Principality of Samos
The Principality of Samos (Greek: Ηγεμονία της Σάμου, Igemonía tis Sámou; Ottoman Turkish: Sisam İmâreti; Turkish: Sisam Beyliği) was an autonomous tributary state of the Ottoman Empire from 1834 to 1912. The island of Samos participated in the Greek War of Independence and had successfully resisted several Turkish and Egyptian attempts to occupy it, but it was not included with the boundaries of the newly independent Kingdom of Greece after 1832. Instead, in 1834 the island was granted self-government as a semi-independent state.
Principality of Samos | |||||||||
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| 1834–1912 | |||||||||
Coat of arms
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Location of the Principality of Samos | |||||||||
| Status | Autonomous state under Ottoman suzerainty | ||||||||
| Capital | Chora, later Vathy | ||||||||
| Common languages | Greek | ||||||||
| Religion | Greek Orthodoxy, Sunni Islam | ||||||||
| Government | Principality | ||||||||
| Prince of Samos | |||||||||
• 1834–1850 (first) | Stefan Bogoridi | ||||||||
• 1912 (last) | Grigorios Vegleris | ||||||||
| Legislature | Assembly of Samos | ||||||||
| Senate | |||||||||
| Chamber of Deputies | |||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 1834 | ||||||||
• Official act of Union with Greece | 1912 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Greece | ||||||||
Tributary to the Ottoman Empire, paying the annual sum of £2700, it was governed by a Christian of Greek descent though nominated by the Porte, who bore the title of "Prince". The prince was assisted in his function as chief executive by a 4-member Senate. These were chosen by him out of eight candidates nominated by the four districts of the island: Vathy, Chora, Marathokampos, and Karlovasi. The actual legislative power belonged to a chamber of 36 deputies, presided over by the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan. The seat of the government was the port of Vathy.
With the outbreak of the First Balkan War, Themistoklis Sofoulis landed on the island with a group of exiled Samians and swiftly took control: the Ottoman garrison withdrew to Anatolia, and on 24 November 1912, the island's parliament officially declared union with Greece. The unification took place officially on 2 March 1913.