The Most Significant

Greek Rulers

1st Governor of Greece

He was born in Corfu on 10th February 1776 and was the sixth child of Antonios and Diamantina Kapodistria. He came from an aristocratic family, registered in the Libro d’ oro of Corfu, thus having the right to bear the title of Count. His father, Antonios was a

lawyer on the island and actively involved in politics. During 1795-1797 he studied Medicine in the University of Pantowa. He returned to Corfu and practiced the medical profession without asking for money in return. His first involvement in politics was in 1797, when the first greek state , the Eptanesian state. was founded, three and a half centuries after the Fall of Konstantinople from the Turks. His political action started in 1803. He became part of the Russian diplomats’ service. It was there that he took up

important roles. On 14th April 1827, the National Assembly in Trizina, selected him as the first governor of Greece. Because of his political status arguments arose with the local

officials which led to his assassination on 9th October 1831 in Nafplio by the brother and son of Petrobeis Mavromihalis, as an act of retaliation for the imprisonment of the latter.

IOANNIS KAPODISTRIAS

CHURCH A priority of Kapodistrias was the reinforcement of the Spiritual and Social acts of the Church. His dream was to found a Higher Academy of Religion. But due to the lack of economic resources he remained confined in the establishment of the Church School in Poros.

Ruler during 1828-1830HIS WORK

SOCIAL ADMINISTRATION:He founded a Resolution Body named Panellinio, which was made up by 27 people and which was divided into three departments: the department of economic, internal and military matters.The members of Panellinio were the Higher Officers:- The Ministry Board (dealt with external affairs, commerce and maritime matters. The Governor was the Chairman of the Board.)- The Wartime Board (dealt with warfare, the land and the sea army. The Governor was the Chairman of the Board.)- And the Church Committee, which updated the Governor on church matters.)

Stamp of Kapodistrias-depicts goddess Athena

THE STATE OF KAPODISTRIAS

•The first Greek Police Force was established. • He established passports for anyone coming into Greece. • He tried to fight theft. • He eliminated the piracy in the Aegean Sea. Thus, he made Greece distinct in European maritime. •He reorganized the armed forces.

HEALTH : Having studied Medicine, Kapodistrias organized the Health sectorand created the first modern quarantine, thus successfully facing plague by taking emergent and effective measures. He founded the first maritime hospital in Poros and the first refuge shelter in Nafplio to accommodate the refugees. Ioannis Kapodistrias tried to inform Greeks and to transplant them his medical knowledge about the dangers and the effective treatment of serious contagious diseases. He described the vaccination method and improved pharmaceutics.

PUBLIC ORDER

ARMY: He reorganized armed forces. He arranged a voting for the regulations of military enrolling. He founded the first School of Army, named Evelpidon in Nafplio on 1st July 1828.ECONOMY: • He founded the National Mint and established the phoenix as national money.• He founded the «National Bank» • He organized public services.• He enforced and collected tax money without mediators so as to avoid tax evasion and citizen suppression. •He utilized national resources and foundations.• He established monthly payment

for military officers and amended the Public supply system and equipping of ships.

phoenix AGRICULTURE• He founded the Agriculture school in Tirintha. • He relieved farmers from taxes. • He ordered the cultivation of National land. • He imported new farming species, like the potato. • He evolved agriculture and reinforced farmers.

INDUSTRY: For the development of industry, special weight was given to the mineral resources of the country.

MARITIME•Money was given for the repairing of ships or the purchase of new ones. •Special measures were taken for the ports of Spetses and Hydra by not paying taxes in their ports.

JUSTICE: •6 types of courts were founded. • The position of District Attorneys was established as well as the ones of the secretaries in courts. • Debt holders were facilitated into paying their old debts. • Loan sharks were reduced. • He established the right of alimony to women with a child out of marriage. • He gave free food, clothes and health rights to prisoners.

•He built new schools and introduced the Inter-ecucational method •He founded the orphanage in Egina.• He founded an Original School for the education of teachers.• He founded a Central School for the education of young people wanting to follow Academic Education.• He founded the Agricultural School, the Central School of Warfare in Nafplio and the Commerce School in Ermoupoli.•He founded secondary schools, which he named “Standard” while at the same time he maintained the Greek schools..

EDUCATION

20 cents coin

500 dracmes

As the Governor of Greece προhe promoted important reforms for the improvement of the public engine and for the establishment of law frames, which were necessary for the establishment of order. Today, many streets and squares carry his name. The airport in Corfu is named “Ioannis Kapodistrias” whereas the national university of Athens was renamed into “National Kapodistriakon University of Athens”. Moreover, Kapodistrias is depicted in the 20 cents coin as well as on the banknote of 500 drachmas (1983 - 2001). Kapodistria Plan is named the the reform programme in the local administration. 

CHARILAOS TRIKOUPIS Diplomat, politician and Prime Minister.

BIOGRAPHYHe was born in Nafplio and came from the family of Trikoupis. He was the son of Spyridon Trikoupis, politician, historian and also Prime Minister of Greece, and of Ekaterini Mavrokordatou. After graduating Junior High School in Athens, he studied law in the University of Athens and completed his studies in Paris. From 1853 to 1864 Trikoupis served in the Diplomats Body. Initially in the Embassy in London. In 1863 he was head of the greek delegation, where the pact for the adjustment of the Ionian Islands to Greece was negotiated and signed on 16th March 1864. His diplomatic career continued for 8 years (1856-1864). Trikoupis reigned in the political scene of Greece for 19 years, he governed the country for 10 years from the 20 of the period between 1875 and 1894. He died at the age of 64 in Cannes and was buried in Athens.

POLITICAL CAREERHe was elected a Parliament member of Mesologi in 1865. In 1866 he took up the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the government then but during the following months he resigned due to discord of views. For four years he was actively involved in politics(1868-1872) independently of the existing parties. In 1872 he founded the “Fifth Party” where the most liberal and progressive personalities of that era were gathered. In 1874, he wrote on the newspaper “Keri" (Times) a sarcastic article for the political system of his time. After his first article he published a second one, in which he established “proven trust” as the doctrine of the Parliament, which was later established as the “principle of proven trust” . From 1875 to 1894 he became Prime Minister seven times in total. In the elections of 1895 he failed to be voted as a Parliament member and was self-exiled in Cannes, France. In 1896, little before his death, he was nominated without his will as a candidate in the complementary elections in the District of Valtos and was over- voted .

ΔΗΜΟΣΙΑ ΔΙΟΙΚΗΣΗ

•The so-called “gardener’s-theory” was in practice by then, according to which every King or President could appoint as a Prime Minister whoever he thought could receive a vote of trust: “he can even appoint his gardener as a prime minister". According to Trikoupis’ “Principle of proven trust” the President of the Hellenic Republic is obliged to appoint the leader of the political party that has the majority of the seats of government as a Prime Minister. If no party has the majority then the President gives the leader of the party with the relative majority the order to explore the possibility of a government formation that has the trust of the Parliament. If the first one fails the order is consecutively given to the leaders of the remaining parties.

• (1886-1890) he reduced the Parliament members from 240 to 150 (the lowest limit

that the Constitution allowed)

PUBLIC ORDER-EDUCATION- AGRICULTURE-FOREIGN AFFAIRS• He enforced the Royal

Maritime, by buying the warships Hydra, Spetses and Psara, for which he had to take another loan.

• He decreased the military service to one year from three.

• With the government that he constituted in March 1882 he re-organized the police, the agricultural police and the military school “Evelpidon”.

• He constituted laws for the qualifications, permanency and promotion of public workers..

• He paid attention to the development of education.

• In 1867 as a minister of foreign affairs he sign a pact of defensive co-operation with ruler Michael of Serbia.

• In March 1880 he abolished a tax in cereal products and replaced him with another one in favour of farmers.

He decided the drainage of lake Kopaida.

He decided the creation of a railroad system. In

1882 there were only 9 kilometers of railway that

connected Athens and Piraeus, in 1893 only 914

km were functional and another 490 were under

construction. For the funding of those projects he

took 2 big loans and taxed tobacco and wine.

The opening of the Korinthos canal was a

success because of Trikoupis, who inaugurated it

in 1893.

He taxed construction.

Characteristic of his progressiveness is his risky

vision for the gapping of Rio-Antirrio which took

shape in 2004, a century later with the

construction of the Bridge Rio-Antirrio. It was

named after him on 25th May 2007.

The bridge of Rio-Antirrio

The opening of Korinthos

Canal.

RAILROAD SYSTEM

Charilaos Trikoupis craved for

modernization, which was not

easy due to the problematic greek

economy and to the conservative

spirit of the era. Nevertheless his

action in Greece is considered

defining for the transition of the

country in the 20th century. Streets

and Squares in various greek cities

have been named after him.

ELEFTHERIOS VENIZELOSBIOGRAPHY

He was born on Crete on 23rd August 1864 and was the fifth child of Kiriakos Venizelos, a merchant, and Stiliani Ploumidaki. He grew up in Chania but passed part of his childhood in Kithira and Ermoupoli. His finished his basic studies and

his father sent him to Athens for studies. In 1881 he registered in the Law School of Athens. He graduated in 1887. He opened a lawyer’s office and became distinct in his job. In 1889 he decided to be nominated as a representative of the Kidonia district in the elections for the Cretan Parliament. He was elected with the Liberal

Party. Because of the difficult political situation in Crete with the rebellion of some parts of it, Venizelos escaped to Athens in the beginning of October 1889.

After being given amnesty, he returned to Crete where he got married (1890). For a long period he stayed out of politics . As a politician he played an important role in the Cretan matter as well as in the rest political matters of Greece from 1910 to

his death. He was a Prime Minister of the Cretan State and seven times Prime Minister of Greece. In January1935 he became Prime Minister for the last time and in March of the same year after the attempt of seizure of power he fled to Paris,

where he died on 18th March 1936.

• During the Cretan State(1898-1912) he contributed to the formation of the Cretan Constitution, he disputed with Armostis Georgios for his liberal views, re resorted to armed rebellion in Therisos (1905) and achieved the replacement of Armostis. He was a Minister of Justice, of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister of the Cretan State.In 1910 his political role in Crete ended, when he became a Prime minister in Greece and put together the “Party of Liberals”. He was active in the political and economic evolution of Greece and in the victorious results of the Balkan (1912-1913). During World War I he disputed with royalty which cost National Division (1915-1917). He imposed his politics for fighting side to side with the Allies believing that it was the time for the “Big Idea to be fulfilled" (ie. Greece would maintain the profits from the Balkan Wars and extend its borders). Greece was rewarded for its contribution by the grant of the Commission of Smyrna(1919). In the critical elections of November 1920 Venizelos was defeated, withdrew from politics, and returned during the Asia Minor destruction in 1922. With two radical initiatives (1923) the mandatory exchange of Greeks with Turkish and the Treaty of Lozanni, which defined the borders between Greece and Turkey he changed the orientation of Greek politics and set the foundations of peaceful development. The last four years of his career(1928-1932) was a period of stability and creativity. His success was the Greek-Turkish Amity Agreement (1930). The end of his career was marked by his attempted assassination (June 1933) and the failed movement of March 1935.

POLITICAL CAREER

"fulfillment of the Great Idea"

The Governments of Venizelos brought pioneer changes and solidified a series of public rights in various areas such as employment, social politics, health, welfare, education and agriculture.

Work Policies Generally: Unionism was ligislatively regulated in Greece.

Reimbursement for work accidents was established. The working hours of retail shops was regulated. Sunday was established as a holiday. The 8-hour work was introduced in many industries. The Ministry of Agriculture and Industry was created, which together with the Highest Board of Labour set the basis for state intervention in economy matters. Chambers of Commerce and Agricultural Associations were created. Also Labour Inspection was established and legal punishments were put into action for the protection of labour rights. Mixed Labour Unions of employers and employees were banned and Collective Labour Agreements were established.The conditions of child labour became stricter and the legislation incorporated the denouncement of labour agreement.With the development of Labour Associations, a special department in the Ministry of national Economy was established simultaneously.The pension and mutual aid funds were reinforced by the state so as to develop and multiply.

Establishment of Ministry for Healthcare that later became the Ministry of Health.

The conditions of medical practice (1912) and nursing profession (1914) were set.

The voting of the Law "About the Care of Public Health" made the state responsible for the Health of Greek citizens.

During that period Greece experienced a great percentage of mortality due to various diseases. Venizelos saw to that matter and

in 1928 began the radical re-organization of healthcare services.He addressed the Unions' Society, the department of Global Health and, thus, a commitee of foreign evaluators visited our country and

gave its report to the Greek state in the beginning of 1929. According to the Commitee's suggestions the following were

founded: •Self contained Ministry of Hygiene

•Hygiene Centre in Athens •Hygiene Centers in the suburbs

• Hygiene School of Athens . During 1928-1932 initiatives were taken for the improvement of

children's health and special care was given to the pupils' population. In 1929 the profession of "School Doctor" and "School Nurse" were introduced. A Ministry of Social Welfare was founded, which was independent of the Ministry of Health so that meticulous

providence fot the Citizen's Health and especially of the economically weakest would be ascertained. Finally, Venizelos tried

to create Social Insurance but there wasn't enough time to be implemented

Innovations in Public Health

SOCIAL POLITICSThe governments of Venizelos during 1910-1920 banned all the standing laws of that period for direct taxes and introduced daring tax reforms in favour of Layman Classes. Most important was the voting of 1917 about war taxes on winnings.

Hygiene School of Athens

EDUCATIONAL POLITICS• Construction of 3200

schools all over Greece.• Lower vocational schools,

industrial, commercial and housekeeping schools were founded.

• High Schools became six-grade junior high schools and applied schools started functioning. Experimental Schools in Universities were founded where students of schools for professors were interns in didactics.

• Free Public Primary Education was established.

AGRICULTURAL POLITICS

• The Agricultural Politics of Eleftherios Venizelos 1910-1920.

• Redistribution of estates. Most acres of fertile land belonged to rich landownerswhich meant that the land was in the hand of the few whereas most of the farmers were serfs.

• Thus, with the article 7 of the Constitution he established the right of the mandatory affiliation of the estates by the state and its concession to farmers so that small properties would be created.

• Morover, during 1910-1932 he founded the Ministry of Agriculture , organised agriculture chambers, the Agricultural bank and established agricultural training in all ranks and services.

House- Museum of E. Venizelos (Chalepa-Chania)

Politician, genius, realist and visionist, flexibl and daring, he possessed an impressive glowing. The name of Eleftherios Venizelos has been givem to many streets and squares in almost all greek cities. The Subway of Athens bares its name (Eleftherios Venizelos- Tavros). the new airport of Athens was named International Airtport of Athens "Eleftherios Venizelos" in his honour.

Athens Subway Airport of Athens Eleftherios Venizelos

Port Anek Lines 50 cents coin

  Mavrokordatos

Alexandros

Born on 3 February 1791 in a suburb of Konstantinople. He was the son of Nikolaos

Mavrokordatos, office holder,and Smaragda Karatza. From his very first years he was taught by a tutor and learned to speak fluently the turkish and french language early. During 1807-1811 he was a student in the Great School of The Nation. In 1812 his uncle Ioannis Karatzas became

the ruler of Vlahia and made him his secretary. But soon, Mavrokordatos becomes distinguished and is promoted to a Minister of foreign Affairs. On 29th September

Mavrokordatos fearing for his life, departs Boukourest. His first stop was Geneva, Switzerland, where they stayed for six months. There, Mavrokordatos took lessons on fortification, which he then implemented in Mesologi. Then, he went to Piza, Italy. There, the famous "Circle of Piza" was created which played an important role in the outcome of the revolution in 1821. In 1819 Mavrokordatos became a member of the Secret Society of Friends while studying Medicine at

the local university. He climbed to higher positions almost immediately after being a candidate for the positions of President of the First National Assembly, of the Executive Body and then of the Parliamentarian. After the revolution he was actively involved in the political life of Greece,

being a Prime Minister 4 times. He retired to Aegina, where he died in 1865, blind and poor.

The revolution of 1821He was the only Prime Minister that was personally involved in three war operations.

1st: The Battle of Peta After the outbreak of the revolution in 1821, Mavrokordatos sailed to

Marsaille, took Greeks that lived in Europe and greek affiliates and departed to Patra, believing that it had been freed by then. In due time he found out it was still enslaved so he settled in Mesologi. He met with Dimitrios Ipsilantis in August 1821, he became hisplaceholder and called the " Assembly of West Overland Greece" (4-9 November, Mesologi) of which he became the President. later, in the National Assmbly of Epidavros he was voted the Chairman of the Executive Body and later of the Parliamentarian. Mavrokordatos tried to reinforce his position by organizing a crusade in Epirus, but it resulted in the defeat of the battle of Peta.

2nd: The fisrt siege of MesologiHe compensated the defeat of Peta with his personal success on Christmas Eve 1822 when he repelled the Turkish Military, with the help of the Peloponesians , during the first siege of Mesologi.

3rd. The Fall of SfaktiriaMavrokordatos went to navarino (April 1825), sent by Koyntouriotis, in order to coordinate and save the forts and Sfaktiria. Despite his efforts only but a few were saved. Mavrokordatos barely escaped death.

12 October - 31 May 1833: After the fall of the Government of Spyridon Trikoupis, he formed the third government after the arrival of Othon.

10 February-10 August 1841 : The first government with a greek Prime Minister after Othon's adulthood.

30 March- 6 August 1844: The formation of government was in the place of the temporary Government of Konstantinos Kanaris which had lost the support of the National Assembly. That government was administrative and aimed at new electio based on the new Constitution of 1844 and the law about elections of 18th March

1844.16 May 1854- 22 September 1855: He got into power after the cease of the

Antonios Kriezis Government by Othon, because of the compelling of Greece to neutrality during the war of the Otoman Empire and Russia.

He was a Prime Minister of Greece after the establishment of the Greek Nation

in the following eras:

The sector in which almost all writers recognize his valuable contribution is diplomacy. Today, many streets have been

named after him.

KOUMOUNDOUROS ALEXANDROS

10 times Prime Minister of Greece in 7,5 years.

He was born in outern Mani. As a child he was almost captured by the Turk-Egyptians of Ibrahim. He graduated from the school of Nafplio and studied law in the new

university of Athens. he practices law for a while in Kalamata. In 1841 he fought in the rebellious Crete and when he came back to Athens he became the secretary of

theodoros Grivas. During the governing of I. Kolettis (1847) he became a general attorney for three years, when he resigned to get into politics. In 1850 he was elected member of the Parliament for the first time for Messinia. Since then he was re-elected

as a member with a small 14-month recess (1868-1869). In 1864 there was an attempted murder against him in Stadiou Street at the entrance of the Assembly. Next year he established the Koumoundourian party and became Prime Minister the same

year. From 1865 to his death he became Prime Minister 10 times. He deceased in Athens at the age of 68.

22 March 1865- 11 October 18656 November- 13 November 1865

18 December 1866-20 December 18673 December 1870-28 October 1871

15 October 1875-26 November 18761 December 1876-26 February 1877

22 March 1865-26 May 187711 January 1878-21 October 1878

HE WAS A PRIME MINISTER OF GREECE AFTER THE FORMATION OF THE GREEK NATION IN THE

FOLLOWING PERIODS

HIS WORK

Foreign politics

•In 1866 the Cretan issue was debated, which he managed to overcome successfully since he didn't succumb to the demands of the Great Forces who wanted Greece to be dragged into a war with Turkey. He believed that war politics wouldn't benefit Greece since it wasn't prepared.

•As far as the foreign politics was concerned, the peaceful afiliation of Thessaly and South Epirus was considered a success of his governing.

Internal Affairs

In the inner of the country, he took care for the resolution of various problems, like the reglulation of taxing and the

narrowing down of theft.The law for "Ministers' responsibility" was also important,

according to which the associates accused of forgery and of impersonation of authoritieswere sent to a special court.

2.650.000 acres of land were redistributed and amnesty was given to 100 thieves in order to fight.

As a minister and Prime Minister he managed to ensure the greek interests, due to his being direct, self-controlled and

exceptionally daring. From the beginning of his political action he was distinguished for his rhetorical skills and his mediocrity.

His political speeches, especially on economy and state administration, established his corresponding rumour.

The name of the square was given in honour of Alexandros Koumoundouros, prime

minister in the mid-19th century. His house was in Piraeus Street. The official name of

the square is Elftherias square but it is never used.

Koumoundourou Lake

Its modern name is in honour of prime minister Alexandros Koumoundouros. During his governing, in the mid 1860s, road works and works of filling between the Skaramaga coast and the lake were done. Next to the Koumoundourou lake there was a second one which was drained during 1950s.

Koumoundourou Isle

Situated between the ports Mikrolimano and Zea (ex name: Pasalimani), just 30 metres opposite the Koumoundourou tower.

Places in his memory

We have to point out that the choice of the most popular political leaders was done based on the teaching material in history that we

have been tought so far.The students of the 5th and the 6th grade of the 1st Three-Graded

Primary School of Milies

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

RESOURCESWEBSITES

el.wikipedia.org/wiki www.kapodistrias.info/

www.venizelos-foundation.gr/ argolikivivliothiki