Enidzhevardar revolutionary district of IMARO
 | This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: Unification of used personal and place names and terminology. (June 2025) |
| Ениджевардарски революционен район на ВМОРО и ВМРО | |
|---|---|
| |
 Seal of main district voyvode Apostol Petkov | |
| Founders | Dame Gruev, Apostol Petkov |
| Leaders | Gotse Delchev, Todor Alexandrov, Aleksandar Protogerov |
| Foundation | 1897 Yenice-i Vardar kaza, Salonika Vilayet, Ottoman Empire (now Greece) |
| Dissolved | 1934 |
| Group(s) | BPMARO, BSRB, Boatmen of Thessaloniki |
| Motives | Before WWI: Autonomy for Macedonia and Adrianople regions During WWI: Incorporation of Vardar Macedonia, Belomorie and Pomoravie within Bulgaria After WWI: Independent Macedonia |
| Ideology | Macedonia for the Macedonians[1] |
| Status | Revolutionary district |
| Allies |  Kingdom of Bulgaria |
| Opponents |  Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Greece |
| Battles and wars | |
| Flag |  |
The Enidzhevardar revolutionary region of the Salonica revolutionary district of Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization consists of the territories of Yenice-i Vardar kaza in Ottoman Empire with main town Yenice-i Vardar (modern Giannitsa, Greece). The region was relatively well-organized for revolutionary actions and participated in the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie uprising, but did not rebel en masse and for this reason do not suffers damage and destruction during the rebellion. For the time of the activity of the Greek armed propaganda in Macedonia between 1904 - 1908, the wide region of Yenice-i Vardar became the main battleground between rival Bulgarian and Greek chetas (warbands). Main Greek leader was the Greek consul in Thessaloniki Lambros Koromilas, and the voyvode Apostol Petkov was the most distinguishable leader of IMARO in the region. In support of IMARO chetas in Yenice-i Vardar region some Aromanian ("Vlach") chetas from the Kingdom of Bulgaria arrived. After the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, the territory of the district became part of Kingdom of Greece, but the armed resistance continued even after that.
Enidzhevardar revolutionary district
[edit]
The emergence of organized chetnik actions occurred in 1897, when Dame Gruev undertook a tour of the Enidzhevardar region and initiated local committees, he swores in the former bandits Apostol Petkov, Ivancho Karasuliyata, Spiro Karasulski and others for the purposes of the IMORO. To raise discipline in 1898, the agitation and organizational detachment of Mihail Apostolov - Popeto arrived in the district, which toured the Kukush region, and then the Enidzhevardar and Gevgeli regions.
Several affairs broke out successively in the region and the district. These were the Enidzhevardar affair from the summer of 1900, the Bayaltsi affair and the Thessaloniki affair from the beginning of 1901, which had an impact against the more mass organization of the population in the Enidzhevardar region. Followed by the Gevgeli affair from the beginning of 1902 and the Machukovo affair from October 1902, which caused more distrupction of the organizational network in the Thessaloniki revolutionary region.
In the district and the region in mid-1902, the SMAC detachments of Anastas Yankov, Toma Pozharliev, Ivan Pozharliev, Atanas Ordzhanov, Ivan Karasuliyski and others arrived to raise an uprising. The activists of the IMARO foiled their attempts, some of the detachments were disarmed, and so the Gorna Dzhumaya Uprising did not reach Enidzhevardar region. The same year, a small-scale Thessaloniki Congress was held, and at the congress in January 1903, a decision was made for a general uprising, which was not attended by the most prominent activists of IMARO.
Ilinden-Preobrazhenie uprising
[edit]According to the main plan of Hristo Matov for the upcoming uprising First Thessaloniki revolutionary region is to be split into two - „Belasitsa“ and that one, formed by Enidzhevardar district together with Gevgeli, Voden (Edessa) and Tikvesh districts - called „Kozhuh“. Preparations for an uprising in the Thessaloniki District began immediately after the Sofia Conference of IMARO in January 1903.
In Enidzhevardar region, Apostol Petkov fought a battle near Boymitsa (Axiopouli) on February 23, 1903, and Ivan Karasuliyski killed Greek spies in Babyani (Lakka) on April 17, 1903. Krustyo Asenov crossed into their area and, together with the detachments of Apostol Petkov and Trayko Gyotov, fought a battle at Postol (Pela), after which the detachments of Krustyo Asenov and Apostol Petkov met with that of Ivan Karasuliyski in Kornishor (Kromni). There, on July 20, the revolutionary flag was lit and the uprising began. Krustyo Asenov was killed after arbitrariness on July 25, 1903, on the orders of Gone Beginin. On July 28, Apostol Petkov passed through Kriva (Griva), then fought near Ramna (Omalo) and withdrew to Payak mountain. On September 12, the united detachment of Apostol Petkov and Ivan Karasuliyski fought battle on Gundach Peak with a regular Turkish army from Gumendze and Gevgelija. After that, Apostol Petkov fought a battle on Gola Chuka Peak, and in November 1903, the insurgent activity in the entire region was stopped.
Emergence of Greek armed propaganda
[edit]After the suppression of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising, Greek armed propaganda in Macedonia intensified, led by the Greek Consulate in Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki became a scene of extermination between Bulgarians and Greeks.
The Greek town committee of Yenidze Vardar included Anton Kasapov (Andonis Kasapis, chairman), priest Dimitar Ikonomov (Dimitrios Oikonomou, secretary), Hristo Daskalov (Hristos Didaskalou, treasurer), all of whom were killed by activists of the Bulgarian committee. In 1903, Kasapov's daughter Velika Roma was killed in Pilorik (Pendaplatano), in 1904 - he himself was killed, in 1907 - Hristo Daskalov near Gyupchevo, and in 1909 priest Dimitar in Babyani. Also were killed Hristo Hadzhidimitrov (Christos Hadzhidimitriou) on July 17, 1905 in the town's market square, Dionisis Samoladas in 1904, Aristid Duvandzhiev (Aristides Duvandzis) and Dionis Chakmakov (Dionysis Tsakmakis) in 1905, Yani Karabatakov (Yannis Karabatakis) with his niece, Stavri Midzhurov (Stavros Midzouris), Atanas Ikonomov (Atanasios Ikonomu) and Atanas Organdzhiev (Atanasios Organdzis) in 1906.[4][5] The secret leader of Greek propaganda in the town at all times was Ioannis Papavasiliou – Sfetsos.[6]
In October 1904, the first detachment of grecoman slav-speaker Gono Yotov went out to Enidzhevardar region. He helped captains Agras (Telos Agapinos), Nikiforos (Ioannis Demestihas) and Akritas (Konstantinos Mazarakis) to organize their bases in Giannitsa Lake, where they fought many battles with the detachment of Apostol Petkov. With bribes and the distribution of free weapons, they attracted the villages of Petrevo (Petrusia), Ramel (Rahona) and Zorbatovo (Mikro Monastiri) to their side, and the Greek villages in Roumlouki became bases of the Greek propaganda. The Greek detachments constantly attacked the Bulgarian villages in Enidzhevardar region, and in response, Ramel and Nisi (Nision) were burned down. The Voden (Edessa) district voivode Luka Ivanov led many successful battles with the greek Andarti, but died in August 1906 in a battle with the detachment of Konstantinos Garefis, who also died during the fight. In early 1907, the new commander of the Greek detachments Konstantinos Saros abandoned the Greek-Turkish cooperation against IMARO and as a result the greeks were almost pushed out of the Enidzhevardar region.
In the period 1903–1908, Enidzhevardar Lake was used as a base by the warring detachments of the IMARO and the Greek Macedonian Committee. With the help of local villagers, even before the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising, IMARO constructs its bases in the lake. They remained the main base of the voivode Apostol Petkov, called by the local Bulgarian population "Sun of Enidzhe Vardar". In 1907, the joint pressure of Greek armed propaganda and the Turkish army forced the Bulgarians to leave the lake area. IMARO bases were: Alonaki, Itia, Slivitsa, Algana, Port Arthur, Zhervohor, Korchuka and Golo Selo, which was the headquarters of Apostol Petkov.
In a very short time in the spring of 1905, the Gevgelija revolutionary district was almost defeated. The detachments of Sava Mihaylov, Apostol Voivoda (without him himself), Ivancho Karasuliyski and Leonid Yankov were destroyed, while the main regional voivode Argir Manasiev was in Bulgaria recruiting weapons.[7] The Matsanova Affair and Gumendzhenska Affair scandals broke out in the spring and summer of 1906, during which the Ottoman authorities arrested great number of IMARO activists in the region.
The Enidzhevardar Revolutionary Committee was composed of Tomo Tushiyanov, Mile Pophristov, Georgi Harizanov, Georgi Pophristov, Dimitar Karabashev and Petar Hadzhirindov (replaced after his exposure by Mihail Kayafov).[8] Gradually, the town organization and church institutions in Enidze Vardar tried to seize the leadership of the revolutionary region from Apostol Petkov, for which he threatened the chairman of the Enidze Vardar Bulgarian Church Municipality Nikola Shkutov with murder.[9]
To help the IMARO detachments, Aromanian ("Vlach") detachments arrived in the region, such as that of Mihail Handuri. In the summer of 1907, together with Ivan Zlatanov and Georgi Kasapcheto from Mesimer or Ioryi Mucitano – Kasapcheto, he met with Tellos Agras and Andon Minga, who tried to lure them to the Greek side and break the Aromanian–Bulgarian alliance in Enidzhevardar. The Andarts were captured and hanged a few days later.[10]
The Young Turk Revolution and subsequent wars
[edit]
In July 1908, the Young Turk Revolution was declared, after which the troops of both sides disarmed. In 1910, the Young Turk regime carried out a disarmament action, in which many former activists of IMARO were tortured or arrested. Apostol Voivoda went underground again in 1910 and together with Ioryi Mucitano and Vasil Pufkata began the restoration of revolutionary activity through the new organization BPMARO. They were killed by betrayal in 1911 and were replaced by Ichko Dimitrov and Vando Gyoshev. The activists of the whole Thessaloniki Revolutionary region supported the offensive of the Bulgarian Army in the Balkan War. After the territories of the district fell within the borders of Greece, the voivodes Vendo Gyoshev, Dimitar Robkov and others were killed, many legal activists were arrested, tortured or killed.
At the outbreak of the Balkan War in 1912, 74 people from Enidze Vardar volunteered in the Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer Corps.[11] In November 1912, in the Battle of Yenidje, the Greeks inflicted the final defeat on the Ottoman forces in Southern Macedonia, which led to the fall of Thessaloniki. As a result of massive artillery shelling, the Turkish quarters and the barracks in the town were burned down.[12] At the beginning of Second Balkan War, many citizens and revolutionaries were exiled by the new Greek authorities to the island of Trikeri, where they met their deaths.
During World War I, the detachment of Hristo Zinov – Zinata, composed of deserters from the Greek army, appeared in Enidzhe vardar district.
Sources
[edit]- Бабев, Иван, „Македонска голгота – Спомени и изповеди от Ениджевардарско“, ТАНГРА ТанНакРа ИК, София, 2009.
- Бабев, Иван (2013). Помним делата ви. НСА Прес.
- „Из революционните борби в Ениджевардарското блато“, спомени на Стоян Хаджиев, публикувани в сп. „Илюстрация Илинден“, книга 38, 40, 41, София, 1930 г.
- „Резолюция на Учредителното събрание на Българската Народна Македоно-Одринска Революционна Организация“, София, 4 май 1910 година
References
[edit]- ^ For more see: Tchavdar Marinov, We, the Macedonians, The Paths of Macedonian Supra-Nationalism (1878–1912) in: Mishkova Diana ed., 2009, We, the People: Politics of National Peculiarity in Southeastern Europe, Central European University Press, ISBN 9639776289, pp. 117-120.
- ^ Христосков, Радослав (2025). "Спомени на Георги Харишев Божков от Енидже Вардар". „Македонски преглед“. XLVIІI (1). София: МНИ: 93.
- ^ Знаме на въстаниците от Илинденско-Преображенското въстание влезе в НС Archived 2020-10-19 at the Wayback Machine, www.armymedia.bg
- ^ "Ο Μακεδονικός Αγώνας και η λίμνη των Γιαννιτσών". ypodomi.com. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
- ^ Μιχαηλίδης, Ιάκωβος Δ., Κωνσταντίνος Σ. Παπανικολάου (2008). Αφανείς γηγενείς μακεδονομάχοι (1903–1913) (PDF) (in Greek). Θεσσαλονίκη: University Studio Press. p. 123. ISBN 978-960-12-1724-6.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Mαζαράκης - Αινιάν, I. K. Ο Μακεδονικός αγώνας : με ένα χάρτη των σχολείων της Μακεδονίας και εικόνες εκτός κειμένου. Αθήνα, Δωδώνη, 1981. σ. 109.
- ^ Яневъ, Антонъ (September 1930). "Леонидъ Янковъ" (PDF). Илюстрация Илиндень. 7 (27). Илинденска организация: 10.
- ^ Христосков, Радослав (2025). "Спомени на Георги Харишев Божков от Енидже Вардар". Македонски преглед. XLVIII (1). София: МНИ: 92–93.
- ^ Силяновъ, Христо. Освободителнитѣ борби на Македония. Т. II. Следъ Илинденското възстание. София, Издание на Илинденската организация, 1943. с. 522.
- ^ Τρομπούκη, Αλεξάνδρου. Ο ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΚΟΣ ΑΓΩΝΑΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ (Ο μαρτυρικός θάνατος του Ανθυπολοχαγού Τέλλου Αγαπηνού (Άγρα) το καλοκαίρι του 1907), ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ Ν. ΗΜΑΘΙΑΣ τχ.1 (Απρίλιος - Ιούνιος 2008) (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-10, retrieved 2013-02-16
- ^ Македоно-одринското опълчение 1912–1913 г.: Личен състав по документи на Дирекция "Централен военен архив" (PDF). София: Главно управление на архивите, Дирекция "Централен военен архив" В. Търново, Архивни справочници No. 9. 2006. p. 846. ISBN 954-9800-52-0.
- ^ Бабев, Иван (2009). Македонска голгота – Спомени и изповеди от Ениджевардарско. София: ТАНГРА ТанНакРа ИК. p. 451.