A force of 131 Greek defenders repelled 11 attacks by a combined Ottoman-Egyptian army of 6,000 at Kleisova during the siege of Missolonghi.
Key Facts
- Greek defenders
- 131 men
- Combined enemy strength
- 6,000 men
- Attacks repelled
- 11 consecutive attacks
- Ottoman casualties (Kütahı phase)
- Over 1,500 killed or wounded
- Egyptian force (Ibrahim phase)
- 3,000 men in three battalions
- Island size
- 300 metres
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Ottoman siege of Missolonghi in 1825, Turkish commander Kütahı identified the islet of Kleisova, one mile southeast of the city, as a strategic position whose capture would cut off supplies to Missolonghi and facilitate its fall. He devised a feint attack on the city before pivoting against the island.
A garrison of 131 Greeks, reinforced by chieftain Kitsos Tzavelas and eight companions who slipped through the enemy fleet, successfully defended the islet of Kleisova against six assaults by Kütahı and five more by Ibrahim's Egyptian force of 3,000 men. Ibrahim's son-in-law Hussein Bey was killed leading the final Egyptian assault, breaking enemy morale.
The Greek defenders repelled all eleven attacks, inflicting heavy casualties including Hussein Bey and wounding Kütahı himself. Despite this tactical victory, the battle did not alter the strategic situation; Missolonghi eventually fell to the besieging forces, underscoring the limits of isolated defensive successes during the Greek War of Independence.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Kitsos Tzavelas, Panagiotis Sotiropoulos.
Side B
2 belligerents
Kütahı, Ibrahim Pasha, Hussein Bey.