Room B

The exhibits in the second room are relics of the Greek history of the 18th and the first quarter of the 19th centuries, when the whole Greek world, apart from the Ionian islands, had fallen into Turkish rule. Through these memorabilias, we can approach persons and events which represent the forces of the Greek nation that helped preserve intact the national consciousness of the Greeks during the centuries of slavery, with the long-term goal of the resurrection of the nation.

In this area, a plethora of personal objects is in display: elaborately decorated firearms, seals with family insignia, inkwells, and watces belonging to one of the most powerful Christian social groups, the Phanariots. Descendants of the post-Byzantine aristocracy and offspring of wealthy families, highly educated, well-versed in foreign languages and familiar with the European way of life, they gathered around the Patriarchate, in the neighbourhood of Phanari, in Constantinople. Valuing their skills, the sultans employed them regularly in prominent diplomatic posts of the Empire. The most pre-eminent among them, like Constantine Ipsilantis, Constantine Mourouzis, Alexander Mavrocordatos, are portrayed in minutely painted portraits in this room.

The personal weapons of Ali Pasha of Ioannina, at whose service many Greeks found themselves, are also preserved here. In display are also the telescope and the weapons of Lambros Katsonis, a Greek fighter who served as an officer in the Russian army during the reign of Catherine II.

In the same room, there are memorabilia of the Greeks of the Diaspora, such as Rigas Feraios, an ardent patriot with intense rebel activity. He also developed considerable publishing activity, notably the Map of Greece, which was inspired by the ancient Greek tradition. The everyday life of Greek emmigrants is illustrated by the personal belongings of Adamantius Korais, his chair, his desk, his wallet with hand-written notes.

Items belongint to the "Filiki Etairia", the secret revolutionary organisation, are the ring with its insignia, some encrypted documents and a related painting. The same insignia from the ring are found on the banner of the military chief Georgios Sissinis (made on the eve of the Revolution), as well as on the banner of Tzanetakis Grigorakis. The variegated content of this room is rounded up by the display of uniforms and personal objects of well-known (Alexander Ipsilantis) and not so well-known members of the Ieros Lohos (the Sacred Company), who participated in the movement of the principalities bordering on the Danube, a milestone movement for the beginning of the national liberating struggle.