Nikitaras (Nikitas Stamatelopoulos)

(Nedousa Messinia, 1782– Piraeus, 1849): 1821 fighter. Son of the klepht, Stamatelos Tourkolekas, he too was a klepht when young. In 1805 he fled to the Eptanisa islands where he served in the Russian, French and English military forces. He played an active role in the Revolution. Despite his efforts to reach a compromise, eventually he became involved in the civil war. He was given a number of official positions under Kapodistrias, but with the accession of Otto he was prosecuted and imprisoned. He died blind, sick, and poor.