Constantin Ier of Greece

See also: Constantin Ier

Constantin Ier (1868- January 1923), in Greek Κωνσταντίνος Α ΄ της Ελλάδας , king of Hellènes of 1913 to 1917, then of 1920 to 1922.

Oldest son of Georges {{Ier}} and of the queen Olga Konstantinovna, by his father it is downward father-in-law of Europe Christian IX, it accepted a military formation in Athens and in Germany. During the gréco-Turkish war of 1897 (war Thirty Day old), it ordered the troops in Thessalie. It was made responsible for the defeat. However, as a Prince of royal blood, there remained Commander-in-chief until the blow of Goudi of 1909. Eleftherios Venizelos, to prove that he did not obey the army, gave again its rank in 1911 to him. The victories at the time of the Balkan Guerres ensured an immense popularity then to him.

Also, when it succeeded his father in 1913, one hoped in Greece that he became Constantin XII. This title would have placed it in the direct succession of the last Greek Emperor of the Empire Romain d' Orient (Byzantine Empire) Constantin XI Paleologist. The royal house of modern Greece would then have become the continuatrice of the imperial dynasty which was extinct after the catch of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453. The new dynasty would have revived in Greece its hours of glory. The ultimate dream was to see one day the Greek army entering again Constantinople where 40% of the population were still Greek at the beginning of the XXe century. The fact of seeing a Constantin going on this city represented an unhoped-for chance. The reference to Constantin Ier as XIIe of the name was to disappear with final disappearance from the hopes to see concretizing " The Great Idea " , namely the regrouping of all the populated territories of Greeks around one only fatherland.

Constantin was of tendency rather germanophile. He had married Sophie of Prussia, the sister of Kaiser Guillaume II, on October 27th, 1889 in Athens. During the First World War, it tried to preserve the neutrality of Greece while part of the population and the political community decided in favor of the Allies. He was opposed then to its Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos. This last organized even a rival provisional government with Thessalonique. It resulted the " from it; Large Schisme" (the “ Ethnikos Dikhasmos ”).
In October 1915, the king returned its Prime Minister and supported the Bulgarian attack on the Serbia. Right before being dislocated of its functions, Venizelos had authorized a task force anglo-italo-French to be settled in Salonique. After having tried a last conciliation near the sovereign who refused to receive it, Venizelos left Athens to turn over in Crete.

Then, in November, it organized in Salonique a rival provisional government of the government faithful to the king carried out by Spyrídon Lámpros. It was the “ Ethnikos Dikhasmos ”. Thessalie and Épire, as well as part of the army, followed Venizelos. A neutral zone between Greece of north and the “Greece old woman” was organized by the Agreement which supported the Venizelos government also financially. A Franco-British fleet, occupied bay of Salamine to make pressure on Athens to which various successive ultimata, relating to mainly the disarmament of the Greek army, were sent. Nicolas II refused however that Constantin was déposé.

December 1st, 1916, king Constantin yielded to the requirements of the French admiral and the troops unloaded in Athens to seize the required pieces of artillery. The army faithful to Constantin had secretly mobilized and strengthened Athens. The French were accommodated by a heavy fire. The massacre of the French soldiers was called “Greek Vespers”. The king congratulated his Minister on the war and the Dousmanis general. The Agreement does not act immediately. Russia, but also the Italy, hesitated. It was only on June 11th, 1917 that the abdication of Constantin was required. June 12th, under the threat of an unloading of 100.000 men in Pirée, it signed it on its behalf and in the name of its oldest son Georges. Its second wire Alexandre went up on the throne.

In October 1920, Alexandre died. At the time of the legislative elections of November, Eleftherios Venizelos undergoes a defeat at the polls cuisante. Constantin returned on the throne in December after a disputed referendum.

Constantin had to abdicate, officially this time, in 1922, after the Greek defeat in Asia Mineure and the coup d'etat of the colonel Nikolaos Plastiras. His/her George oldest son succeeded to him and became Georges II.

Constantin Ier died three months after his abdication in Palermo.

He was freemason.

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