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Nikolaos Plastiras (1883 - 1953) was a general of the Greek army. He is known as "O Mavros Cavalares" ("The Black Rider"). He was born in Karditsa in 4 November 1883. His parents came from Morfovouni (old name = Vounesi) located in the region of Agrafa in the prefecture of Karditsa, Greece.
During the botched war with Turkey in 1921-1923, general Plastiras was responsible for arresting the Greek army's retreat and stabilising the front in Thrace, along the Evros river. His stance was considered heroic, since it helped save the lives of large masses of Anatolian Greeks and Armenians. After the war, he had 6 royalist generals and politicians who were held responsible for the defeat court-marshalled and executed. Plastiras also forced Greece's King Constantine I to leave the country in 1923 and helped establish the 1st Hellenic Republic. These actions gave him widespread fame for being one of the few republican offciers in the Greek army.
He constructed the dam of Tavropos (Megdovas) river. Today the lake and dam are named after him (Lake of Tavropos = Lake Plastiras).
He governed Greece as a prime minister for three terms in 1945, 1951 and 1952. He died in 1953 in Athens.
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