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Armen Kouptsios (Greek: Άρμεν Κούπτσιος, Bulgarian Армен Купциос, 1885 - 1906) was a Macedonian Greek revolutionist.

Life

Kouptsios was born in Volakas in what was then the Ottoman Empire in 1885. He met the Greek Makedonomachos Capitan Dais, who was at that time a teacher in Prosotsani. Captain Dais organized the Macedonian Struggle in Drama. Kouptsios told Dais that he was willing to sacrifice his life for Greece.

The Archdeacon of Bishop of Drama,^[1] Chrysostomos, Themistoklis Chatzistavrou (known as Archbishop of Athens and in Greece, Chrysostomos II), in the Macedonian Diary of 1965, writes, "The organization that was initiated by the Greeks was completely secret. We were trying to keep Bishop Chrysostomos away from the danger. We wanted to protect him from the danger that his surging character and his fiery patriotism were leading him. Ion Dragoumis was the general leader of the organization. I was in charge to adjure the initiated members in Drama. I was the one to adjure Armen from Volakas and Valavanis from Petroussa. We were giving them guns."

Armen Kouptsios became one of the most trusted men of Chrysostomos and was incorporated into the revolting troops, which were active in Drama. The revolting troops of Drama fought the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) multiple times and caused them many losses.

Armen Kouptsios' death is connected with the arrival of the IMRO voivod, Plachev, in June 1905. Bulgarian IMRO sent him to organize the murder of Greek leaders and fighters causing problems to the Bulgarian regime. Kouptsios' troops received the command to exterminate Plachev.

Armen Kouptsios with Nakos Vogiatzis and Petros Mantzas upended Plachev in Tsobanka, in Laurentian Abbey in Drama. Plachev was trapped, and Kouptsios asked him to surrender. Plachev fired and Kouptsios retaliated, killing Plachev. By that time, Turkish guards arrived on horseback, under the commands of a caretaker of Kalos Agros. Kouptsios began shooting to give a chance for his companions to escape. Kouptsios chose to be arrested to save his companions. He did not attempt to kill any Turk soldier so as not to cause problems to bishop Chrysostomos. Ottomans at this time would accuse Chrysostomos of every dead Turkish soldier.

Chrysostomos and the people of Drama made several attempts to free Kouptsios, to no avail. Armen Kouptsios was tortured to give the names of the members of the Organization, but he did not reveal anything, so he stood on trial in a special court-martial in Thessaloniki. He was condemned to execution by hanging to take place in Drama.

Chrysostomos and the "Greek center" organized a plan for Armen Kouptsios' escape. Turks learned of the plans, which had to be abandoned. On 14 September 1905, Armen Kouptsios was executed by hanging in the square of Drama.^[2]

Armen Kouptsios' father witnessed the scene of his son's execution. Chrysostomos invited Armen's father to the episcopate to comfort him. Armen's father told the bishop "I am not crying for losing my son. I am crying for you because you lost your henchman." In 1916, during World War I, when the Bulgarians returned to Drama, they arrested Armen's father, tortured him, and left him to die inside a well. They also cut the plane tree to leave no memories of the sacrifice to the younger Dramins.

Legacy

Kouptsios is regarded as a folk hero in the Regional Unit of Drama, Greece.^[3] A marble bust of him was erected on July 1, 1967, at the Central Square of Drama; the place where he was hanged.^[4]

References

^ "Ottoman times". www.pedramas.eu. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
^ "Past and Present". www.pedramas.eu. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
^ Vatopoulos, Nikos (2020). "Η περίπτωση του Αρμεν Κούπτσιου, σελίδες από τις ιστορίες του Βορρά [The Case of Armen Kouptsios, pages of the history of the North]". Kathimerini (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2020-10-20.
^ "Άρμεν Κούπτσιος Ήρωας του Μακεδονικού Αγώνα [Armen Kouptsios Hero of the Macedonian Struggle]". destanea.com (in Greek). 16 December 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-10-10.

Diary 2007, edition and diligence by Holy Bishop of Drama

[1] "Ottoman times". www.pedramas.eu. Retrieved 2020-05-18.

[2] "Past and Present". www.pedramas.eu. Retrieved 2020-05-18.

[3] Vatopoulos, Nikos (2020). "Η περίπτωση του Αρμεν Κούπτσιου, σελίδες από τις ιστορίες του Βορρά [The Case of Armen Kouptsios, pages of the history of the North]". Kathimerini (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2020-10-20.

[4] "Άρμεν Κούπτσιος Ήρωας του Μακεδονικού Αγώνα [Armen Kouptsios Hero of the Macedonian Struggle]". destanea.com (in Greek). 16 December 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-10-10.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Refimprove|date=May 2020}}
-{{multiple issues|
+[[Image:Armen Kouptsios Makedonomaxos.jpg|250px|thumb|Armen Kouptsios]]
-{{Cleanup|date=April 2009}}
-{{Unreferenced|date=May 2009}}
-}}
+'''Armen Kouptsios''' ({{lang-el|Άρμεν Κούπτσιος}}, [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] Армен Купциос, 1885 - 1906) was a [[Macedonians (Greeks)|Macedonian Greek]] revolutionist.
-[[Image:Armen Kouptsios Makedonomaxos.jpg|150px|thumb|Armen Kouptsios]]
+==Life==
-'''Armen Kouptsios''' ({{lang-el|Άρμεν Κούπτσιος}}, [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] Армен Купциос, born 1885 - died 1906) was a [[Greek Macedonians|Greek Macedonian]] revolutionary.
+Kouptsios was born in [[:el:Βώλακας Δράμας|Volakas]] in what was then the [[Ottoman Empire]] in 1885. He met the [[Greeks|Greek]] Makedonomachos Capitan Dais, who was at that time a teacher in [[Prosotsani]]. Captain Dais organized the [[Greek struggle for Macedonia|Macedonian Struggle]] in [[Drama (regional unit)|Drama]]. Kouptsios told Dais that he was willing to sacrifice his life for Greece.
+The Archdeacon of Bishop of [[Drama]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ottoman times|url=http://www.pedramas.eu/index.php/en/tourism/history/ottoman-times.html|website=www.pedramas.eu|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref> [[Chrysostomos of Smyrna|Chrysostomos]], Themistoklis Chatzistavrou (known as [[List of Archbishops of Athens|Archbishop of Athens]] and in [[Greece]], Chrysostomos II), in the ''Macedonian Diary'' of 1965, writes, "The organization that was initiated by the [[Greeks]] was completely secret. We were trying to keep Bishop [[Chrysostomos of Smyrna|Chrysostomos]] away from the danger. We wanted to protect him from the danger that his surging character and his fiery patriotism were leading him. [[Ion Dragoumis]] was the general leader of the organization. I was in charge to adjure the initiated members in [[Drama (regional unit)|Drama]]. I was the one to adjure Armen from Volakas and Valavanis from Petroussa. We were giving them guns."
-Kouptsios was born in Volakas ([[Kato Nevrokopi|municipality of Kato Nevrokopi]], [[Drama (regional unit)|Drama regional unit]]), in 1885.
-He met the [[Greeks|Greek]] Macedonian fighter Capetan Dais, when Dais, as a teacher in [[Prosotsani]], was organizing, in secret the [[Greek struggle for Macedonia|Macedonian Struggle]] in [[Drama (regional unit)|Drama]]. To him, Kouptsios revealed his will to fight for mother [[Greece]], until death.
+Armen Kouptsios became one of the most trusted men of [[Chrysostomos of Smyrna|Chrysostomos]] and was incorporated into the revolting troops, which were active in [[Drama (regional unit)|Drama]]. The revolting troops of Drama fought the [[Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization]] (IMRO) multiple times and caused them many losses.
-The archdeacon of Bishop of [[Drama]], [[Chrysostomos of Smyrna|Chrysostomos]], Themistoklis Chatzistavrou (known later as  [[List of Archbishops of Athens|Archbishop of Athens]] and all over [[Greece]], Chrysostomos II), in the ''Macedonian Diary'' of 1965, writes "The Organization that was initiated the [[Greeks]] was completely secret. We were trying to keep Bishop [[Chrysostomos of Smyrna|Chrysostomos]] away from the danger. We wanted to protect him from the danger, that his surging character and his fiery patriotism, were leading him. [[Ion Dragoumis]] was the general leader of the Organization. I was in charge to adjure the initiated members in [[Drama (regional unit)|Drama]]. I was the one to adjure Armen from Volakas and Valavanis from Petroussa. We were giving them guns."
+Armen Kouptsios' death is connected with the arrival of the IMRO voivod, Plachev, in June 1905. [[Bulgaria]]n IMRO sent him to organize the murder of [[Greek people|Greek]] leaders and fighters causing problems to the Bulgarian regime. Kouptsios' troops received the command to exterminate Plachev.
-Armen Kouptsios became one of the most trusted men of [[Chrysostomos of Smyrna|Chrysostomos]] and he was incorporated in the revolting troops, that were acting in [[Drama (regional unit)|Drama]]. The revolting troops of Drama fought many times the [[Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization]] (IMRO), well-armed troops, and caused many losses to them.
+Armen Kouptsios with Nakos Vogiatzis and Petros Mantzas upended Plachev in Tsobanka, in Laurentian Abbey in Drama. Plachev was trapped, and Kouptsios asked him to surrender. Plachev fired and Kouptsios retaliated, killing Plachev. By that time, [[Ottoman Empire|Turkish]] guards arrived on horseback, under the commands of a caretaker of Kalos Agros. Kouptsios began shooting to give a chance for his companions to escape. Kouptsios chose to be arrested to save his companions. He did not attempt to kill any Turk soldier so as not to cause problems to bishop [[Chrysostomos of Smyrna|Chrysostomos]]. [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]] at this time would accuse Chrysostomos of every dead Turkish soldier.
-Armen Kouptsios' death is connected with the arrival of IMRO voivod, Plachev, June 1905. [[Bulgaria]]n IMRO sent him to organize the murder of [[Greek people|Greeks]] leaders and fighters, that caused problems to the Bulgarian regime. Kouptsios' troop received the command to exterminate Plachev.
+Chrysostomos and the people of Drama made several attempts to free Kouptsios, to no avail. Armen Kouptsios was tortured to give the names of the members of the Organization, but he did not reveal anything, so he stood on trial in a special [[court martial|court-martial]] in [[Thessaloniki]]. He was condemned to execution by hanging to take place in Drama.
-Armen Kouptsios with Nakos Vogiatzis and Petros Mantzas upended Plachev in Tsobanka, in Laurentian Abbey in Drama. Plachev got trapped and Kouptsios asked him to surrender. Plachev shot and Kouptsios retaliated, killing PLachev. By that time, [[Ottoman Empire|Turkish]] guard in horseback, came, under the commands of caretaker of Kalos Agros. Kouptsios started shooting in order to gice the chance to his companions to escape, as the actually did. He chose to be arrested in order to save his companions. He didn't try to kill any Turk soldier in order not to cause problems to bishop [[Chrysostomos of Smyrna|Chrysostomos]]. [[Ottomans]] always were accusing Chrysostomos, in every death of a Turk soldier.
+Chrysostomos and the "Greek center" organized a plan for Armen Kouptsios' escape. Turks learned of the plans, which had to be abandoned. On 14 September 1905, Armen Kouptsios was executed by hanging in the square of Drama.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Past and Present|url=http://www.pedramas.eu/index.php/en/tourism/past-and-present.html|website=www.pedramas.eu|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref>
-Drama broke down when news spread because Armen Kouptsios was famous. Chrysostomos and Drama people made a lot of attempts to free Kouptsios, with no result. Armen Kouptsios was tortured in order to reveal names of the Organization. As he didn't reveal anything he stood on trial in a special [[court martial]] in [[Thessaloniki]]. He was condemned to execution by hanging. He was transferred back to Drama for the hanging.
+Armen Kouptsios' father witnessed the scene of his son's execution. Chrysostomos invited Armen's father to the episcopate to comfort him. Armen's father told the bishop "I am not crying for losing my son. I am crying for you because you lost your henchman." In 1916, during [[World War I]], when the Bulgarians returned to Drama, they arrested Armen's father, tortured him, and left him to die inside a well. They also cut the plane tree to leave no memories of the sacrifice to the younger Dramins.
-Chrysostomos and the "Greek centre" organized plan for Armen Kouptsios' escape. Turks learned about the plan of escape and changed the way back. So, the plan of escape abandoned. On 14 September 1905, Armen Kouptsios was executed in the great plane tree, in the square of Drama.
+== Legacy ==
-Armen Kouptsios' father watched the scene of his execution. Chrysostomos invited Armen's father in the episcopate in order to comfort him. Armen's father said to bishop "I am not crying for losing my son. I am crying for you, because you lost your henchman." In [[World War I]], in 1916, when Bulgarians came back to Drama, they arrested Armen's father, they tortured him and then they let him die inside a well. Bulgarians also cut the plane tree, to leave no memories of the sacrifice to the younger Dramins.
+Kouptsios is regarded as a folk hero in the [[Drama (regional unit)|Regional Unit of Drama]], [[Greece]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Vatopoulos|first=Nikos|date=2020|title=Η περίπτωση του Αρμεν Κούπτσιου, σελίδες από τις ιστορίες του Βορρά [The Case of Armen Kouptsios, pages of the history of the North]|url=https://www.kathimerini.gr/life/city/1091886/i-periptosi-toy-armen-koyptsioy-selides-apo-tis-istories-toy-vorra/|url-status=live|access-date=|website=[[Kathimerini]]|language=Greek|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020135916/https://www.kathimerini.gr/life/city/1091886/i-periptosi-toy-armen-koyptsioy-selides-apo-tis-istories-toy-vorra/ |archive-date=2020-10-20 }}</ref> A marble bust of him was erected on July 1, 1967, at the Central Square of [[Drama, Greece|Drama]]; the place where he was hanged.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|date=16 December 2017|title=Άρμεν Κούπτσιος Ήρωας του Μακεδονικού Αγώνα [Armen Kouptsios Hero of the Macedonian Struggle]|url=https://destanea.com/dimos-dramas-main/istoria-dimou-dramas/item/24-2017-12-16-18-20-30|url-status=live|access-date=|website=destanea.com|language=Greek|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010140432/https://destanea.com/dimos-dramas-main/istoria-dimou-dramas/item/24-2017-12-16-18-20-30 |archive-date=2021-10-10 }}</ref>
-==Sources==
+==References==
+{{reflist}}
 *''Diary 2007'', edition and diligence by Holy Bishop of Drama
@@ Line 35: / Line 36: @@
 [[Category:Macedonian revolutionaries (Greek)]]
 [[Category:People of the Macedonian Struggle]]
-[[Category:Greeks of the Ottoman Empire]]
+[[Category:Greeks from the Ottoman Empire]]