He was born in Ithaca and was of half-Spanish origin from his father who was a judge in the Ionian islands, and half-Greek from his local mother.

In 1896, he joined the Cretan revolt against the Ottoman rule and in 1897, during the Greco-Turkish War, he participated in the fighting with a group of Corfiot volunteers.

In 1909, he supported the Goudi coup and in 1910 was elected as a member of the Greek Parliament with the Liberal Party, representing Corfu.

[1]With the outbreak of the First Balkan War in 1912, despite his advanced age (he was 52), he decided to join the army.

He served in a mixed group of Greek soldiers Garibaldini volunteers from Italy, holding the rank of captain.