Mainotes

Mainotes, the inhabitants of the mountainous peninsula of Maina, that lies between the gulfs of Koron and Marathonisi in the extreme south of Greece. They claim to be the descendants of the ancient Spartans, number close upon 50,000, and are a well-built race, industrious and hospitable, but revengeful, great lovers of liberty, and formerly implacable foes of the Turks. They took a prominent part in the war for the liberation of Greece. In 1676 about 1000 Mainotes emigrated to Corsica; their descendants still survive at Cargese in that island. Amongst the emigrants were some bearing the name of Kalomeros, which in Italian is translated Buonaparte. Hence the people of Maina believe that the great Napoleon was of Greek origin. The emigrants were settled at Ajaccio from 1729 down to 1769, in which year Napoleon was born there.