As the 18th century was closing, armed bands had taken action in the mainland of Greece. Thieves, armatolos, local private armies, commissionaires, jannissaries and corps of the Ottoman army fought and formed allies based on the circumstances, establishing thus an obscure and complicated scenery of power control. The agreements and gift exchanges were often followed by bloody battles. Behind some battles and conflicts occassionally agreements and tight consensus were hidden. At the mountainous regions of the Pelopponnese, Kolokotronis and Zaxarias joined together in common feasts and gatherings; meanwhile the band of Kolokotronis was commissioned to fight against the band of Zaxarias.
In the early 19th century, even when armed resistance against the Ottomans had found grounds of response among the Christian armed bands, the differences and the diversity of interests maintained a climate of reservations. The commitment to a common purpose was disrupted by the appearance of old enemies; families and groups, adversaries for decades, frequently worked together to prepare future rebellions. When the Revolution took flesh and blood, the different origins of the armed bands, the different experiences in organization and realization, together with the previously established mentalities, played a crucial role in further developments. The internal conflicts and the weakness in communication during the last period of the revolution completed the picture of power void, the Ottoman state was unable to control its conquered territories.