Figure 1.--Here we see King Paul with the revived Boy Scouts in 1948. The Scouts had been banned during the Wotld War II era. |
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The monarchy became an increasingly contentious issue in Greek politics after World War I (1914-18) and the disatrous war with Turkey (1900-22). Constantine I was forced to abdicate (1922). It is at this time that Prince Philip left Greece. This brought King George II to a shaky throne. He was ousted by a plebiscite which abolished the monarchy (1924). The monarchy and George II was restored to the throne when Greece held another plebecite (1935), but in the rising tide of Fascism, Metakis controlled the Government. The Greeks resisted the Italian invasion (1940, but even with British assistance we not able to stop the Germans (1941). The royal family left with the British to establish a government-in-exile. The British brought the royal family back after the Germans evacuated (1944). The monarchy was restablished (1946). King George and Queen Elizabeth divorced (1935) and there were no children. Thus when King George died (1947), he was succeeded by his brother Paul. It was thus King Paul who played a role in the post-War effort to defeat Communist insurgents and establishing a parlimentarian democracy. We notice references on the internet of the British resestablish a "corrupt monarchy". We are not sure how to interpret this charge. This period in Greek history is controversial and Greek authors are prone to write ideolgically based accounts rather than real history. We welcome reader comments on this. King Constantine II inherited the throne after his fsther died (1964). Constantine was only 24 years old. He married Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark. The new King was popular in Greece. King Constantine attemopted to reverse the Colonel's coup and was exiled (1967).
The monarchy became an increasingly contentious issue in Greek politics after World War I (1914-18) and the disatrous war with Turkey (1900-22). Constantine I was forced to abdicate (1922). It is at this time that Prince Philip left Greece. This brought King George II to a shaky throne. He was ousted by a plebiscite which abolished the monarchy (1924). The monarchy and George II was restored to the throne when Greece held another plebecite (1935), but in the rising tide of Fascism, Metakis controlled the Government.
The Greeks resisted the Italian invasion (1940, but even with British assistance we not able to stop the Germans (1941). The royal family left with the British to establish a government-in-exile.
Prince Paul was born in Athens (1901). He was the third son of King Constantine I (1868-23) and Princess Sophia of Prussia (1870–1932). He was trained as a naval officer. Paul left Greece with his father following his deposition (1917). The British helped engineer the deposition when pro-German King Constantine refused to take Greece into World War I on the Allied side. Prince Paul lived with his father and refused the crown after the death of his older brother, King Alexander (October 1920) because his father was still alive. He returned to Greece after his father was restored to the throne (December 1920). After the duisastrous war with Turkey and increasing republican sentiment, Prince Paul again left Greece (December 1923). He remained in exile until the monarchy was restored (1935). His older brother George became king. Just before World war II He married Frederika of Hanover in Athens (1938). Prince Paul again went into exile when the Germans invased during World War II (1941). During the German occupation, Prince Paul was with the Greek government-in-exile in London and Cairo. He broadcast messages to the Greek people from Cairo. The British helped restablished the monarchy and an abti-Communist government at the end of the War. Prince Paul returned to Greece (1946).
A new constitution established a parliamentary democracy with a monarch as head of state.
When George II died, Prince Paul became king (1947). It was thus King Paul who played a role in the post-War effort to defeat Communist insurgents and establishing a parlimentarian democracy. He was unable to attend the wedding of his first cousin, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh to Princess Elizabeth Because he was sick from typhoid fever (1947). [Van der Kiste, p. 177.] We notice references on the internet of the British resestablish a "corrupt monarchy". We are not sure how to interpret this charge. This period in Greek history is controversial and Greek authors are prone to write ideolgically based accounts rather than real history. We welcome reader comments on this. Other accounts describe Paul as a concientious monarch, his popularity was affected as a result of the post-War anti-German sentiment directed at Queen Frederika, a German (Princess of Hanover).
King Paul assisted in the demanding task of rebuilding the shattered Greek economy, especially in the north where much of the Civil War fighting occurred. [Van der Kiste, p.179] Greece rapidly recovered like the rest of Western Europe (1950s). This was in sharp contrast to the situation in the Soviet controlled area of Eastern Europe. Paul went on state visits to promote diplomatic and trade links. He was the first first Greek king to visit a Turkish Head of State. Links with both Britain anf Turkey suffered by the enosis (union with Cyprus) movement promoted by right-wing Greek political parties. There was considerable popular support for enosis.
Prince Maximillian of Bavaria presented King Paul with the historic coronation regalia of King Otto (1859).
Republicans increased criticism of the monarchy. Some of the criticm addressed the king and queen for interference in politics, foreign travel, and cost of maintaining the royal family. [Woodhouse, p.283.]
The King responded by both attempting to reduce expenses andv donating his private estate at Polidendri to the the Greek state. [Van der Kiste, pp. 182–183] The King's health began to decline. He had caaract surgery (1959). He later had an emergency appendicimy (1963). A short time later the doctors found stomache cancer. He died a few days after an operation (February 1964). [Van der Kiste, pp. 183-184] Paul and Frederika had three children: Queen Sofia of Spain (1938- ), King Constantine II (1940- ), and Princess Irene (1942- ). King Paul died in 1964.
King Constantine II inherited the throne after his father died (1964). Constantine was only 24 years old. He married Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark. The new King and his young bride was at first popular in Greece.
The King demanded the resignation of the popularly elected government of George Papandreou whose left-wing, republican politics increasingly alienated the Greek establishment, and the Army (July 5 1965). A group of officers including Petros Garoufalias, the Minister of Defence firced the resignation. Garoufalias claimed to have discovered a conspiracy of young officers within the military, led by Papandreou's son Andreas who were planning to overthrow the government, depose the King and establish a left-wing dictatorship. The left-wing cell in the Army was ASPIDA (Shield).
Papandreou was followed by a series of unstable governments. Another new election was scheduled (May 1967). Tensions with Turkey were increasing as a result of Cyprus. War with Turkey was possible. There was also renewed fear of a Communist takeover.
The Greek Army acted before the elections were held. A group of colonels seized control of the Government (April 21, 1967). The colonels claimed that a Communist takeover of Greece was imminent. They arrested members of the government This is known as the Colonels Coup. King Constantine refused to cooperate with Colonels. He attempted to reverse the Colonel's coup with a small loyalist force (December 1967).
The counter-coup failed. The King and his family managed to fly to Rome. He told reporters, “my throne is not worth the price of Greek blood.” The Government abolished the monarchy (1975). This was confirmed by a referendum. A new democratic republican constitution was adopted.
King Constantine lived in exile and raised his family. He returned as a private citizen for his mother's funeral--Queen Frederika.
Clogg, Richard. A Concise History of Greece (Cambridge University Press, 1992)
Van der Kiste, John. Kings of the Hellenes (Stroud, Gloucestershire: Alan Sutton Publishing, 1994).
Woodhouse, C.M. Modern Greece: A Short History (Mackays of Chatham, Kent 1998).
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