44. Letter of Metropolitan Ignatios to Mavrokordatos, in Greek, introducing Lord Byron, 1823

NLS Ms.43550, letter 14

Letter of Metropolitan Ignatios to Mavrokordatos, in Greek, introducing Lord Byron, 21 June [ie 3 July] 1823. NLS Ms.43550, letter 14This is one of a package of six letters of introduction for Byron addressed to prominent leaders in Greece, by Metropolitan [Bishop] Ignatios of Hungary and Wallachia, the spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox exiles living in Italy. It is dated 21 June 1823 according to the ‘Old Style’ used in Greek documents at this time, which was 12 days earlier than dates in use in western Europe, and is therefore equivalent to 3 July.

Byron received these letters in Genoa on 7 July. While his ship lay at anchor in the harbour of Livorno from 22 to 24 July, he declined a meeting with the Metropolitan but did receive his secretary, Dimitrios Mostras, aboard. A second copy of the letters may have been delivered then.

Byron appears to have made no use of them. If he had, they would not have remained ever since with his own papers. The letter is addressed on the outside, below the seal, ‘À Monsieur le Prince Alexandre Maurocordato etc. etc.’

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