Mykonos in Independence War

The contribution of Mykonos in the Independence War of 1821: The Greeks were under Ottoman rule from the 14th to the 19th century. The year 1821 marked national history, as the Greek War of Independence was launched. The rebels started many revolutionary attacks from the Balkans to Crete and, even though most didn't have a successful outcome, the rebels succeeded in keeping strong all the Peloponesse, Central Greece, and most of the Aegean islands.

Mykonos is among the islands that hugely contributed to the Greek Revolution. Before the late 18th century, the Mykonians suffered from many diseases, but the 19th century brought prosperity to Mykonos due to many immigrants who moved from Crete, Naxos, Kimolos, and other islands. The Mykonians showed great progress in shipping and trade, activities that brought great profit to the locals.

When the Greek Revolution launched, they transformed the trade ships into warships and sailed to set other islands and the mainland free. Many inhabitants had already taken the vow of Filiki Etaireia (the Society of Friends), which was secretly mapping out the Revolution since 1814.

A prominent figure of Mykonos at that time was Manto Mavrogenous, an educated woman who had grown up in Vienna but whose parents originated from Mykonos. Her family had become rich from trade, and she inherited a large dowry, which she decided to donate to the Revolution. She had an affair with Dimitrios Ipsilantis, a prominent military general. When he died and Greece was set free, Manto Mavrogenous had already donated all her fortune to the Revolution and was now poor. She moved to her relatives in Paros and died in 1846.