After the disastrous revolution for the Greeks caused by Russia (Orlofika) there followed an incredible wave of death and terrorism throughout Greece. Having slaughtered thousands of Greeks in Moria, the Turks decided to clear Mani as well.
The new Turkish commander of Moria Osman Pasha (Hadji Osman) gathered 16,000 men, mainly Turkalvans, and moved towards unenslaved Mani. The Maniates under Exarchos and Janeto Grigorakis they gathered as many men as they could to meet the threat. Along with the approximately 3,000 Maniatian warriors, approximately 2,000 Maniatisses joined.
The Turks advanced to Laconia and initially attacked the towers of Kastanitsa where 400 men and women were defending under Konstantis Kolokotronis and Panagiotaros Venetzianakis . The Greeks fought heroically for 12 days, repelling the Turks. But eventually they were forced to leave. 300 of the 400 Greeks were lost in the clashes.
After their "victory", the Turks moved towards the village of Skoutari and attacked the tower of the Grigorakis where 15 Greeks had been locked up. For three days these heroes held off the Turkish hordes. Finally unable to pay them off, Hadji Osman ordered the tower to be blown up. The heroic defenders were buried in the ruins. After this the Turks continued their movement and camped in the small plain between the villages of Parasyros and Skoutari.
Manic vendetta...
In the meantime, the Maniates and Maniatisses had gathered and camped on the so-called Three-Headed hills above Parasyros. The Turkish Pasha, seeing the fortified Maniates, sent a herald asking them to surrender. The Maniates sent three - according to other sources six - volunteer representatives to Turko Pasha, asking to know what he was asking for.
The three Maniates were three very old men, two of whom were priests, brothers according to some sources. Without bowing, they entered the pasha's tent and asked him what he wanted from their rocks. "I want the children of 10 captains as hostages, surrender of your weapons and a ransom for your heads, because you helped the Russians," he said boldly.
“Better to die than to give you our weapons and our freedom. We don't pay you tax, our land is poor", answered the three, determining their fate. Enraged, Osman ordered them to be exterminated. Then he ordered their heads to be cut off and impaled to intimidate... What the Turk did not know was that the Maniates were not intimidated, but were avenging their own blood... So they decided to attack even though they were far outnumbered by the enemy. However, to compensate for the enemy superiority, they decided to implement a strategy.
So they divided their forces into two divisions. When night fell one section of 1,500 men moved secretly and thanks to the knowledge of the terrain, moved behind the Turkish camp. The other division approached head-on as best they could so as not to be noticed. When the first division rushed against the rear of the Turks causing confusion, the other division also rushed forward.
It was unbelievable but 3,000 Maniatians managed to encircle 16,000 Turks! A savage massacre ensued. In their confusion, the Turks and Turkalvans were also slaughtering each other. Finally 10,000 Turkish corpses littered the ground. Those Turks who escaped fled in disorder... resorting to Mystras. The losses of the Maniacs are not known.
The Maniates, having no other way to get rid of the corpses of the Turks, threw them into wells in the area which was called Bromopegada. However, Osman later managed to exterminate Exarch Grigorakis by treachery. In revenge, the Maniates captured the castle of Pasavas and mercilessly slaughtered all the Turks in the garrison.