Today, I am thrilled to share a legend from Corfu by kind permission of Aleko Damaskinos. His post as per below was published in the FREE Corfu newspaper, The Agiot and in his wonderful Facebook group about Corfu’s history, culture, wildlife and flowers: Only Corfu Society. It tells a tragic tale of love and revenge from Corfu in the bygone days of the Ottoman Empire.
The Legend of Nikolaos Pierris and Nazli Hanum by Aleko Damaskinos
In the beginning of the 18th century two foreigners, Nikolaos Pierris and his wife accompanied by a black servant Mehmet arrived on Corfu in a Venetian ship.
They made many enquiries about buying a property until they eventually found what they were looking for. Even today this property exists and it is where the “Club Mediterranee” used to be. It is by the sea on the right before reaching Ipsos. One of the most spectacular areas of Corfu.
The couple built a house in the Eastern style and settled there with their black servant. They had no communication with the Corfu society and lived a quiet and lonely life, cultivating their land, planting trees and flowers.
This self-inflicted exile had its own story.
Nikolaos was of Greek origin, but from his early childhood was in the employ of a Turkish Pasha, Tzanoum Kotzia, who was totally trusted by the Sultan.
Tzanoum brought him up like his own son, but when he reached manhood Nikolaos betrayed his benefactor by revealing to the Venetian Governor the secrets of the Ottoman Court which he was entrusted with by the pasha. His betrayal did not end here.
On one of his expeditions to Asia Minor, Tzanoum Kotzia brought back with him a stunning sixteen-year-old girl with blond hair and brown eyes named Nazli.
One day, Nikolaos saw her through the shuttered windows of the harem. He approached her and talked to her with the help of the servant Mehmet who kept the keys to the girl’s apartment.
The two, very much in love now, decided to go to far away places together. Nikolaos was issued with a double passport by the Venetian Governor in the assumed name of Pierris. Mehmet joined them as they boarded a boat bound for Corfu.
Two years after they were well-established on the island, Nikolaos’ wife became seriously ill. Pierris asked a local woman to come and help. It was from this woman that it became known that the couple spoke a different language and the woman’s name was Nazli.
Nazli’s health deteriorated further and Nikolaos, day and night, stood at her bedside. One night, Nazli died. The next morning, Pierris realized that a small rowing boat was not in its place and Mehmet had disappeared. In his deep sorrow he did not give it another thought or worry. He buried his beloved in the garden and on the newly dug grave he planted many flowers.
Very quickly the ground was totally covered with dense foliage and flowers. Only the heart-broken lover knew where his beloved was resting.
One year later, the Turkish fleet under Tzanoum Pasha Kotzia sailed to Corfu.
Pierris, like all other nobles of the island, offered his services to Field Marshall Count von Schulembourg and was given a position in the bastions. A while later, the pasha and his army disembarked at Ipsos and a slave led Tzanoum to Pierris’ property. For many hours the pasha walked around the property looking for Nazli’s grave in vain.
He then headed for Corfu town. They showed him the place Pierris was defending and he gathered there a great army force and attacked. In the evening after the battle he inspected the prisoners and the wounded. Accompanied by Mehmet, who was now his official guide, he looked for his enemy amongst the dead. Luck, though, did not help him that day to take his revenge.
One evening, they brought a heavily wounded man to the pasha’s tent. It was Nikolaos Pierris. In a rage, the pasha grabbed him by the hair, lifted his head and then let it drop, while at the same time he kicked the almost dead man without mercy. The prisoner opened his eyes and once again saw his old master.
“Ungrateful bastard!” roared the Turk. “Where is the woman you stole from me?”
“She died…” Pierris whispered.
“You will pay for this, you dog!”
The pasha ordered his men to tie Pierris up on a horse. Despite the foul weather he took him himself to Ipsos. The lightning was lighting the way. When they arrived, he untied him and ordered him to reveal the place where Nazli’s grave was. Pierris refused and so the whip of the raging Turk hastened his death. Before closing his eyes for good, he looked for the last time at the cypress and oak trees in his garden.
Not even Mehmet avoided the pasha’s wrath. He ordered that they should hang him from a window of the house. Then he totally burnt down the house.
Nazli’s resting place remains a secret until this very day!
Do you enjoy old tales about Corfu? In this post I share a little about my Corfiot family history, old photos, and some interesting facts about the two churches on the hill in Moraitika. Fact: Aleko Damaskinos is one of the remaining members of the Papadatos family who own the old church ‘Agios Dimitris’ in Moraitika. My great-grandfather, Stefanos Vassilakis, is buried outside this church where he served as the priest of the village in the early 20th century. Read more HERE
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