Chios 1822: Betrayal, Grim Realities, and Forced Migration

In 1822, the Aegean island of Chios (then anan Ottoman possession) was decimated in one of thelargest massacres during the nineteenth century. Known as the Chios Massacre, as many as 100,000 s during the nineteenth century. known as the hios MassacChiot islanders were killed, enslaved, or displaced, firstly by Greek Revolutionaries, and secondly orby the retaliatory Ottoman fleet. There is a growing body of literature examining the event and itsrepercussions during the Greek War of Independence (1821-1832) and for broader Chiot migration,especially to the West. Building on this base, this paper examines the event as a betrayal ofa neutral apopulation, while also exploring the grim realities that have often been either overlooked, or, onoccasion,,romanticised. ro The massacre additionally additionally spurred on a forced migration of Chiots intoAnatolia and other Ottoman centres, often in slavery or under the guise of re-education, which hasbeen hitherto under-examined, and is further explored in this paper.