Entry for the Flamburiari Family
Flamburiari, family from Constantinople sheltered after the fall of 1453 in Venice, and thence in Crete whence, following the island’s fall in 1669, resorted in Zante. But even previously, 1512, a Flamburiari family is encountered at Gaitani village of Zante. Chief of the family from Crete appears to be Konstaninos, son of Andreas, who took shelter in Zante whose son Ioannis, owing to military service to Venice, was honoured on 1 November 1768, he and his male progenies, by the title of the Count and on 15 September 1784 received as a fief the monastery of the Virgin Anafonitria. The children of Ioannis were Markos, Stylianos and Antonios. Markos’ son was Emmanuel, and those of Stylianos were Nikolaos, Dionysios and Markos and those of Antonios were Ioannis the priest, Markos, Dimitrios and Dionysios. Nikolaos, son Stylianos, fathered Anastasios lawyer of the University of Pavia, who received political positions during the Septinsular Republic, and was co-minister of Kapodistrias, became legislator and prosecutor. Having opposed Maitland he was imprisoned, deposed of his ministries and exiled in Venice. He was an ardent Filikos (member of the secret organization Filiki Eteria), member of the Ephorate he contributed money and acted wholeheartedly for the struggle. His son Pericles, 1809-1853, distinguished himself in law, prudence and public ministries. Antonios, son of Mark, studied in Pisa, was proclaimed doctor of law and was distinguished for eloquence. He was appointed prosecutor, court president of Lefkada and appeals court judge and after the Union, withdrew as a private citizen. He wrote political pamphlets, was made a knight of the Saviour, donated his books to the public library of Zante and he died in January 1890. Markos, son of Antonios, was intelligent from his youth, for whom Aristotelis Valaoritis wrote upon his death “The Years” memorial poem. Nikolaos was a famous lawyer blinded at a young age, studied the cases and acted as lawyer memorising all the documents of the trial. Dionysios, son of Stylianos, collaborated as a Filikos in the propagation of the initiation and advancement of the struggle. He was appointed prosecutor, but, having signed a letter to King George IV requesting a reform of the Maitland Constitution, was deposed and exiled to Venice. Upon his return he was appointed prosecutor of Corfu, elected legislator and president of the Ionian Parliament. As member of the Commission of the Ionian Codes, he drafted the bill, published political pamphlets on the reform of the Ionian Constitution, was honoured with the Great Cross of St Michael and St George and died in 1874. Nikolaos of Dionysios served as consul of Greece in Messina of Italy. Ioannis cont. 27 November 1838 – 30 October 1894. Markos cont. 5 October 1753 – 22 July 1784. Stylianos cont. 25 July 1761 – 14 May 1810 cont. gr. inactive. Markos Dr. in law and reserve officer. Maria of Dionysios was born in Corfu, lawyer, wrote sociological dissertations. I find the following genealogical tree about the House of Flamburiari: Andreas Petrutsos gave birth to Zecharias. Zacharias to Ioannis. Ioannis to Zacharias. Andreas Flamburiari and Fiorentsa gave birth to Nikolaos, Nikolaos to Konstantinos, Konstantinos to Ioannis +1770 and Stylianos. Ioannis to Markos, Antonios and Stylianos. Giovanni. Par. Garelis. See: Ch. III’833. M. 425. Giovanni De Pellegrini “Studio Araldico Genealogico… in Venezia, 1882-1916”. G. Pajago “Intorno alla vita del Dr Pericles Conte Flamburiari”, Corfu, 1854. Eugène Rizo Rangabé, Livre d’Oro de la noblesse Ionienne. Corfou, Athènes, Eleftheroudakis, 1925. Dikaios Β. Vagiakakos, “Maniotes in Zante”, Annals of the Archive of the History of Greek Law, Athens, Academy of Athens, 1954, p. 85.
[Leonidas Ch. Zois, Historical and Folkloric Lexicon of Zante, Volume A’, Athens, National Press, 1963, pp. 682 to 683, the entry for the Flamburiari Family]
The Flamburiari Family
By Megakles Rogakos, MA MA PhD
The Flamburiari family having settled in Constantinople and being a member of the Byzantine aristocracy, took refuge after the fall of the city in 1453 in Venice, where they settled. From Venice it moved to Crete during the Venetian occupation. When Crete was occupied by the Ottomans, in 1669, it fled to Zante and then to Corfu.
Under the rule of Venice, the Flaburiari offered outstanding military services to the Republic. In return for the exceptional military offerings of Sior Giovanni Flamburiari, the Venetian Senate of the Most Serene, on the 1st of November 1768, conferred on him the title of Count with the right to bequeath it to his male descendants and to enroll him in the Libro d’Oro. He was also provided with large estates. The monastery of the Theotokos Anafonitria in Zante was added to his property on the 25th of September 1784 as an honour.
The Flamburiari include important personalities who played a significant role in the history of Greece and especially against the strong Ottoman oppression. Anastasio Flamburiari (1774-1828) held various political positions during the period of the Republic of the Seven United Islands. As an ardent member of the Filiki Eteria, he offered money and great services to the national liberation struggle. Dionysio Flamburiari (1790-1874) was appointed prosecutor of Zante under the English Protection. However, because he signed a petition to King George IV of England to reform the oppressive constitution of Sir Thomas Maitland, he was deposed and exiled to Venice. When he returned, he was appointed prosecutor of Corfu and was elected Legislator and Speaker of the Ionian Parliament. On th 9th of July 1857 he was honoured with the Grand Cross of Saints Michael and George. In honour of this family a village, located 25 km north of the city of Ioannina, was named ‘Flamburari’.
The Flamburiari family is one of the rarest without further synonyms. Therefore, all individuals with this name are related in varying degrees by kinship. The family is related to Valaoritis, Theotoki, Kapodistria, Marmora, della Porta and Ralli.
Count Anastasios Nikolaou Flamburiaris (1774-1828) was a lawyer educated at the University of Padua. A friend of Ioannis Kapodistrias, he held various political positions in the Septinsular Republic (1800-1807) – minister, prosecutor and member of the Legislative Assembly. He drafted the report to George IV, king of England, against Sir Thomas Maitland, high commissioner of the Ionian Islands on 23 February 1821. As a result he was deposed from his posts and in 1822 exiled to Venice. As a staunch member of the Filiki Eteria, he offered money and great services in the liberation struggle. Spyridon Pelekasis ( Zante, 1843-1916) portrayed Anastasios half-length seated, turning from right to the left of the picture, in a ¾ stance. His gaze is turned towards the viewer. He rests both hands on the arms of the chair, where he is sitting. He wears formal clothes of the time – black coat over a white shirt with a high collar, ending in a laced cravat. The work was donated to the Museum of Solomos & Eminent Zante by Sofia Angelakopoulos-Flamburiari in 1983 and was restored by Maria Roussea.
Count Dionysios Stylianou Flambouriaris (1790-1874) continued the professional training of his cousin, Anastasios, as a lawyer with a degree from the University of Padua. As a Filikos, he contributed to the dissemination of the society’s message and the promoting of the Greek struggle for Independence. He was appointed prosecutor of Zante during the English Protectorate. However, because he signed the petition to the king of England, George IV, for the reform of the oppressive constitution of Sir Thomas Maitland, he was deposed and exiled to Venice. Upon his return he was appointed prosecutor of Corfu and was elected lawmaker and chairman of the Ionian Parliament. Subsequently, he worked for the state reform of the Ionian Constitution and proceeded to publish related brochures with a political and national content. As a member of the Commission of the Ionian Codes, he drafted the bill. In 1857, he was awarded the Grand Cross of St Michael and St George. Spyridon Pelekasis ( Zante, 1843-1916), portrayed Dionysios half-length upright, turned from right to the left of the picture, in a ¾ stance. His gaze is facing the viewer. He supports his left hand on a table and puts his right hand inside his vest as a characteristic gesture. He wears a formal attire of the period – a black coat over an off white vest and a shirt that capitulates in a lacy cravat. The work was donated to the Museum of Solomos & Eminent Zakynthians by Sofia Angelakopoulos-Flamburiari along with the portrait of Anastasios, in 1983.
Georgios Leonidou Flamburiaris (1857-1935) served as President of the Corfu Philharmonic Society (1908-1912) and of the Corfu Reading Society three times (1921-1925, 1929-1930 καὶ 1933-1935).
Spiro Leonidou Flamburiari (b. 1930) is an entrepreneur active in England. In 2000 he created the Corfu Heritage Foundation to preserve and protect the historic legacy of Corfu and simultaneously promote Anglo-Hellenic relations. In addition, he continues the family tradition to strengthen the public benefit work of the Corfu Reading Society, the oldest cultural institution in Greece, with an uninterrupted operation since 1836.
