Description

All the attacks that Kioutachis attempted against the city failed, as did his attempt to block the supply of the city by land and sea.

The besieged came to an agreement with George Karaiskakis, who waged a war of attrition behind Kioutachis’s army, forcing him to move to a defensive position in October 1825.

Meanwhile, the Sultan, correctly predicting that the siege would be time consuming, wanted to reinforce the siege of the city with additional forces including those of Ibrahim, despite the fact that this was not provided for in his original agreement with the Egyptian general.

With the arrival of the new strong army the siege began again more fiercely. However, by February 1826 the Turks had had no success. Andreas Miaoulis with his fleet managed to supply Messolonghi and the defense of the besieged remained strong.

From March, however, the situation began to change with the occupation of strategic lagoon islands by the Turks, such as Vasiladi and Dolmas. The Greeks managed to maintain control of the islet of Kleisova after a fierce battle, in which Ibrahim’s troops suffered heavy losses.

However, the ability of the Greek fleet to supply the city had become impossible, with the result that the defenders found themselves in a very difficult position.

The situation in the city became dramatic and the famine began to reap the inhabitants.

In the face of this situation, the council of the chiefs and nobles of the city took the decision for the inhabitants to leave Messolonghi.

The exit was set for the night of Lazarus Saturday with the dawn of Palm Sunday, between 10th and 11th April 1826. The plan for the exit was probably betrayed, with the result that the Turkish-Egyptians responded with a fierce attack accompanied by a massacre. Thousands of Greeks were slaughtered or taken prisoners and only 1,500 managed to escape.