Greek Army Parade(Greek War of Independence-1821)25-3-09 Part 1

Informations from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_War_of_Independence The Greek War of Independence (also known as the Greek Revolution) (Greek: Ελληνική Επανάσταση Elliniki Epanastasi; Ottoman Turkish: يونان عصياني Yunan İsyanı) was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821 and 1829, with later assistance from several European powers, against the Ottoman Empire, who were assisted by their vassals, the Egyptian Khedivate. After a long and bloody struggle, the Greeks thus became the first people of the Ottoman Empire's subjects to secure recognition as an independent nation by the Treaty of Constantinople in July 1832. The anniversary of Greece's independence (March 25, 1821) is a national holiday in Greece and was deliberately chosen to coincide with the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. The Fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the subsequent fall of the successor states of the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire marked the end of Byzantine sovereignty. Since then, the Ottoman Empire ruled the Balkans, Anatolia, and most other formerly Greek-speaking regions with the exception of the Ionian Islands, Agrafa mountains, Sfakia region of Crete, Souli and the Mani Peninsula.[2] While many Greeks under Ottoman rule preserved their culture and traditions, largely with the help of the Greek Orthodox Church, they were a subject people and lacked basic political rights, with few exceptions.[citation needed] However, in the 18th and 19th century, as revolutionary nationalism grew across Europe—including the Balkans (due, in large part, to the influence of the French Revolution[3])—the Ottoman Empire's power declined and Greek nationalism began to assert itself, with the Greek cause beginning to draw support not only from the large Greek merchant diaspora in both Western Europe and Russia but also from Western European philhellenes.[4] This Greek movement for independence, not only was the first movement of national character in Eastern Europe, but also the first one in a non-Christian environment, like the Ottoman Empire. More in :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_War_of_Independence