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History > Oral History > The real naming of Amir Ali…and Mavrogiorgi

History > Oral History

submitted by Thodoros Magonezos on 21.11.2003

The real naming of Amir Ali…and Mavrogiorgi

It was at the time when the Turks were on the island. Amir was one of them, a warrior of their army. One night he went down to the spring, but for some reason his horse slipped and fell, bringing him down with it. The rest of the Turks however assumed that the locals had somehow played a part in the act, and they ransacked a few houses, taking the men, one of whom (Giorgi) they killed as revenge.
When the locals heard they began to say “Poor black Giorgi” (mavro=black), black being a symbol of bad luck, and so the surname Mavrogiorgi came into being… and the most beautiful part of the island was named after Amir Ali….

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2 Comments

submitted by
George Poulos
on 01.05.2004

This story explains the origin of the place called Mavrogiorganika - a place centred on a group of largely "iripia" ruined buildings, (2004), on the northern hillside of Karavas - opposite the Church of Ayios Haralambos. I believe it does NOT explain the origin of the name Amir Ali. Amir Ali was a senior Turkish administrator, who maintained his Summer Residence in Northern Karavas.

submitted by
George Poulos
on 04.06.2004

The http://www.hri.org/infoxenios/english/ionian/kythera/sights.html website informs us that Amir Ali, was "..a Turkish tax-collector who died here during the Ottoman rule."