Filiki Eteria
The
Filiki Eteria (spelt also
Philikí Etaireía, Greek Φιλική Εταιρεία), meaning
Friendly Society in
Greek, was a secret organisation working in the early
19th century, whose purpose was to to overthrow the
Ottoman rule over
Greece and to establish an independent Greek state.
Eteria members were mainly young
Phanariot Greeks from
Russia. Eteria received political and material support from Tsar
Alexander I, who had an interest in extending Russian influence in the
Balkans.
One of the leaders of the Eteria was
Alexander Ypsilanti.
In the context of ardent desire for independence of Turkish occupation and with the explicit influence of secret societies from Europe, three Greeks met one another in
1814 in
Odessa and decided the constitution of a strictly secret organisation which would prepare the revolution of all Greeks. These men were 42-years old
Nikolaos Skoufas from
Arta province, 42-years old Emmanuel Ksanthos from
Patmos and 26-years old Athanasios Tsakalov from
Epirus. Skoufas had already particular contacts with Konstantinos Rados who was initiated into
Carbonarism. Ksanthos was initianted in a
Free-Masonic Lodge of Lefkada (Society of Free Builders, of St. Mavra), while Tsakalov was a founding member of the "Greek-speaking Hotel", (
Ελληνόγλωσσο Ξενοδοχείο or Ellinoglwsso Xenodoxeio) a former but not successful society for the liberation of Greece.
The growth of the Friendly Society is impressive. At the beginning during the
1814-
1816 period, there were roughly twenty members. During
1817, the Society developed mainly between the Greeks of Russia and of Moldowallachia (
Moldavia and
Wallachia), but once again its membership does not exceed thirty. They started doing massive initiations in
1818. In
1820 the Society expanded in almost all regions of Greece and most Greek communities abroad. By the first months of
1821, the membership numbered around one thousand and the Society had exceeded her own limits. Among her members there were tradesmen, clergy, executives of
Ottoman Empire from
Fanari, chieftains as
Theodoros Kolokotronis, Odysseas Androutsos, the metropolite of Old Patrases German and more.
The whole structure of the Philiki Etaireia was imitating the organisational models of
Carbonarism and
Freemasonry. The leading team was called the "Invisible Authority" and was surrounded from the first moment with such secret glamour that everybody believed that a lot of important personalities participated, not only Greeks but also foreigners like Russian czar
Alexander I. The reality was that during the start, the Invisible Authority was only the three founders. Then, from
1815 until
1818, five more were added and after Skoufas' death three more were added. In 1818 the Invisible Authority was renamed to "Authority of Twelve Apostles" and each Apostle shouldered the responsibility of a big region.
The whole structure was pyramid-like in form and in the top dominated the "Invisible Authority". No one knew it or had the right to ask who created it. Her commands were executed unquestioned, and members did not have the right to make decisions. The society was called «Temple» and it had four levels of
initiation: a)
brothers or
vlamides, b) the
recommended, γ) the
priests and d) the
shepherds. The Priests were charged with the duty of initiation in the first two levels. When the Priest approached somebody, it was first to make sure of his patriotism and catechize him in the aims of society; the last stage was to put him under oath.
Afterwards the initiated were considered
neophyte members of the society, with all the rights and obligations of his rank. The Priest immediately had the obligation to reveal all the marks of recognition between the
Vlamides or
Brothers.
Vlamides and
Recommended were unaware of the revolutionary aims of the organisation. They only knew that there existed a society that tried hard for the general good of the nation, which included in its ranks important personalities. This myth was propagated deliberately, in order to stimulate the morale of members and also to make proselytism easier.
In 1818, the seat of Philiki Etaireia had migrated from Odessa to
Constantinople, and Skoufas' death had been a serious loss. The rest of the founders attempted to find a major personality to undertake the reins, one who would give prestige and fresh
impetus to the Society. In the beginning of 1818, they had a meeting with
John Capodistria, who not only refused, but later wrote that he considered Philiki Etaireia guilty for the havoc that was foreboded in Greece. Finally, after many contacts, in April
1820 Alexander Ypsilanti undertook the leadership of Philiki Etaireia.
*Vournas Tasos,
Friendly Society: her illegal organisational and persecution by the foreigners, Tolides Bros, (Athens 1982).
*Metropolite of Old Patrases Germanos,
Memoirs, (
Introdutory note, index, ref. Ioanna Yiannaropoulos " Tassos Gritsopoulos), (Athens 1975).
*Yiannis Kordatos,
Rigas Feraios and Balkan Federation, (Athens, 1974)
*Xanthos Em.,
Memoirs for the Friendly Society, (facsimile reprint of 1834 ed), Vergina, (Athens 1996)
