European Royalty: Greece


Figure 1.--This photograph shows Prince Alexander in what looks like a Boy Scout uniform. It appeared in a 1960 magazine, but I'm not positive when it was actually taken.

Greece was for years ruled by the Ottoman Turks. The Ottoman Turks in 1453 seized Constantinople and by 1460 controlled most of Greece. Thousands of Greeks went into exile in Christain Europe and had an important influence on the European Renaissance. For the next three centuries, the regional Christan powers (Venice, Austria, and Russia) warred intermitently with the Turks and Greece changed hands several times. Turkish rule was confirmed in 1718 under the Trety of Passarowitz. The cause of a subjected Greece became a romantic issue--the cause celebre of the early-19th century. The cause was championed by Lord Byron who even went to Greece during the War for Independence. With indeoendence came the question of a government. The Great Powers insisted on a monarchy. At the time, Europe was dominated by conservative mnonarchies that at the Congress of Vienna set out to turn back the clock. A republic was still tainted by the French Revolution. At the time, the United States was the only functioning democracy. The modern monarchy of an independent Greece was established in 1832. The first king of an indepedent Greece was a Bavarian prince. He proved incapable of ruling a fractous country. The Greeks favored a British prince as a replacement, but in the end settled on a Danish prince. The subsequent Greek monarchy was based on his line.

Background

The Ottoman Turks in 1453 seized Constantinople and by 1460 controlled most of Greece. Thousands of Greeks went into exile in Christain Europe and had an important influence on the European Renaissance. For the next three centuries, the regional Christan powers (Venice, Austria, and Russia) warred intermitently with the Turks and Greece changed hands several times. Turkish rule was confirmed in 1718 under the Trety of Passarowitz. The Turks ruled Greece and much of the Balkans. After the Napoleonic Wars, the Balkans became increasingly restive. This was especially the case of Greece.

War of Independence (1821-32)

Greek national sentiment began to grow in the late 18th century, fueld by both religious feeling and a desire to pressure the Ottomans. Several aborative rebellions woere put down by the Turks. By the 1820s the Greeks launched a sustained war for independence. At first fighting alone, they succeded in attracting considerable sympathy and monetary assiastance. Lord Byron was their most fervent supporter. death (1824) at Missolonghi did much to create popular and official support for the Greeks. The rebels had some initial success until the Ottomans were strengthened in 1825 by Egyptian forces. The Great Powers (Britain, France, and and Russia) offered to mediate and when rebuffed by the Ottomans defeated the combined Ottoman and Egyptian fleet at the battle of Navarino (1827). A land war erupted between Russia and the Ottomans in 1828. The Ottomans fought on briefly but peace negotiations were begun in London in 1829 and independence was proclaimed, being recognized by the Ottoman Empire in 1832, when a Greek monarchy was established. Greek resistance fighters at first attempted to establish a republic.

First Hellenic Republic

Greek freedom figters created a Republic and elected Count Ioannes Kapodistrias as the first president in 1827. Republican rule in Europe was still associated with the French Revolution and not acceptable to the Great Powers who after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo (1815) had turned Europe back to monarchial rule. They refused at accept the Greek Republic. They approved the London Protocol of 1830 declared Greece to be an independent kingdom under their protection. Disorder followed the end of War of Independence. There was public disatisfaction with the limited borders of newly independent Greece. Kapodistrias tried to rule dictitorially and was assasinated in 1831. Civil war broke out.

Modern Greek Monarchs

The cause of Greek indepencence was championed by Lord Byron who even went to Greece during the War for Independence. With indeoendence came the question of a government. The Great Powers insisted on a monarchy. At the time, Europe was dominated by conservative mnonarchies that at the Congress of Vienna set out to turn back the clock. A republic was still tainted by the French Revolution. At the time, the United States was the only functioning democracy. The modern monarchy of an independent Greece was established in 1832. The first king of an indepedent Greece was a Bavarian prince--Otto I. He proved incapable of ruling a fractous country. The Greeks favored a British prince as a replacement, but in the end settled on a Danish prince--George I. The subsequent Greek monarchy was based on his line. When the British Prince of Wales (future Edward VII) married Princess Alexandria of Denmark, the Greek royal family became related to the British royal family. This tie was strengthened when Prince Philip (grandson of George I) married Britain's Queen Elizabeth.








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Created: August 2, 2001
Last updated: 7:42 PM 12/29/2008