The movie tells the story of Ivan Varvakis (Ioannis Varvakis) born 1745 on Psara as Ioannis Leontidis and died 1825 in Zakynthos. He was a Greek-born pirat and later Russian nobleman, decorated with the Imperial Russian Order of St. Anne and the Order of St. Vladimir. Varvakis was famous for his charity and was an important member of the Greek secret society Filiki Eteria. In his old age, he was an active participant in the Greek Revolution.