Pavlos Nikolaidis ( gr, Παύλος Νικολαΐδης), known by his ''

nom de guerre A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individu ...

'' Rakovitis (Παύλος Ρακοβίτης, "Pavlos of Rakovo") was a member of the

Hellenic Macedonian Committee The Macedonian Committee ( gr, Μακεδονικό Κομιτάτο, ''Makedoniko Komitato''), formally the Hellenic Macedonian Committee (Ελληνομακεδονικό Κομιτάτο, ''Ellinomakedoniko Komitato''), was a Greek revolutionary ...

, a revolutionary chieftain of a band of 40 guerrillas that fought in the

Macedonian Struggle The Macedonian Struggle ( bg, Македонска борба; el, Μακεδονικός Αγώνας; mk, Борба за Македонија; sr, Борба за Македонију; tr, Makedonya Mücadelesi) was a series of social, po ...

against the Bulgarians.

Life

Born in Rakovo, near

Florina Florina ( el, Φλώρινα, ''Flórina''; known also by some alternative names) is a town and municipality in the mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. The town of Florina is the capital of the Fl ...

, Manastir Vilayet,

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

(modern-day

Kratero Kratero ( el, Κρατερό, before 1926: Ράκοβο - ''Rakovo'', Macedonian and bg, Раково, ''Rakovo'') is a village located in the Florina regional unit of northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Geography Kratero is located east of the L ...

Florina, Greece Florina ( el, Φλώρινα, ''Flórina''; known also by some alternative names) is a town and municipality in the mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. The town of Florina is the capital of the Fl ...

) around 1877. He was a Greek Macedonian. In 1900, he moved to the United States on seasonal work. While away, his village was burnt down by the Ottomans in 1903, upon which he began training in guerrilla tactics. He joined the

which supported the

Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...

and the Greek cause in 1905, and entered the detachment of

Efthymios Kaoudis Efthymios Kaoudis ( el, Ευθύμιος Καούδης, 1866–1956) was a Greek revolutionary and the leader of the first Cretan armed group in Macedonia, during the Macedonian Struggle. Biography Efthymios Kaoudis was born in 1866 in the v ...

. His village had in the meantime suffered threats and assassinations by the

IMRO The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO; bg, Вътрешна Македонска Революционна Организация (ВМРО), translit=Vatrešna Makedonska Revoljucionna Organizacija (VMRO); mk, Внатр� ...

which targeted Patriarchist villages in order to force them to support the

Bulgarian Exarchate The Bulgarian Exarchate ( bg, Българска екзархия, Balgarska ekzarhiya; tr, Bulgar Eksarhlığı) was the official name of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church before its autocephaly was recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Con ...

.Vacalopoulos, A.E., Modern History of Macedonia 1830-1912 pp. 189–194 Macedonian_Greeks_Bitola_Mariovo_Rakovo

Rakovitis led a band of 40 men, which was active in the territories of

and the Baba mountain. It fought both Ottomans and Bulgarians. In 1907, Bulgarian bands entered his village and brutally destroyed it once again, killing his father in the process. Rakovitis was furious with the actions of the Bulgarians, especially since his own father was burnt to death in the family home.

Death

On 4 October 1910, Rakovitis was killed while he slept hidden in a barn by a former ally and fellow fighter named Mihail, who was bribed by the Young Turks to assassinate him. The bribed murderer had fled to Monastir but was quickly found and executed before the news got out that Rakovitis was killed. Pavlos Rakovitis was buried at a hidden location near the village so there wouldn't be proof of his death and prevent enemies from boldly taking control of the area.

Legacy

In 1960, a bust of Pavlos Rakovitis was erected in his birthplace of

. In 1999, the "Pavlos Rakovitis" nature education and landscaping association was founded in Kratero. Many people from the region of

know of Pavlos Rakovitis and his glorious story, in fact the Society Of Kratero Melbourne, Australia and The Benevolent Association of Kratero in Toronto, Canada have him as their official logo, and are very proud to be associated with the defence of his people, village and Macedonia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rakovitis, Pavlos 1870s births 1910 deaths People from Manastir vilayet Greek people of the Macedonian Struggle Macedonian revolutionaries (Greek) People from Florina (regional unit) Expatriates from the Ottoman Empire in the United States Greek people from the Ottoman Empire Greek Macedonians