greece (Glücksburg), Greece, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Montenegro, M ...
of 1912-13 and the
Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922.
* Nikolaos Dimitrios Levidis (1848–1942), a Greek statesman and politician. A distinguished Greek politician, prominent author and orator, sat as
Member of Parliament for
Attica and Boeotia eleven times between 1881 and 1920, and became a member of successive cabinets. He served as wartime Navy Minister in the
Theodoros Deligiannis
Theodoros Diligiannis (also transliterated as Deligiannis;Konstantinos Apostolou Vakalopoulos, ''Modern History of Macedonia (1830-1912)'', Barbounakis, 1988, p. 95. ; 1826–1905) was a Greek politician, minister and member of the Greek Parlia ...
cabinet during the
Greco-Turkish War of 1897
The Greco-Turkish War of 1897 or the Ottoman-Greek War of 1897 ( or ), also called the Thirty Days' War and known in Greece as the Black '97 (, ''Mauro '97'') or the Unfortunate War (), was a war fought between the Kingdom of Greece and the O ...
, Minister of the Interior in 1903, and Minister of Justice in the
Georgios Theotokis
Georgios Theotokis (; 8 February 1844 – 12 January 1916) was a Greek politician and Prime Minister of Greece, serving the post four times. He represented the Modernist Party or Neoteristikon Komma (NK).
Biography
He was the third child of C ...
cabinet (1904). Elected President of the Greek Cabinet 1906-1907. In 1908 he was again Minister of the Interior in the new Theotokis cabinet. Later, President of the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
. An avid essayist, in addition to writing numerous articles for the periodicals of his time, he wrote a number of historical and political studies. His funeral oration for the
centenary
A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century.
Notable events
Notable centennial events at a national or world-level include:
* Centennial Exhibition, 1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...
of the death of General
Georgios Karaiskakis
Georgios Karaiskakis (), born Georgios Karaiskos (; 1782–1827), was a Greek military commander and a leader of the Greek War of Independence.
Early life
Karaiskakis was a Sarakatsani. His father was the armatolos of the Valtos district, D ...
, delivered at the
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus (; also called Herodeion or Herodion; ) is a stone Roman theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens, Greece. The building was completed in AD 161 and then renovated in 1950.
Ancien ...
in 1927, was translated in many languages. Was one of the founders of the ''Parnassos'' literary society, in Athens. He was president of the
Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre
The Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre, or Holy Community of the All-Holy Sepulchre, is an Eastern Orthodox monastic fraternity guarding the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and other Christian holy places in the Holy Land. It was founded in its pres ...
, awarded the
Grand Cross
Grand Cross is the highest class in many orders, and manifested in its insignia. Exceptionally, the highest class may be referred to as Grand Cordon or equivalent. In other cases, there may exist a rank even higher than Grand Cross, e.g. Gran ...
of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and was the recipient of numerous Greek and foreign decorations.
*George D Levidis (1857–1933) was a Greek diplomat, ambassador of Greece in many of the world's capitals, including Alexandria, Constantinople, Saint Petersburg and Madrid.
*Admiral Alexander G. Levidis was a high-ranking
Hellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy (HN; , abbreviated ΠΝ) is the Navy, naval force of Greece, part of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy historically hails from the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independ ...
officer, aide-de-camp of President
Pavlos Koundouriotis (1928), and in 1931 became the first Director of Civil Aviation. During World War II he founded the undercover resistance group 'Maleas', focused on aiding the escape of British servicemen and Allied personnel to the
Middle East
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
.
[
André Gerolymatos: Guerrilla warfare and espionage in Greece,1940-1944, (1992) p.237
] In 1943 he was caught and imprisoned by the Germans. He was released April 1945 and after the pull out of the German Forces he became Vice Minister for the Repatriation of the Refugies in the governments of
Petros Voulgaris
Petros Voulgaris (; 13 September 1883 – 26 November 1957) was a Greek Admiral who served briefly as Prime Minister of Greece in 1945. He was famous for his role in suppressing the 1944 Greek naval mutiny and restoring the fleet to combat readine ...
and
Archbishop Damaskinos
Archbishop Damaskinos Papandreou (), born Dimitrios Papandreou (; 3 March 1891 – 20 May 1949), was the archbishop of Athens and All Greece from 1941 until his death in 1949. He was also the regent of Greece between the pull-out of the German ...
. In 1946 he was promoted to Rear Admiral.
*
Dimitrios Levidis (Athens, 8 April 1885/1886 -
Palaio Faliro
Palaio Faliro (, ; Katharevousa: Palaion Faliron, Παλαιόν Φάληρον, meaning "Old Phalerum") is a town on the Saronic Gulf coast and a municipality in the southern part of the Athens agglomeration, Greece. At the 2021 census it had ...
, 29 May 1951) was a Greek composer, who later became a
naturalized
Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...
French citizen. He studied with
Mottl, and composition with
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss (; ; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer and conductor best known for his Tone poems (Strauss), tone poems and List of operas by Richard Strauss, operas. Considered a leading composer of the late Roman ...
. He was a notable experimenter, with novel combinations and new instruments: His interest in new sounds led him to be the first to write for the
Ondes Martenot
The ondes Martenot ( ; , ) or ondes musicales () is an early electronic musical instrument. It is played with a lateral-vibrato Keyboard instrument, keyboard or by moving a ring tied to a wire, creating "wavering" sounds similar to a theremin. D ...
(his ''Poème symphonique'', given on the occasion of the first public appearance of the instrument, premiered in 1928 at the
Paris Opéra
The Paris Opera ( ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be kn ...
).
*
Dimitrios N Levidis, (1891–1964), was a
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army (, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the army, land force of Greece. The term Names of the Greeks, '' Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the largest of the three branches ...
officer. He served during both
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans, Balkan states in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan states of Kingdom of Greece (Glücksburg), Greece, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Montenegro, M ...
and the
Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922. He had been attached to the Greek Court since 1917, becoming
Master of the Household
The Master of the Household is the operational head (see Chief operating officer) of the "below stairs" elements of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. The role has charge of the domestic staff, from the Royal Kitchens, the pages and footm ...
to
and Chamberlain, and liaison officer to the
King of England
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers Constitutional monarchy, regula ...
. Later
Grand Master of Ceremonies and
Grand Marshal of the Court. He followed the royal family into exile in 1923 and again during the Second World War, accompanying King George to exile in Cairo and then to London.
*Michel Levidis (Alexandria, 12 August 1921-1979) inherited a vast landed estate in the
Kingdom of Egypt
The Kingdom of Egypt () was the legal form of the Egyptian state during the latter period of the Muhammad Ali dynasty's reign, from the United Kingdom's recognition of Egyptian independence in 1922 until the abolition of the monarchy of Eg ...
. He served in the Greek and British navies during the Second World War. After the
Egyptian Revolution of 1952
The Egyptian revolution of 1952, also known as the 1952 coup d'état () and the 23 July Revolution (), was a period of profound political, economic, and societal change in Egypt. On 23 July 1952, the revolution began with the toppling of King ...
by
Mohammed Naguib and
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein (15 January 1918 – 28 September 1970) was an Egyptian military officer and revolutionary who served as the second president of Egypt from 1954 until his death in 1970. Nasser led the Egyptian revolution of 1952 a ...
, Michel Levidis went into exile in Australia with his wife, Rosa Levidis (1922-2013), a British linguist and intelligence officer in the
Arab World
The Arab world ( '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, comprises a large group of countries, mainly located in West Asia and North Africa. While the majority of people in ...
. Their son heads a global construction and security conglomerate, their grandson, Andrew Levidis, is a scholar trained at Kyoto, Harvard, and Cambridge universities.
Notes
References
*Νέα Μεγάλη Ελληνική Εγκυκλοπαίδεια, ΧΑΡΗ ΠΑΤΣΗ, τ. 22
*Μεγάλη Ελληνική Εγκυκλοπαίδεια "Πυρσός", τ. 15, 876–77
*Economists in Parliament in the Liberal Age (1848–1920) by Massimo M. Angello and Marco E. L. Guidi.
*The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music
*''Almanach de Gotha: annuaire genealogique, diplomatique et statistique'', 1909.
*The
Encyclopedia Americana
''Encyclopedia Americana'' is a general encyclopedia written in American English. It was the first general encyclopedia of any magnitude to be published in North America. With '' Collier's Encyclopedia'' and ''Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclo ...
*
The Oxford Companion to Music
*P.K. Bouboulidis: ''Neoellines moussourgoi: I. Dimitrios Levidis: symvoli eis tin istorian tis neoellinikis moussikis'' (Athens, 1949)
*S.K. Spanoudi: ‘Levidis, Dimitrios’, Helios, xii (Athens, c1950), 168 only
*G. Sklavos: ‘Dimitrios Levidis’, Elliniki dimiourgia, viii (1951), 67–8
*A.S. Theodoropoulou: ‘Dimitrios Levidis’, Nea Estia, xlix (1951), 819 only
*F. Anoyanakis: ‘I moussiki stin neoteri Ellada’, in K. Nef: ''Eisagogi eis tin istorian tis moussikis'' (Athens, 1958), 590–92
k. edn of ''Einführung in die Musikgeschichte''*Nicolas Slonimsky: ''NEW MUSIC IN GREECE'' Musical Quarterly.1965; LI: 225–235
*A History of Greek-Owned Shipping
*G. Leotsakos: ''O Dimitrios Levidis kai to ainigma tis "Mikris fantasias"''
imitrios Levidis and the riddle of the ‘Little Fantasia’ foreword to ''D. Levidis: Little Fantasia'' (Athens, 1982)
n Gk. and Eng. repr. in Moussikologia, no.1 (1986), 9–25
{{Ottoman families
Phanariotes
Greek noble families
Greek families
Families from the Ottoman Empire