Hatzipetros was born in 1799, into a rich Aromanian family of Kodjabashis[1][2] in the village of Veternikon (modern Neraidochori) in western Thessaly.

He initially followed his family's trade, spending time as a merchant in Serres, Salonica and Vienna.

When the Greek War of Independence broke out in 1821 he immediately joined the rebels' ranks, and alongside Nikolaos Stournaras scored a number of early successes against the Ottoman forces in Thessaly.

[3] Eventually, he rose to the rank of Major General and the post of aide-de-camp to Otto, but his inveterate womanizing led him to become involved in several sexual scandals (such as his notorious affair with Jane Digby) and caused him trouble with Queen Amalia, who demanded his dismissal from the court.

[3] In 1854, during the Crimean War, while Greece was officially neutral, he was charged with leading the invasion of Ottoman-ruled Thessaly at the head of irregular forces.