On the night of April 10 through the early hours of April 11, 1826, Palm Sunday, another glorious chapter in the struggle for Independence was written, one that, through the mental fortitude, heroism, and self-sacrifice of its protagonists, bolstered the national spirit of the rebels and the philhellenic sentiments of Europe: the Exodus of Missolonghi. The toll of the fallen is tragic, but its moral impact is immeasurable.

Almost a month later, in May 1826, Nafplion welcomed the decimated garrison of Messolonghi with cannon salutes and cheers, and the government made arrangements to provide relief to the soldiers. There, on May 22, 1826, the certificate of participation of Georgios Stavros —who would later serve as the National Bank’s governor for decades—in the defense of the city, as the leader of a corps of fifty soldiers:

“The brave commander Georgakis Stavros had a full complement of fifty soldiers within Messolonghi and fought alongside them with enthusiasm and bravery even before receiving the order to conscript, wherefore this certificate is hereby issued to him […]”.

A small piece of historical evidence that, when considered alongside other sources, serves to supplement the broader narrative.