Foundation

The Kingdom of Greece was a state established in 1832 following the Treaty of London by the Great Powers of the era ( UK , France and Russia ). The treaty fixed the full independence of Greece against the Ottoman Empire after the Greek War of Independence.

The Bavarian monarchy

Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha had refused the crown, the throne was accepted by the Prince Otho of Bavaria, who became Otto ^I of Greece , after his election by parliament of Nafplion on 8 August 1832. Otto ^I govern as an absolute monarch, is surrounded by advisers Bavarian and is reluctant to govern with the veterans of the War of Independence. Under his reign, the country is still modernized reorganization of the administration of justice, a regular army , the church and education, with the creation in 1837 , the first university in Greece. This policy is facilitated by loans that many important "Protecting Powers" granted to Greece.

Otto ^I was forced in 1843 to accept a constitution. Nationalist and supporter of the Big Idea , the sovereign continues to stir up discontent by its foreign policy and its lack of conversion to the Orthodox religion. In October 1862 , he was overthrown by a new uprising. An election of a new sovereign is then organized the Assembly choosing Prince William of Denmark becomes George ^I of Greece and received the title of King of the Hellenes.

Kingdom of Greece Vasleion tis Ellados ( Greek )

1832-1924-1935-1973

Flag Coat of Arms

History of Greece
Pre-Hellenic Greece
	Prehistory of Greece
-3200	Cycladic civilization
-2700	Minoan civilization
-1550	Mycenaean civilization
Ancient Greece
-1200	Dark Ages
-800	Archaic
-510	Classical period
-323	Hellenistic
-146	Roman Greece
Medieval Greece (C)
330	Byzantine Empire
1202	Fourth Crusade
1453	Ottoman Greece
Modern Greece
1799	Republic of the Seven Islands
1822	Revolutionary War
1832	Kingdom of Greece
1936	Plan of August 4
1941	Occupation
1946	Civil War
1967	Dictatorship of the colonels
1974	Hellenic Republic

Development Policy

Upon his arrival to power in 1863 , George ^I get the UK the sale of Ionian Islands. In 1881 , the Treaty of Constantinople allows the attachment to Greece from Thessaly and part of Epirus. The Crete , still possessing the Ottoman Empire , was occupied by Greek troops in 1897 , but the great powers impose their evacuation. The island becomes an autonomous province of the Sublime Porte , headed by Prince George of Greece.

In 1,912 - 1 913 , Greece participates in two Balkan Wars and conquered the region including Thessaloniki and Crete. The kingdom sees his area and its population doubled. But the murder on 18 March 1913 , George ^I, succeeded by his son Constantine ^I , causes a severe political crisis. The conflict has indeed revealed a sense of rivalry between the new sovereign and head of government.

First World War and National Schism

This is the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 which is the trigger for the rupture between the king and his prime minister. Step-brother of Kaiser Wilhelm II and pro-German Constantine ^I is indeed disagree with Eleftherios Venizelos , supported the Triple Entente. In October 1915 , the king thus forced Venizelos to leave office, but it relies in Thessaloniki a "government of national defense" supported by the Allies and the country is found quickly cut in half.

In June 1917 , under pressure from the forces of the Entente, Constantine ^I must eventually leave the throne to his second son, ^Alexander I..

From the reign of Alexander ^I to the Second Republic

Once Venizelos returned to power in Athens, Greece officially enters the war against the Central Powers. A few months after the end of the conflict and the signing of the Armistice Moudros , the Greeks landed at Smyrna , thereby triggering the Greco-Turkish war. The Treaty of Neuilly and Sevres in Greece provide significant territorial gains, including the Eastern Thrace , Smyrna and many of the Aegean province of Asia Minor. The realization of the Megali Idea appears close, but the Turks refused to fold.

The accidental death in October 1920 , King Alexander ^I and the defeat of Eleftherios Venizelos in the November elections are followed by a plebiscite that recalls King Constantine to power on December 15.

Greece is finally defeated by the coalition of Turkish nationalists led by Republican Mustafa Kemal. On 27 September 1922 , faced with military disasters, Constantine ^I must again renounce the throne and abdicated in favor of his eldest son, George II. The Kingdom of Greece should accept the Treaty of Lausanne and abandon all its territorial conquests in Anatolia and Eastern Thrace. An important exchange of populations took place between the two countries. This political failure and economic difficulties facing the country leading to the exile of George II. The Second Hellenic Republic was proclaimed on 25 March 1924 and confirmed by a plebiscite on April 13.

Restoration of the monarchy and military dictatorship

The Republic is very unstable and, 3 November 1935 , a new plebiscite, highly contested, organized by the Prime Minister Georgios Kondylis , decided to restore the monarchy more than 95% of the vote.

Political instability continues, however, and the electoral gains of the Communist Party of Greece prevent the elections of January 1936 to reach a majority. On 4 August 1936 , a coup organized by General Ioannis Metaxas , allows the establishment of a dictatorial regime supported by the King: the Plan of August 4.

WWII

In October 1940 , Greece was invaded by fascist Italy. The attack against Greece was victorious but leads an invasion of the country by Nazi Germany on 9 April 1941. Greece was then occupied by Italy, Germany and Bulgaria , and a government employee was born in Athens.

King George II leads a government in exile. Part of the Greek armed forces managed to reach the Middle East was dominated by the British. Rearmed and framed by the British, under the authority of the Greek government in exile, and reinforced by volunteers from the Greek expatriate communities, the Greek troops are in Mandatory Palestine Army Royal Hellenic Middle East ( or ), which participates in the fighting alongside the Allies , especially during campaigns in Africa and the Middle East , where they contribute to the Second Battle of El Alamein. The 3rd brigade of the Greek forces free assembly then took part in the Italian campaign and take part in the offensive against the Gothic Line.

In the country, the deportation of Jews is implemented. In parallel, a significant armed resistance develops, accompanied by growing tensions between the resistance groups monarchists, nationalists and communists. The advance troops Soviets in Eastern Europe, the territorial gains made by the Greek resistance and landing troops UK in October 1944 entail the withdrawal of German national territory.

Political tension is extreme, however, degenerating into armed conflict between Greek communists, republicans, monarchists and the British authorities. An uneasy truce was reached in February 1945. The Archbishop Damaskinos , head of government, ensures the regency of the Kingdom until the continuation of the monarchy or not is decided.

Civil War

In the elections of 3 March 1946 , the monarchists won a majority of votes. A referendum guarantees a return on the throne of George II , who returns in September. But this election result causes the civil war with the Communists. The conflict lasts until 1949 and ended in victory for government forces. Paul ^I had meanwhile succeeded his brother George II, who died in 1947.

Rebuilding the country

After the conflict, Greece undertook its reconstruction through the Marshall Plan. With the Treaty of Paris of 1947 , it recovered the islands of the Dodecanese. In 1948 , she directed the annexation of the islands of the Dodecanese , ceded by Italy in the Treaty of Paris. However, the country suffers a great governmental instability until 1952. After that date, the government of Alexandros Papagos provides some stability. The communist party is banned, women won the right to vote and a policy of reconciliation and alliance is being pursued with Turkey and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia popular. The government of Konstantinos Karamanlis continues this policy.

In 1964 , the opposition leader George Papandreou wins parliamentary elections. The same year the young Constantine II succeeds his father, King Paul ^I.

Dictatorship of the Colonels

Papandreou is favorite for the parliamentary elections of 1967 , but they are prevented by a coup military carried out the April 21. A a href = "Junte_militaire" class = "mw-redirect" title = "Military Junta"> military junta took power and attempted cons-coup organized by King Constantine II on 13 December 1967 eventually led to the exile of the royal family. Nevertheless, the monarchy was officially maintained and successive leaders of the junta assume the title of regent.

On 29 July 1973 , a plebiscite organized by the regime, however, proclaimed the Republic and the junta leader, Georgios Papadopoulos , became its first president.

End of monarchy

After the fall of the dictatorship , the government of Konstantinos Karamanlis holds another referendum. On 8 December 1974 , 69% of Greek voters are in favor of the end of the monarchy and the establishment of the Republic.

Institutions

The first constitution of the kingdom is projected in 1832 but never enacted, Otto ^I ruled for ten years in absolute monarch. In 1844 , Greece finally adopted its first constitution, which makes it a constitutional monarchy while establishing a bicameral parliament , creating a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies.

The election of George ^I is accompanied, in 1864 , a new constitution more liberal than the previous one, gives clear direction to Greece in the camp of parliamentary democracies , recognizing the sovereignty of the people. Article 31 stipulates that all powers under the nation, the king being merely representative. Nevertheless, the king retains the power to appoint the government and ministers, without specifying whether they are mandatory from the parliamentary majority. Greece also goes to monocameral : the Senate is abolished, only the Chamber of Deputies retained.

In 1911 , Eleftherios Venizelos fifty adopts constitutional amendments, which include reforming the status of the property, opening the prospect of land reform , create a Ministry of Agriculture and alter the status of officials as judges.

In 1936 , Ioannis Metaxas suspended the constitution, without making any amendment supporting his regime. After the Second World War and the civil war , Greece adopted in 1952 , a new constitution, which prohibits the Communist Party of Greece. In 1967 , when King Constantine II was exiled, Greece is left without government or head of state. The "revolutionary council" of the military junta then appoint a regent. The following year, the colonels' regime promulgated a new constitution, which maintains the monarchy only on paper.

Internal Links

• List of Kings of the Hellenes
• List of Prime Ministers of Greece
• Greek Constitution of 1864
• Great Idea
• National Schism
• Eleftherios Venizelos

External link

• (El) (en) Official site of the former royal family

• Greece portal

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