Laskarina was born in a Constantinople prison on May 11, 1771. She has roots in the Arvanite community on the Greek island of Hydra. Her parents were Stavrianos Pinotsis, a captain from Hydra and his wife, Skevo. Stavrianos had been imprisoned by the Ottoman's for his role in the failed Orlof Rebellion (1769-70), against Ottoman rule. Her father died soon after her birth and Skevos returned to Hydra with her daughter; they moved to the island of Spetses 4 years later. It was there her mother remarried, Dimitrios Lazarou-Orlof and together they had 8 children.
Laskarina married twice, first Dimitrios Yiannouzas and later wealthy shipowner, Dimitrios Bouboulis, whom she took on the surname of. Bouboulis was killed in battle with Algerian pirates in 1811. Now 40, Laskarina took over his finances and trading business, she had four new ships built at her own expense including, the large warship, Agamemnon.
In 1816, the Ottoman's tried to confiscate Laskarina's property, since her second husband had fought for the Russians during the Turko-Russian wars. She sailed to Constantinople to meet Russian ambassador, Count Pavel Strogonov, seeking his protection. In acknowledgement of Bouboulis' military service to the Russians, Pavel sent her safely to Crimea (now part of Ukraine). After three months in exile, Laskarina returned to Spetses.
Laskarina allegedly joined, Filiki Etareia, an underground organization that was preparing Greece for revolution against Ottoman rule. She would have been one of the few women members but her name isn't mentioned in the group's historical records. She bought weapons and ammunition with her own money, smuggling them onto Spetses on her ships . Construction of the ship, Agamemnon was completed in 1820, it became the largest ship in the employ of the Greek rebels. She also gathered her own troops made of armed men from Spetses; a large portion of her fortune was also used for food and ammunition for sailors and soldiers under her command.
On April 3, 1821, the people of Spetses revolted, later joining forces with ships from other Greek islands. Laskarina sailed to Nafplion and began a naval blockade (a barrier at sea, created by a fleet of ships, meant to cut off supplies, weapons or communication from a particular area). She also took part in the naval blockade and capture of Monemvasia (on the island of Laconia) and Pylos. Her son, Yiannis Yiannouzas died in May 1821, in battle at Argos, where they were overwhelmed by the larger Ottoman forces. Laskarina arrived in Tripolis in time to witness it's fall on September 11, 1821; during the ensuing defeat of the Ottoman garrison, Laskarina saved most of the female members of the sultan's household. It was in Tripolis where Laskarina met, Lieutenant Theodoros Kolokotronis, their children Eleni Bouboulina and Panos Kolokotronis later married.
In 1823, the Russian emperor, Alexander I, granted Laskarina the title of Admiral of the Russian Navy and awarded her with a Mongolian sword; making her the first female admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy. Her descendants sold the Agamemnon to the Greek state, who renamed it Spetsai, it was destroyed during the Greek civil war, in 1831.
Just before the end of the Greek War of Independence in September 1829, the opposing factions erupted into civil war in 1824, Laskarina was arrested by the Greek government for her familial connections to the now imprisoned Kolokotronis, they also had her son-in-law, Panos killed. She was eventually sent back to Spetses, as an exile: her funds exhausted by the war of independence.
Laskarina was killed in a family dispute in 1825. A daughter of the Koutsis family had eloped with her son, Giorgios Yiannouzas. Seeking Laskarina, the girl's father, Christodoulos Koutsis went to her house, along with armed family members. Furious, Laskarina confronted them from her balcony, after an argument with Christodoulos, someone shot her square in the forehead and killed her instantly: her killer was never identified.
On the island of Spetses, the "Bouboulina Mueseum" is located in the 300 year old mansion, that belonged to Laskarina's second husband, where her descendants still live. A statue of her stands in the harbour on Spetses. She also has several streets named after her, notably Bouboulina Street National Technical University of Athens and the National Archaelogical Mueseum of Athens. Laskarina was depicted on the back of the 50 drachma banknote (1978) and 1 drachma coin (1999-2001).
https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Laskarina_Bouboulina
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Female Warriors
Kurgu OlmayanFrom Naotara li and Mulan to Eleanor of Aquitaine and Boudicca. Strong women throughout history who fought for the countries, families and beliefs; that made a stand against those who threatened to destroy them. They took charge when no else would.
