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Catherine II: Empress of Russia (1762-96). |
The end of the Russian-Turkish wars (1768-1774 and 1788-1792) organized by Catherine the Great, together with the unsuccessful results over the Hellenic issue, the hostility of the Ottoman authorities and the French Revolution - all these changed the political methods applied in the past. The new policy was best expressed By Rigas Feraios. Born in Velestino-Thessaly, he had a thirst for education and looked for a better future in Constantinople and the sovereigns. Encyclopedians influenced his ideas as well: he enjoyed companionship with scholars such as Iosipos Moisiodax, Grigorios Konstantas, Dimitrios Philippidis and others.
The idea of the revolution in the subjugated Balkan populations was born after the outbreak of the French Revolution. Rigas wished to abolish the old established status quo and to encourage the revolution of oppressed Muslims and Christians. He looked to the people being in power, regardless of their religious beliefs, and to laws that make no discrimination between rich and poor,or between sexes.
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Hellenic Democracy, 'New political administration of the inhabitants in Rumelia, Asia Minor, the islands of the Meditteranean',the multi-ethnic confederation which would occupy Ottoman and Byzantine territories. Hellenic civilization would play an important role in the developing state, while taking note of the dissimilarities among the ethnic groups. At that time, Hellenic literature had become popular in the Balkans and the the Greek language was considered the lingua franca of the area. Rigas strongly believed that Hellenic education would become a tie linking the educated. What he could not foresee, however, was that the Enlightenment would arouse reactions among the Balkan people against the Greek supremacy. |
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