Christodoulos Sozos
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Christodoulos Sozos | |
|---|---|
 A poster honoring Sozos. | |
| 4th Mayor of Limassol | |
| In office 1908 – 6 December 1912 | |
| Constituency | Limassol–Paphos |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 March 1872 |
| Died | 6 December 1912 (aged 40) Manoliasa, Epirus |
| Spouse | Ermioni Sozou |
| Children | Zinon Sozos |
Christodoulos Sozos (Greek: Χριστόδουλος Σώζος; 10 March 1872 in Limassol – 6 December 1912 in Manoliasa, Epirus) was a Greek Cypriot politician and lawyer. He served as a member of the Cypriot Legislative Council (1901–1911), mayor of Limassol (1908–1912) and Limassol–Paphos MP (1908–1912). On 7 November 1912, he voluntarily enlisted in Greek army as private which at the time was fighting in the First Balkan War. He was killed in action on 6 December. His prewar activism on behalf of the cause of Enosis and the circumstances surrounding his death made him one of the most important figures of Greek Cypriot nationalism.[1]
Christodoulos Sozos was born in Limassol on 10 March 1872. His father and grandfather had fought as volunteers in the Cretan Revolt (1866–1869) and the Greek War of Independence respectively. He studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and worked as a lawyer before the beginning of his political career. He served as member of the Cypriot Legislative Council from 1901 until 1911, and represented Limassol–Paphos constituency as an MP during the same period. In April 1903, he exploited the absence of a single Turkish Cypriot member of the council to pass a resolution which declared that the people of Cyprus aspired to reunite with their motherland (Greece). He also served as the mayor of Limassol from 1908 until his death, his most notable achievements being the erection of the city's first public garden as well as the electrification of the street lighting, the first such occasion in Cyprus. Upon returning from his visit to Great Britain in June 1912, he became convinced that the only way for the Enosis between Cyprus and Greece was an intermediate step of autonomous rule. His stance drew sharp criticism from his political rival Nikolaos Katalanos who described the supporters of autonomy as madmen and traitors.[2]
