movements in the northern provinces had a similar fate. But the rising
in the Peloponnesus under Germanos, the Archbishop of Patros, was more
successful; his forces drove the Turks before them, and the independence
of the country was proclaimed in January of 1823. The Greeks, however,
displayed little power of combination, and their partial success was
followed by internal dissensions which greatly weakened their cause.
Mavrocordato was elected president, but the aspirants for honours and
leadership were numberless, the various factions were continually
quarrelling with each other, and there was at length open civil war
inspired by Colcotronis.

Meanwhile the aspirations of Greece had excited great sympathy
throughout Europe; a Greek Committee was formed in London; the
Philhellenes became very powerful in most countries on the continent, as
well as in America, and many volunteers, of whom Lord Byron was a
notable example, enlisted in the cause of Greek liberty.

The Greek fleet, led by Miaoulis from 1823 onward, was exceedingly
active; the Greek seamen inspired the Turks with great terror, and did
immense damage to their fleets. The Turks retaliated by taking vengeance
on the unprotected islands of the archipelago, and committed unspeakable
atrocities on the inhabitants of Chios in 1822, and two years later upon
those of Kasos and Psara. In 1824 the Sultan invoked the aid of Mehemet
Ali, Pacha of Egypt, whose stepson, Ibrahim, landed in the Peloponnesus
and with his Arab troops carried all before him, when the Greeks lost
most of what they had acquired. The war, however, was continued for many
years; Lord Cochrane became admiral of the Greek fleet and Sir Robert
Church took command of the land forces. The action of Navarino, which
occurred in 1827 almost by accident, had a great effect upon the
fortunes of the struggle. The fleets of England, France, and Russia were