41 A Hub of Piracy in the Aegean A Hub of Piracy in the Aegean: Syros during the Greek War of Independence Apostolos Delis During the Greek War of Independence (1821-1829), piracy in the Aegean emerged as the most burning international issue for belligerents and neutrals alike. Whereas banditry on land harmed only local populations and therefore did not precipitate any serious international reaction before 1870, when the infamous slaughter of European travellers and diplomats at Dilesi occurred, piracy, which disrupted international trade and shipping, entailed the intervention of the navies of the major European powers from the beginning of the insurrection. he French created La Station du Levant, a permanent patrolling leet in the Aegean, which tried to protect France’s interests as well as the Catholic population. 1 he British sought to enhance their commercial concerns through the protection of their Ionian subjects and to promote their geopolitical interests in the area by recognising Greece as a belligerent nation in 1823 – the irst power to do so – and helping the Greeks to suppress piracy ater 1827. 2 he Austrians, on the other hand, who controlled much of the commercial traic in the Aegean and regularly supplied Ottoman troops, sufered many losses at the hands of Greek corsairs and pirates. hey responded in 1825 by despatching a small squadron under the command of Admiral Paolucci to check Greek hostilities and seek compensation for captured Austrian merchantmen. 3 1. Tryfonas Konstantinidis, Καράβια, καπεταναίοι και συντροφοναύται, 1800-1830 [Ships, captains and fellow seamen, 1800-1830], Athens 1954, pp. 466-474. 2. Despina hemeli-Katifori, ‘Η δίωξις της πειρατείας και το Θαλάσσιον Δικαστήριον κατά την πρώτην Καποδιστριακήν περίοδον, 1828-1829. Μέρος Α΄: Η δίωξις της πειρατείας; Μέρος Β΄: Το Θαλάσσιον Δικαστήριον’ [he persecution of piracy and the Maritime Court during the irst Kapodistrian period, 1828-1829. Vol. 1: he persecution of piracy; Vol. 2: he Maritime Court], unpublished PhD thesis, University of Athens, 1973, Vol. 1, p. 7. 3. Konstantinidis, Καράβια, καπεταναίοι, pp. 462-466; hemeli-Katifori, ‘Η δίωξις της πειρατείας’, Vol. 1, pp. 45-46.