Loukas Vagias
{{Short description|Physician and participant in the Greek War of Independence}}
Loukas Vagias ({{langx|el|Λουκάς Βάγιας}}), also referred as Loukas Vaya, Lucas Bia, Lucca Vaya, Lluka (Luka) Vaja, was a Greek physician and participant in the Greek War of Independence.Henry Holland M.D. F.R.S., [https://books.google.com/books?id=GHJcAAAAcAAJ&dq=henry+holland+travels&pg=PR1 Travels in the Ionian Isles, Albania, Thessaly, Macedonia, Etc. During the Years 1812 and 1813, London 1816, p. 256.]{{Cite book|last=Κουρμαντζη-Παναγιωτακου|first=Ελενη|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qVs9QLhmMogC&q=%22%CE%91%CF%80%CF%8C+%CF%84%CE%B1+%CE%B3%CE%BD%CF%89%CF%83%CF%84%CF%8C%CF%84%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B1+%CE%BF%CE%BD%CF%8C%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1+%CE%95%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%AE%CE%BD%CF%89%CE%BD+%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82+%C2%AB+%CE%B1%CF%85%CE%BB%CE%AE%CF%82+%C2%BB+%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%85+%CE%91%CE%BB%CE%AE+%CE%A0%CE%B1%CF%83%CE%AC+%CE%AE%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%BD+%CE%BF+%CE%9C%CE%AC%CE%BD%CE%B8%CE%BF%CF%82+%CE%9F%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%BF%CE%BD%CF%8C%CE%BC%CE%BF%CF%85+,+%CE%BF+%CE%A3%CF%80%CF%8D%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%82+%CE%9A%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%BF%CE%B2%CF%8C%CF%82+,+%CE%BF+%CE%91%CE%B8%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AC%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82+%CE%9B%CE%BF%CE%B9%CE%B4%CF%89%CF%81%CE%AF%CE%BA%CE%B7%CF%82+,+%CE%BF+%CE%A3%CF%84%CE%AD%CF%86%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%82+%CE%94%CE%BF%CF%8D%CE%BA%CE%B1%CF%82+,+%CE%BF%CE%B9+%CE%91%CE%B8%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AC%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82+%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9+%CE%9B%CE%BF%CF%85%CE%BA%CE%AC%CF%82+%CE%92%CE%AC%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%82%22|title=Η Νεοελληνικη αναγεννηση στα Γιαννενα: απο τον παροικο εμπορο στον Αθ. Ψαλιδα και τον Ιω. Βηλαρα, 17ος-αρΧες 19ου αιονα|date=2007|publisher=Gutenberg|isbn=978-960-01-1133-0|language=el}}{{Cite web |url=http://medusa.libver.gr/handle/123456789/5348 |title=Μ. Πρωτοσυγκέλλου Αθηναγόρα, Ηπειρωτικαί σελίδες Τεύχος Α΄ - Θανάσης Βάγιας (Βιβλίον δεύτερον), Τύποις Αριστοβούλου, Αναστασιάδου και Σας., Κωνσταντινούπολις 1922, p. 121. |access-date=2015-01-19 |archive-date=2015-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120005300/http://medusa.libver.gr/handle/123456789/5348 |url-status=dead }}{{cite book|author=Julius Millingen|url=http://lordbyron.cath.lib.vt.edu/monograph.php?doc=JuMilli.1831&select=chap.5|title=Greek Memoirs|publisher=VirginiaTech University|year=1831|chapter=V|quote=...Having sent for his friend Dr. Lucca Vaya...|accessdate=2013-09-24}}{{cite book|author=Edna O'Brien|title=Byron in Love: A Short Daring Life|page=203|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ob9NMdgEs-EC&q=loukas+vaya&pg=PA203|quote=...the fever had worsened and two more doctors were summoned: a doctor Loukas Vaya, who once had been physician to Ali Pasha,...|isbn= 978-0393338478|publisher=W. W. Norton & Company|edition=Reprint|date=June 14, 2010}}{{citation|url=http://mapo.al/2013/08/24/xhevat-lloshi-zbulon-dokumente-te-reja-per-botimin-e-pare-te-dhiates-se-re-ne-shqip/|publisher=MAPO Online|accessdate=2013-09-24|language=Albanian|author=Aida Tuci|title=Xhevat Lloshi zbulon dokumente të reja për botimin e parë të Dhiatës së Re në shqip|trans-title=Xhevat Lloshi reveals new documents for the first edition of the New Testament in Albanian|date=2013-08-24|quote=...Luka Vaja ishte dhe ai mjek i Aliut...[Luka Vaja was a physician to Ali...]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927135914/http://mapo.al/2013/08/24/xhevat-lloshi-zbulon-dokumente-te-reja-per-botimin-e-pare-te-dhiates-se-re-ne-shqip/|archive-date=2013-09-27|url-status=dead}} He is remembered as the personal doctor of Ali Pasha, the Phanariot nobleman Alexandros Mavrokordatos, and Lord Byron.{{citation|title=Loukas Veya|accessdate=2013-09-24|publisher=VirginiaTech University, Lord Byron Catalog Library| url= http://lordbyron.cath.lib.vt.edu/persRec.php?&selectPerson=LuVeya1824}}
Biography
Loukas was born in the village of Lekël in Lunxhëri region, then Pashalik of Yanina, Ottoman Empire, today Tepelenë District, Albania.{{citation|title=Lekëljotët në Pashallëkun e Janinës|trans-title=Lekliotes in the Pashalik of Yanina|language=Albanian|publisher ="Odria" Newspaper|volume=54|author=Miltiadh Muçi|date=April 2010|quote=Two of the four brothers Vaja have served with dedication, as friends and activists of Ali Pasha. All were educated in colleges and universities all over Europe, but most particularly was Luke, Kristaq and Jani as well.|url=http://odriegolik.itgo.com/index_6.html|accessdate=2013-09-24}} He was the younger brother of Thanasis Vagias, chief commander of Ali Pasha. They had two other brothers, Yannis and Christakis. According to some sources, Loukas' (and Thanasis') intrigues were the main driver for Vangjel Meksi to leave Ali Pasha's cabinet and escape to Corfu.
Loukas married the daughter of Athanasios Psalidas, one of the main representatives of the Modern Greek Enlightenment and member of Ali Pasha's council.{{citation| url= http://odriegolik.itgo.com/rich_text.html|language=Albanian|accessdate=2013-09-24|publisher ="Odria" Newspaper|volume=50|author=Miltiadh Muçi|date=May 2009|title=LLUKË VAJA, mjeku i Ali Pashë Tepelenës, që shëroi lordin anglez Bajron|trans-title=Lluka Vaja, Ali Pasha's physician, who cured the English Lord Byron|quote=...After the collapse of the Pashalik of Ioannina, the Greek victory, he would become prime minister of Greece. His daughter married Luke Vaja, when both served in the Courtyard of Ali Pasha....}} He is mentioned as an excellent doctor, studied in Wien, Austrian Empire. Loukas Vagias joined the Greek Revolution and gave immense contribution during the Third Siege of Missolonghi. He was buried in Argos.