Battle of Velestino
Velestino (Feres), Thessaly, Greece
What happened
Greek troops under Colonel Konstantinos Smolenskis fought the Ottoman army led by Edhem Pasha and later Hakki Pasha. In 1897 Greece and the Ottoman Empire went to war over the island of Crete. At the Velestino pass, which controlled the road from the port of Volos to the plain of Thessaly, Smolenskis's troops held off Ottoman attacks for four days. A week later the Ottomans turned the Greek flank in a second battle, and the Greeks retreated.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The first battle was the only major Greek success of a war Greece lost. It made Smolenskis a national hero.
What came next
The Greek army was defeated at Domokos on 17 May, and a ceasefire took effect three days later. Crete became an autonomous state in 1898, before joining Greece in 1913.
Did you know?
Smolenskis was promoted to major general after the battle and later served twice as minister for military affairs.
Timeline
- 18 April 1897The Greco-Turkish War begins.
- 27-30 April 1897The Greeks hold the pass at Velestino.
- 6 May 1897The Ottomans win the second battle.
- 20 May 1897A ceasefire ends the fighting.
- December 1898Crete becomes an autonomous state.