SU'LIOTS, a tribe who inhabited the valley of the Acheron, in the pashalik of Janina (Epirus) in European Turkey, are a mixed race, being partly of Hellenic and partly of Albanian origin. They are the descendants of a number of families who fled from their Turkish oppressors to the mountains of Suli (whence they derive their name) during the 17th century. In this obscure corner of the Turkish empire they prospered; and toward the close of the 18th c., numbered 560 families, inhabiting 90 hamlets. For about 51 years they heroically resisted the encroachments of Ali Pashi (q.v.) of Janina upon their independence, the very women taking part in the strife. Vanquished in 1803, they retreated to Parga, and afterward to the Ionian islands, where they remained Sill 1820, when their old oppressor, Ali Pasha, finding himself hard pressed by the Turks, invoked their aid, offering them guaranties for his faith, and his grandson as a hostage. Eager
to return to their cherished home, they accepted these terms, and under Marcos Bozzaris (q.v.), maintained a long and desperate conflict with the Turks, but were ultimately forced again to flee from their country, and take refuge to the number of 3,000 in Cephalonia, though a large remnant preferred to skulk in the neighboring mountains. Though they took a glorious part in the war of Greek independence, their country was not included by the treaty of 1829 within the Greek boundary-line; but most of them established themselves in Greece, where their leaders were raised to important offices. The old seat of the Suliots lies in a portion of Epirus which the Berlin congress of 1878 recommended to be restored to Greece.—See Perrhmbos's History of Suli and Parga (2d Greek ed., Venice, 1815; Eng. trans. 1823); and Ludemann's Wars and Ballads of the Ballots (Leip. 1825).