Περίληψη : An important family of aristocratic origin from Chios. Members of the family were relatives and business collaborators of the Rallis family, something which helped their ascent in the field of trade and shipping. One of the most important branches of the family had settled in cities of southern Russia (Taiganio, Rostov). The Skaramangas family was one of the few families of the Chian network which systematically and successfully occupied itself with shipping. Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης The occupation of the family with trade within the framework of the Greek diaspora begins at the end of the 18 th century. Κύρια Ιδιότητα Merchants, ship-owners, bankers 1. Origin- Name of the family The Skaramangas family is one of the most ancient and most important houses of the aristocracy of Chios. Its settlement to the island dates back to the 16 th century, whereas, according to a source, it was initially a family of Athens, like the families of Roidis and Zygomalas, which, along with families from other regions settled to Chios towards the end of the Genoese period. 1 The earliest reference to the name of Skaramangas dates back to the 12 th century and comes from a passage of the Epitomi by Ioannis Kinnamos (ΙV, γ, 16), concerning the description of a sea battle between the Byzantines and the Franks in 1149. 2 2. Social position of the Skaramangas family during the Ottoman period These settlers families along with the already existing ones, mainly from the Kambos area of Chios, gained great power during the Ottoman rule and they were practically the ones governing the island. Thus, it is natural to assume that also the Skaramangas family, which belonged to the circle of the island s elite, held a similar position and played a role in the local politics. This view is strengthened by the source which mentions the house of Skaramangas amongst the powerful houses of Chios during the period of the Ottoman rule, 3 whereas elsewhere we come along the rather questionable view that notwithstanding the substantial possession of land and of two churches in the Kambos area, the role of the Skaramangas family during this period was not very important. 4 3. The economic activity of the Skaramangas house 3.1. Introduction-the Chian network The Skaramangas family, as well as many of the powerful families of Chios, systematically occupied themselves with trade and business. From the end of the 18 th and during the 19 th century the Chians became the financially most powerful group of Greek merchants of the diaspora, having settled at the most important merchant and nautical centres of the era, and more specifically at the harbours of western Europe (Marseilles, Livorno, Trieste), at the great industrial centres of England (London, Manchester, Liverpool) and of course at the analogous centres of the East (Smyrna, Alexandria, Constantinople), of the Black Sea (Odessa) and of the Sea of Azov (Taganrog, Rostov on Don) etc. In each centre the members of the families of the Chian merchants settled at they created between them bonds of collaboration, strengthened with marriages and relationships, aiming at the preservation of the unity and the mutual Δημιουργήθηκε στις 8/9/2017 Σελίδα 1/7
trust of the network. This phenomenon of business structure and function was characterized as the Chian network and dominated mainly during the period 1830 1860 the business field of the Greeks of the Mediterranean, Western Europe and the Black Sea. 5 3.2. The branch of Emmanuel Skaramangas Most of the information we have in our disposal concern the activity, organization and expansion of the Skaramangas family in business in the 19 th century, especially during the period which followed the catastrophe of Chios in 1822. We have enough information about the branch of Emmanuel Skaramangas, who was married to Despoina Salvagou. During the catastrophe of Chios his son Ioannis (Zannis, 1815 1901) was captured and was then ransomed by his father from a certain ağa who kept him as a prisoner for 6,000 piasters. 6 Then it appears that the family resettled to Ermoupolis, where Zannis grew up; this was a place where many Chian families had settled after the catastrophe, something which afterwards determined the evolution of the island as the main merchant and shipping centre of the independent Greek kingdom and of the wider area of the Levant. Then Zannis followed his, probably older, brother Georgios to England until he finally settled to Taganrog. Georgios remained in England and their father Emmanuel in Syros. Zannis married Kalliopi Ralli Petrokokkinou (1828 1914) in 1851 and thus he became a relative of the Rallis family, with whom he collaborated closely. 7 With Kalliopi he had seven children, from which four survived: Despoina (1854 Athens 1943), Alexandrina (1855 Athens 1932), Georgios (Rostov 1860 Rostov 1930) and Amalia (Rostov 1866 Rostov 1943). Despoina married in 1875 the brother of his uncle George s wife, the Chian Stefanos Fragiadis (marriages between relatives were no scandal, according to the Chian customs, but instead they were encouraged in order to better protect family interests), with whom they initially lived in England and then in Athens, whereas Alexandrina married Alexandros Skanavis, merchant of Odessa, in 1880, resulting in the creation of the Skanavis Skaramangas company. 8 Georgios, the only male descendant of the family, studied in Aix en Provence of France and married to Nadia Volkenstein, a Jewess from Riga, with whom he had a daughter, Ioulia. The death of their daughter in a young age caused the divorce of the couple. Thier wedding was a scandal for the Chian customs, whereas an even greater scandal was caused by Georgios living tohether with the Chian Polymnia Mavrogordatou, whom he never married. Amalia, as the youngest daughter, according to the Chian custom, remained unmarried in order to take care of her aged parents. 9 3.3. The Skaramangas family business network The network of the expansion of the Skaramangas family enterprises appears to have been quite wide. Apart from Emmanuel and his son Zannis branch at the Sea of Azov, and Georgios, Zannis brother, branch in London, members of the Skaramangas house were already settled in the 1820 s at Trieste, as many other members of the families of the Chian network. 10 Also at Syros we find Amvrosios and Efstratios Skaramangas. The first lived there from the time of the Greek War of Inependence, occupied with selling pirate loot. 11 Furthermore, we find both of them in Syros during the early 1830 s occupied with selling, buying and building great sailing ships, 12 whereas later, during the 1860 s and 1870 s, we locate A.P. Skaramangas and G. or G.P. Skaramangas, owners of the sailing ships ʺAgios Nikolaosʺ and ʺLoukas Skaramangasʺ, of which the first one, an 85 tons schooner, was built at Cherson in 1873 and was registered at Taganrog. 13 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 8/9/2017 Σελίδα 2/7
3.4. The participation of members of the Skaramangas family to the export trade of southern Russia In the Black Sea the Skaramangas family appears to have settled in every important city port from which the export of grain took place: Odessa, Taganrog, Rostov, Novorossiysk. We find the Skaramangas name (without however knowing which Skaramangas this is) included amongst the most important grain exporters of Odessa as early as 1826 1827, their exports reaching the value of 132,284 rubbles. 14 We also find Efstratios Skaramangas settled at Taganrog and collaborating, after the wedding of Pandias Rallis with Marietta Petrou Skaramanga from London in 1831, in the creation of the Rallis Skaramangas company at Taganrog. 15 Even the wedding of Ioannis (Zannis) Skaramangas with Calliope Ralli Petrokokkinou, also at Taganrog, in 1851, is mentioned as a contribution to the same result. 16 It is certain that the Rallis house had collaborated with the Skaramangas house in Odessa as well as in Taganrog, but was detached from the company in 1866, right after the death of Zannis Rallis of Odessa in 1859 and of Pandias Rallis of London in 1865 and the retreat of the house from the grain trade and the trade of the East in general. 17 Apart from Ioannis Emm. Skaramangas, also the merchants Ilias and Loukas Skaramangas are mentioned living in Taganrog and contributing to the development of the grain trade of Rostov. 18 With the name of the former there was also a brig of 217 tons, built in 1865 at Syros and registered in the same harbour, owned by G.P. Skaramangas. 19 The owner however must have been I.P. (Ioannis of Petros?) Skaramangas, since the sailing ship is found in another source of 1879 under the ownership of I. Skaramangas, 20 whereas Ioannis P. is found later (1866) as one of the three Skaramangas who were members of the Baltic Centre. Thus, we can reasonably assume that Ioannis P. was probably the son of Petros Skaramangas, brother of Marrieta, Pandias Rallis wife. The other two, members of the Baltic Centre, were Georgios E. (probably Georgios of Emmanuel) and Emmanuel G. (probably Emmanuel of Georgios), in other words, father and son, brother and nephew respectively of Ioannis Emm. Skaramangas of the Sea of Azov, who were settled in London. 21 The Skaramangas family, along with the Vallianos family of Kefalonia, was one of the two most important grain exporters of the Sea of Azov. 22 An. Goudas in 1874 dedicated the fourth volume of his Vioi paralliloi (Parallel Lives) to Ioannis P. Skaramangas referring to him as master of trade of the Azov and Volga. Goudas characterization is confirmed also by information of the year 1851 1852, from where it results that the Rallis and Skaramangas Company was in the vanguard, amongst the other Greek merchant houses of Taganrog, in the exports of grain, flax seed, animal fat and wool towards Britain. The houses of Vallianos, Rodokanakis and Mariolakis followed, but from a great distance, since in the year 1851 the value of the exports of Rallis Skaramangas included almost 50% of the Greek and 40% of the whole of the exports of Taganrog, whereas in 1852 it included 48.3% of the whole of the Greek and 40.32% of the total of the exports of Taganrog. 23 In the last quarter of the 19 th century, mostly during the 1860 s, the grain trade of Odessa, mainly the trade controlled by the Greeks, had lost its previous importance and other ethnic goups, such as the Jews, had managed to gain control over the grain production and export. Greek merchant houses had turned to other activities or had lost their previously dominant position. Amongst the ones which managed to still remain powerful in the grain trade of the Black Sea, especially amongst the Chian houses, were the Skaramangas, along with the Rodokanakis and the Sevastopoulos families. 24 Amongst the merchant houses of the Sea of Azov in 1886 the houses of Skaramangas Manousir & Co, Skaramangas I.A. and Skanavis Skaramangas were included, whereas at Rostov the house of I.E. (Ioannis of Emmanuel) Skaramangas. 25 Furthermore, from information dating in 1888, it appears that I. Skaramangas house, along with the houses Vallianos and Sevastopoulos were some of the main exporters of Novorossiysk. 26 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 8/9/2017 Σελίδα 3/7
Ioannis Emm. Skaramangas family, which had initially settled in Taganrog, moved to Rostov at the end of the 1850 s, maybe in 1858, since we know that in that year the family s great mansion was built in a vast estate on the banks of the Don. 27 The immigration of merchants from Taganrog to Rostov during this period is part of the development of the former against the first, thanks to its better geographical position and its connection with the railroad line. 28 3.5. Shipping The Skaramangas family was occupied, as well as many merchants of the era, also with shipping, with the difference that later, when trade met a depression, they did not stop their activities, but evolved into this field either as ship owners either as shipyard owners. Avgitidis 29 mentions that the Skaramangas family at Rostov possessed a ship repair unit, whereas they also owned 5 barges, 4 tugboats and the ship Agios Nikolaos, which was probably the schooner built at Cherson in 1873. In 1860 they were considered to be the owners of two sailing ships of 535 tons, with which they traded between the Black Sea and Marseilles, 30 whereas during the decades of 1870 1890 they appear to have acquired an important share of the Greek owned shipping. In the 1870 s 81 arrivals of ships owned by Skaramangas are documented in the harbour of Marseilles, with a total tonnage of 25,093, thus gaining the third position in arrivals after Vallianos and Spartalis. In the two last decades of the 19 th century they keep a similar predominance, as sailing ships linger and are replaced by steam ships. The average of 1,116 tons for each of the 12 ships of the 1890 s probably refers to steamships than to sailing ships. 31 The Skaramangas family was one of the few families of the Chian network which made the jump to shipping and steam and collaborated closely with capitalists from the Ionian Sea, especially from Kefalonia and Ithaca, dominating shipping in the period from 1870 until the beginning of the 20 th century. 32 Already from 1885 the Skaramangas family possessed the steamship Chios, of 1,106 tones, built at Syros in 1884. 33 The coming of the 20 th century found them in possession of a substantial share amongst the Greek ship owners of London, with an important rising tendency until 1914. The following table 34 confirms the rising course and the share the Skaramangas family had in the field of shipping with main competitors/collaborators the Ionian ship owners, such as the Vallianos family, the Lykiardopoulos family and others. YEAR 1900 1905 1910 1914 SHIPS 1 3 4 8 TONNAGE 1,835 5,926 7,642 24,241 3.6. Banking As most of the Greek entrepreneurs of the time, thus also the Skaramangas family intensely intervened in banking. In 1869 the company Skaramangas & Co of Taganrog participates along with the also Greek banking houses of Th.P. Rodokanakis and Theod. Mavrogordatos & Co of Odessa to the foundation of the International Merchant Bank, whereas in 1871 it is amongst the founders of the Bank of the Azov Sea Don in Taiganio, along with the house of Rodokanakis. 35 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 8/9/2017 Σελίδα 4/7
4. Social and cultural activity The family of Ioannis Emm. Skaramangas, apart from its intense business activity, was also known in the circles of the high bourgeoisie of Taganrog and Rostov for their special occupation with social and cultural events. Kandylis reports they possessed 5 6 mansions in Taganrog and a private theatre in which they invited theatrical companies from France. 36 Also, a similar activity was demonstrated by them in the famous Rostov mansion, in an environment highly intelectual and artistic with a great French influence. 5. The October Revolution and the Skaramangas family The family of Ioannis Emm. Skaramangas also suffered the consequences of the October Revolution, with the loss of its fortune, the requisition of their house, the escape of some of its members to Athens, but also the favourable under the given circumstances appointment of Georgios I. Skaramangas in 1922 from the local commission of the soviets as a special councillor in issues of exports in the framework of Lenin s new financial policy. 37 1. Ζολώτας, Γ., Ιστορί α της Χί ου Γ1 (Athens 1921), p. 137; Κανδύ λης, Γ., Ιστορί α τριών οικογενειών της μεγάλης διασποράς. Σκαραμαγκά -Σκαναβή -Κανδύ λη (Athens 1994), p. 10. 2. Ζολώτας, Γ., Ιστορί α της Χί ου Α2 (Athens 1921), p. 495. 3. Notice sur la famille Petrococchino de l île de Chio (Genéve 1909), p. 11. 4. Κανδύλης, Γ., Ιστορία τριών οικογενειών της μεγάλης διασποράς. Σκαραμαγκά-Σκαναβή-Κανδύλη (Athens 1994), p. 10. 5. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), pp. 129-168. 6. Καρδάσης, Β., Ο Ελληνισμός του Εύ ξεινου Πόντου (Athens 1997), p. 220; Κανδύ λης, Γ., Ιστορί α τριών οικογενειών της μεγάλης διασποράς. Σκαραμαγκά -Σκαναβή -Κανδύ λη (Athens 1994), p. 10. 7. Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενεί ς στη Νότια Ρωσί α, 1775-1861 (Athens 1998), p. 230. 8. Κανδύλης, Γ., Ιστορία τριών οικογενειών της μεγάλης διασποράς. Σκαραμαγκά-Σκαναβή-Κανδύλη (Athens 1994), pp. 13-15; Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενεί ς στη Νότια Ρωσί α, 1775-1861 (Athens 1998), pp. 230-231. 9. Καρδάσης, Β., Ο Ελληνισμός του Εύ ξεινου Πόντου (Athens 1997), pp. 223-224. 10. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), p. 143. 11. Χατζηιώαννου, Μ.-Χ., Οικογενειακή στρατηγική και εμπορικός ανταγωνισμό ς. Ο οί κος Γερού ση τον 19ο αιώνα (Athens 2003), pp. 91-92. 12. Data from the Archive of the notary Maximos Talaslis, in the General Archives of the State, Prefecture of Cyclades. 13. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ. Βλασσόπουλος, Ν., Ποντοπόρεια, 1830-1940. Ποντοπόρα ιστιοφόρα και ατμόπλοια από την ί δρυση του ελληνικού κράτος μέ χρι τον Δεύ τερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο (Athens 2002). 14. Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενεί ς στη Νότια Ρωσί α, 1775-1861 (Athens 1998), p. 202, tab. 7.3. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 8/9/2017 Σελίδα 5/7
15. Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενεί ς στη Νότια Ρωσί α, 1775-1861 (Athens 1998), pp. 204-205. 16. Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενεί ς στη Νότια Ρωσί α, 1775-1861 (Athens 1998), p. 230. 17. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ό ς αιώνας (Athens 2001), pp. 147-148. In figure 3.2 a branch of the firm Rallis- Skaramangas is mentioned in Petrograd, but without any further information. See also Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενεί ς στη Νότια Ρωσί α, 1775-1861 (Athens 1998), pp. 125-126, 216. 18. Αυγητίδης, Κ., Θεόδωρος Π. Ροδοκανάκης. Ο μεγαλέμπορος, επιχειρηματίας, πλοιοκτήτης και τραπεζίτης της Οδησσού (Chios 2004), p. 67. 19. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ. Βλασσόπουλος, Ν., Ποντοπόρεια, 1830-1940. Ποντοπόρα ιστιοφόρα και ατμόπλοια από την ί δρυση του ελληνικού κράτος μέ χρι τον Δεύ τερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο (Athens 2002). 20. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ό ς αιώνας (Athens 2001), appendix 3.4., p. 522. 21. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), pp. 155-156, tab. 3.9. 22. Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενεί ς στη Νότια Ρωσί α, 1775-1861 (Athens 1998), p. 228. 23. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), p. 142, tab. 3.7. 24. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), p. 196. 25. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), p. 184, tab. 4.6; Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενεί ς στη Νότια Ρωσί α, 1775-1861 (Athens 1998), p. 233, tab. 7.10. 26. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), pp. 190-191, tab. 4.10. 27. Κανδύλης, Γ., Ιστορία τριών οικογενειών της μεγάλης διασποράς. Σκαραμαγκά-Σκαναβή-Κανδύλη (Athens 1994), p. 13. 28. Καρδάσης, Β., Έλληνες ομογενεί ς στη Νότια Ρωσί α, 1775-1861 (Athens 1998), pp. 74, 230; Κανδύ λης, Γ., Ιστορί α τριών οικογενειών της μεγάλης διασποράς. Σκαραμαγκά -Σκαναβή -Κανδύ λη (Athens 1994), p. 13. 29. Αυγητίδης, Κ., Θεόδωρος Π. Ροδοκανάκης. Ο μεγαλέμπορος, επιχειρηματίας, πλοιοκτήτης και τραπεζίτης της Οδησσού (Chios 2004), p. 93. 30. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), pp. 134-135, tab. 3.3. 31. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), pp. 198, 239, tab. 4.14. 32. For the so-called Ionian phase and the Ionian network see Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ό ς αιώνας (Athens 2001), pp. 173-213. 33. Χαρλαύ τη, Τ., Ιστορί α της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλί ας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), p. 243, tab. 5.4. 34. Χαρλαύτη, Τ., Ιστορία της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλίας. 19ος-20ός αιώνας (Athens 2001), p. 246, tab. 5.5. 35. Αυγητίδης, Κ., Θεόδωρος Π. Ροδοκανάκης. Ο μεγαλέμπορος, επιχειρηματίας, πλοιοκτήτης και τραπεζίτης της Οδησσού (Chios 2004), p. 75. 36. Κανδύλης, Γ., Ιστορία τριών οικογενειών της μεγάλης διασποράς. Σκαραμαγκά-Σκαναβή-Κανδύλη (Athens 1994), p. 12. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 8/9/2017 Σελίδα 6/7
37. Κανδύλης, Γ., Ιστορία τριών οικογενειών της μεγάλης διασποράς. Σκαραμαγκά-Σκαναβή-Κανδύλη (Athens 1994), p. 19; Καρδάσης, Β., Ο Ελληνισμός του Εύ ξεινου Πόντου (Athens 1997), p. 223. Βιβλιογραφία : Χαρλαύτη Τ., Ιστορία της ελληνόκτητης ναυτιλίας, 19ος-20ός αιώνας, Νεφέλη, Αθήνα 2001 Ζολώτας Γ., Ιστορία της Χίου, Α-Β, Αθήνα 1922-1926 Καρδάσης Β., Έλληνες ομογενείς στη νότια Ρωσία 1775-1861, Αλεξάνδρεια, Αθήνα 1998 Αυγητίδης Κ., Θεόδωρος Π. Ροδοκανάκης. Ο μεγαλέμπορος, επιχειρηματίας, πλοιοκτήτης και τραπεζίτης της Οδησσoύ, Χίος 2004 Καρδάσης Β., Ο Ελληνισμός του Εύξεινου Πόντου, Μίλητος, Αθήνα 1997 Notice sur la famille Petrococchino de l île de Chio, Genéve 1909 Χατζηιωάννου Μ.-Χ., Οικογενειακή στρατηγική και εμπορικός ανταγωνισμός. Ο οίκος Γερούση τον 19ο αιώνα, Μορφωτικό Ίδρυμα Εθνικής Τραπέζης, Αθήνα 2003 Χαρλαύτη Τ., Βλασσόπουλος Ν., Ποντοπόρεια, 1830-1940. Ποντοπόρα ιστιοφόρα και ατμόπλοια από την ίδρυση του ελληνικού κράτους μέχρι τον Δεύτερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο, Ε.Λ.Ι.Α., Αθήνα 2002 Γλωσσάριo : ağa A title given to military officials of high rank in the Ottoman Empire. From the 17th - and particularly the 18th- century the title bore also powerful Muslims who did not have any immediate military capacity. Baltic Exchange House The Baltic Exchange House was founded in 1823 as ʺBaltic Coffee Houseʺ and soon became the most important market for the purchase of cargoes in London. Its aim was to restrict the number of the traders and protect its 300 members from speculators. A significant number of its members were Greek. Chian network The network was comprised by the Greek merchants who were active commercialy in the Black Sea, in the Mediterranean and in Western Europe during the period 1830 1860. The most important merchants originated from the island of Chios and very often were connected with kinship ties. These merchants combined trade with shipping and their companies were characterised by discipline and cohesion. The most important families were those of Rodokanakis, Zizinias, Rallis, Dromokaitis, Petrokokkinos, Agelastos. The networkʹs importance declined with the changes in Black Sea trade after the Crimean War (1853 1856), in connection with the technological changes in sea transport. Πηγές General Archives of the State, Prefecture of Cyclades, Archive of the notary Maximos Talaslis. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 8/9/2017 Σελίδα 7/7