Markos Botsaris was a hero of the Greek War of Independence. He belonged to one of the leading clans of the Souliotes, who had established an autonomous confederation in Epirus and were famous for their military exploits against Ali Pasha of Ioannina. They were forced to abandon their mountain villages, so when the Greek War of Independence broke out, they were among the first groups to take arms against the Ottomans. Markos joined the Filiki Eteria in 1814 and became a leading figure of the fighting in western Greece. In the spring of 1822 he joined the forces that marched against Epirus, and was forced to retreat to Missolonghi after the disastrous defeat at the battle of Peta.