Mountain fortress Edward John Trelawny

trelawny joseph severn

trelawny began lobbying members of london greek committee support odysseas. lobbied greek congress , criticised mavrokordatos. in letter mary shelley trelawny described mavrokordatos miserable jew , said hoped see him beheaded. trelawny able transfer portions of weapons shipments london odysseas. controversial move among greek leaders , london greek committee, many of whom saw foolish move. suggested greek authorities should hire privateers harass turkish ships.

in may 1824 trelawny brought load of guns fortified cave in odysseas based. arrived british military officer, whitcomb, , military engineer, fenton. trelawny recorded odysseas commanded force of 5,000 men, killed on 20,000 people during campaign. odysseas , men retired parnassus after learned greek government not give them more funds. greek government had decided try raise regular army , take power away warlords. size of force diminished.

trelawny hoped convince odysseas leave him ionian islands, odysseas refused. helped odysseas hide valuable antiquities, never found. sources claim odysseas attempting strike deal turks @ time. trelawny married teritza, half-sister of odysseas. younger him, , teenager. have speculated wedding performed local greek orthodox priest. teritza lived him in cave. @ point trelawny s life had began resemble many of stories had previous constructed past. word spread england trelawny working turks odysseas now. trelawny again tried convince odysseas escape him ionian islands in order prevent greek government arresting him. odysseas caught on way find boat. charged treason , imprisoned in athens. trelawny administered cave in absence.

assassination attempt

tension between trelawny , 2 english companions fenton , whitcomb had been growing. when shooting match proposed, trelawny arrogantly said pistol outshoot other 2 rifles. during contest, when trelawny checking target, shot in whitcomb, urged on fenton. fenton shot , killed 1 of trelawny s greek soldiers. seeing this, whitcomb tried flee captured soldiers. soldiers hung whitcomb off cliff ankles punishment, trelawny asked them stop , imprisoned man. there no doctor available , trelawny lived on diet of raw eggs suggested wife, attended him there. needed have musket ball removed, however. men kidnapped klept doctor , forced him operate @ gunpoint. doctor s efforts unsuccessful. although trelawny in poor condition several weeks recovered. living assailant later released. soldiers wanted roast whitcomb alive, trelawny insisted on releasing him.

trelawny bedridden 5 weeks after shot. after word spread england trelawny had survived, many of relatives unsuccessfully lobbied british government extract him greece. british army major d arcy bacon learned of situation , came agreement mavrokordatos allow trelawny leave greece. bacon went searching trelawny , captured of odysseas soldiers. had mistaken him doctor , hoped operate on trelawny. british corvette sailed corinth pick him up, teritza accompanied him. story published in english newspapers then. biographers believe fenton , whitcomb bribed mavrokordatos kill trelawny , give on cave. bacon lobbied greek government allow him leave country. odysseas executed in athens shortly before attempt on trelawny s life. trelawny regained full use of arm, walked slight hunch after recovering injury.