15 Facts About Evangelos Zappas

Evangelos or Evangelis Zappas was a Greek patriot, philanthropist and businessman who spent most of his life in Romania.

Evangelos Zappas is recognized today as one of the founders of the modern Olympic Games, which were held in 1859,1870,1875, and 1888 and preceded the Olympic Games that came under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee.

Evangelis Evangelos Zappas was one of three children born to Vasileios Evangelos Zappas and Sotira Meksi, of Greek or Aromanian ancestry, on 23 August 1800 in the village of Labovo located near Tepelene when the region was still under Ottoman rule.

Evangelos Zappas left his village at the age of 13 and enrolled as a mercenary in the Ottoman militia of the local ruler Ali Pasha.

Evangelos Zappas became a member of the Greek patriotic organization Filiki Eteria and joined his compatriots when the Greek War of Independence broke out in 1821.

Evangelos Zappas participated in several major conflicts, such as the siege of Souli, the first siege of Missolonghi and the Battle of Peta.

In 1831, Evangelos Zappas emigrated to Wallachia and made a fortune in land and agriculture.

Evangelos Zappas was notably inspired by Panagiotis Soutsos and resolved to revive this ancient tradition through his own efforts and resources.

Evangelos Zappas left a fortune for the funding of future Olympiads to be held at the Panathenaic stadium.

Evangelos Zappas instructed on the building of the Zappeion exhibition and conference center, which is named in his honour and that of his cousin Konstantinos Zappas.

Apart from his efforts to revive the Olympics, Evangelos Zappas made several philanthropic donations towards the foundation of schools, libraries and other similar institutions all over the Ottoman-occupied world, and notably their birthplace, Epirus.

Evangelos Zappas was an ardent Greek nationalist influenced by the writings of Panagiotis Soutsos, a 19th-century Greek poet.

Evangelos Zappas funded a newspaper and books in the Albanian language in Romania.

Evangelis Evangelos Zappas was often described as a solitary and eccentric personality, who had no children.

Evangelos Zappas's wish was to be initially buried in Romania, where he lived most of his life.