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NEW EVIDENCE FROM THE PERSONAL ARCHIVE OF MIHAIL VASSILIOU
obtained from Sterios Gerogiannis Samoutas 28 . As she mentions in another of her letters
to her brother, following this transaction, Gerogiannis Samoutas assured her that
he would guarantee to capital to her every time she was in need, and he would accept
a polizza to be paid by Vassiliou in Trieste 29 . A year later, in 1824, Haido used the
same method to obtain money: she drew a bill for the amount of 50 thaler to be paid
by her brother Mihail in Trieste. Ioannis Rallis acted as intermediary this time too.
The money was paid to her by Sterios Georgiou at a rate of 1 thaler: 7 grosia 30 . Dimitrios
Semitelos in Trieste and Rev. Alexios Loukas in Corfu also accepted polizze from
Haido that were paid by Mihail Vassiliou 31 . The amounts received by Haido and the
forms of payment are not always indicated in her letters. However, the journey of the
money is partly revealed by references to names and places. Hence we learn that not
only her brothers but also her nephew Efstathios Vassiliou had ordered Asimakis
Krokidas in Ioannina to dispatch money to her through the intermediation of brothers
Dimitrios and Sterios Nitzou 32 . She also received bills and money through the
companies Anastasios Margaritis & Co. and Zertzouli Bros. in Vienna, Ioannis Melas
in Ancona, Anastasios Koniaris and Kiriakis Vitalis 33 .
On certain occasions money arrived in Metsovo from abroad to be distributed to
more than one recipient. With one transaction providing for more than one beneficiary,
the commission and exchange costs decreased, and the unnecessary risk of
several journeys from one place to another was avoided. In April 1824 Mihail informed
Haido that he had given orders to Kiriakis Vitalis to forward her a certain
amount of money. When she contacted Vitalis, she learned that she would receive
270 grosia from the money sent to her cousin Vassiliki by her husband Konstandis.
This time it was Vassiliki who had drawn a bill that was to be paid by her husband
who lived abroad. Sterios Nitzou acted as intermediary in this transaction 34 .
The money received by Haido Vassiliou had to be exchanged for another currency,
usually grosia. For this service Haido relied occasionally on her ‘friend’ and
confidant Rev. Alexios Loukas who lived in Corfu 35 . He also provided her with in-
28 ΓΑΚ, 197, p. 28, 9 March 1823.
29 ΓΑΚ, 197, p. 28, 9 March 1823. As Mihail repeats to her in more than one letter, if she
found herself in need for money and could come through the ‘right person’ –meaning someone
that could act as intermediary and guarantee the transaction– then she could draw a polizza
on the name of Ioannis Rallis in Trieste and she could then obtain 50 thaler from a
‘friend’. In due course, he would settle his accounts with Rallis. See ΓΑΚ, 72γ, p. 103, 19 December
1823.
30 ΓΑΚ, 197, p. 142, 20 February 1824.
31 ΓΑΚ, 72γ, p. 156, 3-13 April 1824.
32 ΓΑΚ, 195, p. 115, 24 November 1824.
33 ΓΑΚ, 197, p. 70, 1 July 1824 and 195, p. 139, 14 December 1821. In a letter sent to her
on 19 December 1823 Mihail mentioned that as he had learned, the amount of 50 thalers
that B. had sent to J. M. (John Melas probably) in Ancona the previous June to be delivered
to her, had arrived at its destination; see ΓΑΚ, 72γ, p. 103, 19 December 1823.
34 ΓΑΚ, 197, p. 164, 28 April 1824.
35 ΓΑΚ, 197, p. 70, 1 July 1824 and ΓΑΚ, 197, p. 142, 20 February 1824.
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