Lord George Gordon Noel Byron (1788 - 1824)

George Gordon Noel, Lord  Byron was  an  english  poet, one  of  the  most  important of his time and  the most  famous and most enthousiastic  philhellene. Coming  from aristocratic  family, he  was  very   well educated  and  showed his  brilliant  talent in a young age. Being a restless  nature he started  travelling  all  around  Europe, in Portugal, Spain, Greece, Turkey.

Greece  captured  his  mind  and heart. In Athens he  became  involved  with  Theressia, daughter  of Theodoros Makris. He  fell madly in love with her and  wrote the  poem "Maiden of Athens" (1809).

Later he travelled in  Turkey  and dispite  his   from birth limbing, he managed  to  pass  by the  Ellispontos.

In 1812 he speaks  for the first time in the Parliament  and  publishes  his  first  two  songs  " Child  Harold ", which  made  him  famous. But  his breaking up with his wife Anna Isabell  Millbag  ( 1792-1860 ) caused such a scandal, that he was forced to leave England (1816). At first he stayed  in  Switzerland, then  Italy, where he  cordially  supported the liberal activities of the italian patriots.

In 1823, by invitation of A.Mavrokordatos, he  arrives  in  Greece  in order  to  participate  in  the Greek  Revolution. In  the  same  year  he goes  to  Missolongi and organizes military parts, spending lots of money, coming from his own  fortune. The goverment gives him  the  title of the General of the Army with full powers. But  the  ordeals  and  the severities made his health condition worse and he died in 19th April 1824 at Missolongi from fever. Solomos  ( the  Greek  national  poet ), participating  in  the  general mourning, composes  along  ode dedicated to his death.

Some  of  Byron's  most  known works are "Child Harold", "Don Jouan", "Manfred".

His work, his adventurus life and heroic death  made  him  the  most  genuin  representative  of Romantism of the 19th century.