Aristotelis Valaoritis: Greek Poet, Politician & National Hero (1824–1879)

Aristotelis Valaoritis was a prominent Greek national poet, writer and politician. Born on the island of Lefkada to a family with roots in Epirus, he became one of the most important patriotic voices of 19th-century Greece. After completing his schooling in the Ionian Islands, Valaoritis studied law in Italy and France.

Upon finishing his studies he chose never to practise as a lawyer, dedicating himself instead to literature and public life. In 1857 he was elected to the Parliament of the United States of the Ionian Islands, the British protectorate that existed from 1815 until 1864. He belonged to the Radical Party, which campaigned vigorously for the union of the Ionian Islands with Greece.

When union was achieved in 1864, Valaoritis was elected to the Greek Parliament in Athens. His speeches in the Athenian parliament were often forceful and passionate. He repeatedly raised the issue of liberating the Greek populations still living outside the borders of the young kingdom, especially in Epirus, the region of his family’s origin, and he was a strong supporter of the Cretan cause.Advertising1 (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Although offered several ministerial posts, Valaoritis consistently declined them.

He grew disillusioned with the scandals and political manoeuvring he witnessed in Athens. He believed that the small Greek kingdom established in 1832 marked only the beginning of the national struggle, not its end, and he continued to advocate the liberation of all Greek lands and people. In later life he withdrew to the small island of Madouri, just off the east coast of Lefkada, where he devoted himself to poetry.

Valaoritis regarded himself as a patriotic historical poet. His work consists largely of ethnocentric historical narratives filled with patriotic fervour, focusing on the Greek War of Independence and celebrating the struggle for freedom and the heroes of that era. Advertising1 (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The post Aristotelis Valaoritis: Greek Poet, Politician & National Hero (1824–1879) appeared first on Greek City Times.