The Chios massacre was the killing of tens of thousands of Greeks on the island of Chios by Ottoman troops during the Greek War of Independence in 1822. Greeks from neighboring islands had arrived on Chios and encouraged the Chiotes to join their revolt. In response, Ottoman troops landed on the island and killed thousands. The massacre of Christians provoked international outrage and led to increasing support for the Greek cause worldwide.

According to some sources, approximately three-quarters of the population of 120,000 were killed, enslaved or died of disease. It is estimated that 2,000 people remained on the island after 21,000 managed to flee, 52,000 were enslaved and 52,000 massacred. Tens of thousands of survivors dispersed throughout Europe and became part of the Chioten Diaspora.

As an 8-year-old boy on the island of Chios in the Spring of 1822, Christophorus Plato Castanis, sees thousands of Chians killed or sold into slavery during the massacres at Chios. He is captured by the Turks, sold several times as a slave before managing to escape. With the help of American philhellenes, Castanis is educated in the United States where he lectures extensively on the cause of the Greek Revolution.

On 1851, Castanis’ autobiography “The Greek Exile” was published. You can download this very interesting book from here.