Hetairia's initial hopes rested on drawing Capodistrias into their circle. In 1816a
certain Galatis was despatched to St Petersburg to recruit the Foreign Minister. When
Capodistrias declined the offer, and advised the society against revolutionary means(4)
their attention turned to Alexander Ypsilantis, the head of a distinguished exiled Phanariot
family(5) and a General in the Russian army. The latter accepted and was made the leader
of Hetairia in April 1820. After two more overtures to Capodistrias were turned down in
1820, Ypsilantis decided to prepare for revolution without him and requested a two-year
leave of absence from the Tsar