Karyes Pafsanias

Ottoman Period - Liberation

Ottoman Period

The only testimony that period for Karyes is from the traveler and geographer Porcacchi (1619 AD), which refers to Arachova as the largest village of the region, maintaining the character that had by Frank as the Great Arachova. Over Ottoman rule, Arachova had four (4) districts: the Koutsomachalás (the area keeps its name until nowadays), the Kato Machalás near St. Paraskevi's church, the Mauriákinos Machalás near the St. Ioannis church and the Pano Machalás near the church of Panagia.

Indeed, at that time there was a controversy about the cultivation rights of Karyes northeastern plateau (Kambos) between Karyes and the villages of Vourvoura and Kerasia. The result was the campaign of Arachova's inhabitants against farmers-abusers and after a long and bloody fray, the plateau ownership remains in Arachova. After a reference to the Ottoman government, a trial took place and the ottoman judge Kadis gave a favorable decision for Arachona, grace to the bribery (as it is said) by the chief of Arachova Panagos Mavrias. The limits of Karyes territorial jurisdiction set out then just as they are today the boundaries of the local community.

1821 Liberation Struggle

The Arachovitans took part in almost all the battles that took place in the Peloponnese campaign during 1821-26. Anagnostis D. Matalas made a small body in 1821 and Paraskevas Matalas was recognized as chieftain in 1825. As from the beginning of the struggle there was not an obvious great chieftain, the Arachovitans joined various bodies of Spartans chieftains. The most went to the bodies of Petros Barmpitsiotis while others joined in the bodies of G. Giatrakou and Nikitas Stamatelopoulos (Nikitaras). In the Archives of Fighters at the Greek National Library, there are approximately 80 registered names of warriors from Karyes.

"The burning of Arachova" by Ibrahim

After the siege of Messolonghi, Ibrahim campaigned at the Peloponnese, to drown the revolution of the Greeks. In his campaign one of the places that were burned and destroyed was Karyes the so-called "burning of Arachova"»(5), held on May 12, 1826. The villagers ran to the caves and scrubs of Parnon Mountain in order to hide themselves with any property they could carry, while the Egyptian-Ottoman troops of Ibrahim almost completely burned down the village. Among the few houses that survived was the church of St. Paraskevi, which was ignited but the shrine was the only burned. However, the plight did not end there, as three months later the Egyptian troops recoating the village, now deserted, and remained there for a certain unknown period. During the fighting several villagers were killed, while others were dragged as slaves to the city of Pylos to be loaded onto ships. Those who managed to pay ransom, they turned back, but again some of them failed to survive at the way back home.

Participation In Liberation Struggles

During the liberation struggle, the residents of Karyes participated in various battles in Peloponnese and other Greek territories such as the Revolution of Crete (1866-1868), the Greek-Turkish War of 1897, the Balkan Wars (1912-1913), the Asia Minor Campaign (1922), and the First and Second World War. For all these battles are records with names of people from Karyes who fought or died "for the country".

After the Liberation

The village was named during the Middle Ages and the Ottoman period as "Arachova", adopting the name or Rachova or Orechova from ancient Slavic word Rach (walnut), but immediately after the liberation from the Ottomans was renamed again to its ancient name of "Karyes" with the Royal decree on 27.12.1833 and established as the "Municipality of Karyes".

However, the extended royal decree on 11.21.1840 concerning the creation of municipalities establishes the "Municipality of Oinountos" and the village named as Arachova is rejoined administratively with the settlements of Vresthena, Vanvakou, Megali Vrisi and Varvitsa. In 1914 with the dissolution of these expanded municipalities, the village acquires its autonomy as the "Community of Arachova".

(1) Frantzis Β, 442
(2)Κ.Μ. Pitsios (1948), Karyaí (Aráchova) Lakedaímonos, Historical, Cultural Study

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