Ioannis Vlachos "Daskalogiannis"
(1725 - June 17, 1771)
Born in Sfakia, South-Western Crete, he was a well educated man (hence given the nickname Daskalogiannis), a ship builder and owner, during the Ottoman Occupation of Crete.
As the Russo-Turkish War (1768-74) was raging, as well as the Orlov Revolt in the Peloponnese (1770) (which was a precursor to the Greek War of Independence), Daskalogiannis helped fund and organise an attempt to overthrow the Turkish rule of Crete.
He provided ships, weapons, supplies as well as organised the building of several fortifications all over Crete.
Unfortunately, the Russian Aegean fleet failed to keep its promise, of sailing to Crete to assist Daskalogiannis and the Cretan revolutionaries in the revolt, leaving the Cretans to their own devices. As a result, the revolt was unsuccessful and it would be brutally put down by the Turks.
For his role in the revolt, Daskalogiannis was chased, captured and taken by the Turks to be brutally tortured, he was skinned alive, then executed.
The International Airport in Chania "Daskalogiannis" is named after him.
