The name Principality of the Pindus or Principality of Pindos has been used mainly to describe an attempt to form an autonomous district in the Pindus mountains in northern Greece in July and August 1917. At that time, near the end of the World War I, mayors and other leaders from several Vlach villages in the Pindus mountain, including Samarina, Avdella and Metsovo, wanted to create an autonomous protectorate of Italy. This effort was not successful. Neither a principality, autonomous State, or autonomous district ever actually came into existence in 1917. All these events lasted only a few days. One of the members of the temporary committee that wanted to form a government for this district was the young Alcibiades Diamandi, an ethnic-Aromanian who played a significant role 25 years later in 1941-43.