The Greek War of Independence (1821–1832)

This chapter explores the conditions leading to the emergence, development, and outcome of the Greek War of Independence (1821–1832). It analyzes the role of Eastern Orthodox Christianity as a mobilizing factor against the Ottomans among the Christian Orthodox during the war. The war paved the way for Greek Orthodoxy to become the dominant religion, legally, of the newly established Kingdom of Greece in 1832, which was officially called the Kingdom of Hellas. Islam and Muslim communities were regarded as enemies and targeted by the Greek rebels with the purpose of either uprooting Islam from areas that were to become parts of Greece or assimilating Muslim communities by converting their members to Christian Orthodoxy.