He fought against Ali Pasha, and was captured and remained for years in Constantinople as a Turkish hostage.
He managed to escape however shortly before the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence, subsequently participating in various battles.
In 1830, he led a Maniot rebellion against Governor Ioannis Kapodistrias.
Under King Otto, he joined the newly created Greek Gendarmerie and later transferred to the regular army, reaching general rank.
He had two sons, both Army officers: Periklis Pierrakos-Mavromichalis, and Georgios P. Mavromichalis, who was killed during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897.