Emmanouil Tombazis

{{Short description|Greek naval captain}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = Emmanouil Tombazis

| image = TOMBAZIS.-1825.jpeg

| caption = Emmanouil Tombazis c. 1825
by Boehringer

| birth_date = c. 1784

| death_date = 1831

| birth_place = Hydra, Ottoman Empire (now Greece)

| death_place = Hydra, First Hellenic Republic

| allegiance = {{Flagicon|Greece|old}} First Hellenic Republic

| branch = 23px Hellenic Navy

| rank = Captain

| battles = Greek War of Independence

• Greek raid on Alexandria

| children = Nikolaos Tombazis

| laterwork = Representative for Hydra at the First National Assembly at Epidaurus and Second National Assembly at Astros
Commissioner of Crete
Minister for Naval Affairs

}}

Emmanouil Tombazis ({{langx|el|Εμμανουήλ Τομπάζης}}, c. 1784–1831) was a Greek naval captain from Hydra, active during the Greek War of Independence, who was appointed Commissioner of Crete for the Greek provisional government in 1823–1824 and naval minister for a short period in 1828.

The Tombazis family migrated from Vourla, Smyrna to the island of Hydra in 1668.{{Cite book |last=Τομπάζης |first=Ιάκωβος Ν. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aUBSAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA7 |title=Αδελφοί Ιάκωβος και Μανώλης Τομπάζης : συμβολή εις την ιστορίαν της εθνικής παλιγγενεσίας |date=1902 |publisher=Typois P. D. Sakellariou |page=7 |language=el}}{{Cite book |last=Jouanny |first=Robert A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XqyGAAAAIAAJ&q=tombazis+1668 |title=Jean Moreas: ecrivain grec |date=1975 |publisher=Lettres modernes |isbn=978-2-256-90750-0 |pages=59 |language=fr |quote=Tombazis, arriva de Smyrne en 1668.}}{{Cite book |last=Καργάκος |first=Σαράντος Ι |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EpovAAAAMAAJ&q=%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B2%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%BF%CE%B9+%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B2%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B9%CF%84%CE%B5%CF%82 |title=Αλβανοί, Αρβανίτες, Ελληνες |date=1999 |publisher=I. Siderēs |isbn=978-960-08-0172-9 |pages=158 |language=el |quote=Όμως στην Ύδρα εγκαταστάθηκαν οικογένειες και από μακρινές ελληνικές περιοχές, όπως η οικογένεια Γιακουμάκη, μετέπειτα Τομπάζη, που ήλθε το 1668 στην Ύδρα από τα Βουρλά της Σμύρνης.}} It was originally named Yakoumakis ({{langx|el|Γιακουμάκης}}). Emmanouil Tombazis was the son of Nikolaos Tombazis and brother of Iakovos Tombazis. During the early years of the War of Independence, he participated in several naval battles and served as a representative for his native island in the national assemblies of Epidaurus and Astros.

Appointed Commissioner for Crete in early 1823, he arrived on the island on 21 May 1823 at the fort of Kissamos with a small fleet of five warships, three transports and 600, mostly Epirote, volunteers. His arrival gave new impetus and hope to Cretan insurgents, notably since the Ottoman Turks at the fort surrendered shortly after his arrival, on May 25, and this was followed by other victories.Detorakis, Turkish rule in Crete, p. 377

However, Tombazis was criticised for his delay in organising a military force to repel the expected arrival of 12,000 Turkish-Egyptian soldiers under the command of Hussein Bey, a son-in-law of Muhammad Ali of Egypt. When he finally gathered 3,000 insurgents at Gergeri they were no match for the larger and better-trained force at the battle of Amourgelles on 20 August 1823.Detorakis, Turkish rule in Crete, p. 379

In 1828 he was appointed by Governor Ioannis Kapodistrias as Minister for Naval Affairs, but resigned shortly after when he disagreed with his policies.

He died at Hydra in 1831, leaving behind a son, Nikolaos (1815–1896).