Suliotes

Suliotes, a tribe who inhabited the valley of the ancient Acheron, in the Pashalik of Janina (Epirus) in European Turkey, are a mixed race, being partly of Hellenic and partly of Albanian origin. They are the descendants of a number of families who fled from their Turkish oppressors to the mountains of Suli (whence they derive their name) near Parga during the 17th century. In this corner of the Turkish empire they prospered, and towards the close of the 18th century numbered 560 families, inhabiting 90 hamlets. For several years they heroically resisted the attempts of the Turks to deprive them of their independence. But vanquished at length (1803), they retreated to the Ionian Islands, where they remained till 1820, when Ali Pasha, finding himself hard pressed by the Turks, invoked their aid. The Suliotes, eager to return to their home, threw in their lot with him, but were ultimately forced to surrender their stronghold of Suli to the Turks, and again to flee from their country. About 3000 of them took refuge in Cephalonia, though large numbers preferred to skulk in the neighbouring mountains. Though they took a glorious part in the war of Greek independence, their country was not included by the treaty of 1829, nor by the extension of 1881, within the Greek boundary line. Nevertheless most of them established themselves in Greece, where their leaders were raised to important offices. See Perrhaebos' History of Suli and Parga (1815; Eng. trans. 1823).