Siege of Santa Maura (1810) facts for kids
The Siege of Santa Maura was an important battle in March and April 1810. It happened on the island of Lefkada, which was then called Santa Maura. British and French soldiers fought for control of the island.
Santa Maura had been part of the First French Empire since 1807. French soldiers and a local group called the Albanian Regiment defended it. The British forces also had Greek and Corsican volunteers helping them. The French leaders did not trust the Albanian Regiment. Also, many Greeks were fighting with the British. This led to the Albanian Regiment joining the British side. This helped the British win the island faster.
Why the Battle Happened
The island of Santa Maura is one of the Ionian Islands. These islands came under French control in 1807. This happened after a peace agreement called the Treaty of Tilsit.
In October 1809, the British attacked other Ionian Islands. They captured Zakynthos, Cephalonia, Kythira, and Ithaca. These islands had only a few French soldiers. They also had more men from the local Albanian Regiment.
The French forces were too small to fight well. Many Albanian Regiment soldiers ran away into the countryside. Others were taken prisoner. A large number of these soldiers later joined the British army. They became part of the 1st Regiment Greek Light Infantry. More than 70% of the Albanian Regiment soldiers switched to the British side.
British Arrive on Santa Maura
Before the main British army landed, some scouts went to the island. Lieutenant Colonel Hudson Lowe went with two Greek leaders. Their names were Theodoros Kolokotronis and Konstantis Petmezas.
Kolokotronis talked to the local Greco-Albanian soldiers. He asked them to give up. But they refused, saying they had promised to fight for the French.
After this, the main British force landed. There were about 4,000 soldiers. This group included British, Sicilian, Greek, and Corsican volunteers. The Corsicans were from a group called the Royal Corsican Rangers.
The first fights were tough. But the British soldiers managed to take over the French defenses. They captured several gun batteries. The Greek soldiers, led by Kolokotronis and Richard Church, fought very bravely. General Church was even wounded in these battles.
The Siege and Surrender
After losing these battles, the French commander, General Camus, moved his French soldiers into the Castle of Santa Maura. He did not trust the Albanian Regiment soldiers. So, he left them outside the fortress.
This decision left the Albanian Regiment soldiers unprotected. General Camus also refused to let their families into the fortress. Because of this, almost all of the Albanian Regiment soldiers, 823 men, left the French side. Only 13 men, who were held as hostages, stayed with the French. The rest joined the British.
The British then surrounded the fortress. They attacked it with heavy cannons. The fortress finally surrendered.
Sources
- Moschonas, Nikolaos (1975). "Τα Ιόνια Νησιά κατά την περίοδο 1797-1821". In Christopoulos, Georgios A. (in Greek). Ιστορία του Ελληνικού Έθνους, Τόμος ΙΑ΄: Ο Ελληνισμός υπό ξένη κυριαρχία (περίοδος 1669 - 1821), Τουρκοκρατία - Λατινοκρατία. Athens: Ekdotiki Athinon. pp. 382–402. ISBN 978-960-213-100-8.
