Gennaios Kolokotronis

Summary

Ioannis Kolokotronis (Greek: Ιωάννης Κολοκοτρώνης; 1805–1868[1]), or Gennaios Kolokotronis (Greek: Γενναίος Κολοκοτρώνης) as he was nicknamed, was a Greek warrior of the Greek War of Independence, General and Prime Minister of Greece.

Ioannis Kolokotronis
Ιωάννης Κολοκοτρώνης
A portrait of Ioannis Kolokotronis c. 1860
Prime Minister of Greece
In office
26 May – 11 October 1862
MonarchOtto I
Preceded byAthanasios Miaoulis
Succeeded byDimitrios Voulgaris
Personal details
Bornc. 1805
Stemnitsa, Morea Eyalet, Ottoman Empire (now Trikolonoi, Greece)
Died23 May 1868
Political partyMilitary
SpousePhotini Tzavela
RelationsKonstantinos Kolokotronis (grandfather)
Panos Kolokotronis (brother)
Apostolis Kolokotronis (cousin)
Kitsos Tzavelas (brother-in-law)
Parent(s)Theodoros Kolokotronis
Aikaterini Karousou
Awards Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
NicknameBrave (Γενναίος)
Military service
AllegianceGreece First Hellenic Republic
Greece Kingdom of Greece
Branch/service Hellenic Army
RankMajor General
Battles/wars

Biography edit

He was born at Stemnitsa, Arcadia, but he grew up at Zakynthos. He was a son of Theodoros Kolokotronis and his mother was Aikaterini Karousou (Greek: Αικατερίνη Καρούσου). He acquired the nickname "Gennaios" (meaning "brave") during the Greek War of Independence in which he fought valiantly despite his youth. He took part at the siege of Tripolitsa, together with his father.

During the civil wars he sided with his father.

Kolokotronis served as the aide-de-camp of King Otto with the rank of Major General, and was appointed by Otto as his last Prime Minister at 1862.

He married the sister of Kitsos Tzavelas, Photini Tzavela and together they had 2 sons and 5 daughters.

He died on 23 May 1868.


  1. ^ Note: Greece officially adopted the Gregorian calendar on 16 February 1923 (which became 1 March). All dates prior to that, unless specifically denoted, are Old Style.