Nicolas-Joseph Maison (Source: www.philehelleneshist.gr)
The French philhellene Marshal Nicolas-Joseph Maison (Nicolas-Joseph Maison) was one of the most important figures of the Greek Revolution of 1821, as he led the Morea Campaign, which aimed to drive Ibrahim and his army out of the Peloponnese. Maison, who was born 250 years ago on December 19, 1771, had a military camp in the center of Kalamata, where the church of Saint Nicholas Flaris stands today.
Maison (1771–1840) was born in Épinay-sur-Seine, France, a suburb of Paris. He was the son of Joseph Maison and Marie Genevieve Guiard, and his wife’s name was Marie-Madeleine-Françoise Weigold. At the age of 21, he enlisted in the French army and took part in numerous campaigns in Europe (Italy, the Netherlands) and in the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). He was honored with many titles, such as Count and Marquis, and was also awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. He also served as military commander of Paris, was a member of the Council of Elders, and held the posts of Minister of War and Minister of Foreign Affairs of France.
In 1828, following a joint decision by the Great Powers, an expeditionary force was sent to the Peloponnese with the aim of clearing the region of Ibrahim’s enemy troops. King Charles X of France entrusted Maison with the command of the French forces. The French marshal departed France in late July 1828 with a large force of 15,000 soldiers and arrived in Messenia on August 28, 1828, disembarking at Petalidi. Maison quickly achieved significant successes, capturing the fortresses of Methoni, Pylos, and Koroni, and in October 1828, he liberated the fortress of Patras. He remained in Greece for about a year, until May 1829, when he was recalled to France and honored with the rank of field marshal for his actions. In fact, before he departed, Ioannis Kapodistrias had presented him with two swords as a gift—one Byzantine and the other belonging to Karaiskakis.
Saint Nicholas of Flari (Source: www.philhelleneshist.gr)
During his stay in the Peloponnese, the French marshal set up a military camp in the city of Kalamata. His camp was located in the area surrounding the Church of Saint Nicholas of Flarios, situated in the center of Kalamata. The church, whose foundation stone was laid in 1859 and which was consecrated in 1865, was built on the site of an older church called “Saint Nicholas of the Strangers.” The name “Flarion” derives from the name of the French military unit known as “Flarion” or “Flarion.”
In 1828, the church was used by Catholic priests of the French army, while the adjacent area served as a cemetery for the French. Today, next to the church, there is an inscription stating that the church was ceded to Maison’s army, as well as a small cannon donated to the church by the French marshal himself in 1828.
Maison’s Cannon (Source: www.philhelleneshist.gr)
Today, in various parts of our prefecture, there are streets named after Maison. Thus, we find streets named “Maison” in Kalamata, Messini, Koroni, Methoni, Petalidi, and Pylos. Additionally, in Yalova, there is a monument commemorating the 300 French officers and soldiers of Marshal Maison’s expeditionary force who died of malaria.
Maison, who is considered one of the most important military figures of the 19th century, played a decisive role in the liberation of the Peloponnese from the hostile Turkish-Egyptian forces. As you walk through the center of Kalamata, if you pass by the church of Saint Nicholas, you can admire Maisonn’s cannon; he had chosen this location to set up his camp and organize his plans against Ibrahim.
Giorgos Giannikos
Sources:
Information was drawn from www.eefshp.org and www.orthodoxianewsagency.gr.
This text is a republication of an article originally published in the newspaper “Eleftheria Kalamatas” (Issue 13189, 21 December 2021).
