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GREECE King Of Greece Georgios (Christian Vilhelm) I 1845 - 1913

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  Georgios - King of Greece Status: Located

  
  

• Title	King Of Greece
  Birth	24 Dec 1845	Gule Palae, K2benhavn, K2benhavn, Denmark
  Gender	Male
  Died	5 Mar 1913	Salonika, , Greece
  Buried	Tatoi
  Notes	In 1832, the Great powers (England, Russia abd France offered the new kingdom of Greece to Prince Otto of Bavaria; Otto was a well- intentioned monarch but that was not enough for the turbulent Greek people and a revolt forced Otto to approve a constitution and a second one in 1862 forced hi to abdicate. The vacant Greek crown was then offered to Queen Victoria's second son Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, but the British government refused since there was an international agreement that established that no member of the British Royal family was elegible for the Greek throne. Nevertheless, England was deeply interested in Greece since she wanted to increase her infuence in the Aegean. If Prince Alfred could not be king, there were other candidates, and the elected was the second son of Prince Christian of Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glucksburg, the seventeen-year-old Prince William of Denmark. The Greeks accepted the choice. A King suported by England meant the return of the Ionian Islands, now in British hands. Besides, Prince William was closely related to the British Royal family since his sister Alexandra had just married the Prince of Wales. On March 30, 1863, the Greek National Assembly proclaimed William as King George I of the Hellenes. William,a frank and cheerful young man, who loved joking, was happy about acceptng the Greek crown, but not his father, Prince Christian, nor his mother, Princess Luise, who apealed to her daughter, the Princess of Wales to influence the British government against the match and wrote to Queen Victoria, looking for her support; but everything was unuseful against William becoming King of the Hellenes. Even King Frederik VII of Denmark supported the idea. Christian had to accept but he established some conditions: the three Great Powers must guaranteee his son 25,000 pounds a year in case of being dethroned and the Ionian Islands should be returned to Greece by England. On June 6, 1863, Prince William formally accepted the Greek crown. In October that same year, the young King George arrived in Greece. He soon realised he had received one of the poorest, bad organized and unstable countries in Europe. The Royal Palace, where he would live, was in a deplorable condition, having been victim of vandalism since King Otto's departure. The Danish Prince faced the difficulties of his new possition with great aplomb, and he identified himself with his new country as much as posssible. He quicly lernt the Greek language and he visited every part of the country, even by mule or on foot. He remained Protestant but he paid a great respect to the Greek orthodox Church. King George forced his Greek ministers to frame a new constitution which resulted very liberal for those days. Altough he could appoint and dismiss ministers as well as to disolve the assembly, he involved himself as little as possible in internal politics. Most of the times, he left the politicians to resolv problems, interfiring only in time of crisis. He didn't favpour any party. After four years of reigning, King George began to think in marriage in order to establish a dynasty. He tought Russia would provide him of a suitable wife since his future children would have to be Orthodox and only in Russia he could find an Orthodox princess. And so he did. In October, 1867 King George of the Hellenes married in the Winter Palace to the fifteen-year-old daughter of Grand Duke Constantine (Alexander II's younger brother), Grand Duchess Olga. Nine months later, the new Queen of Greece geve birth to her first son. He was named Consantine and soon was followed by six more children (4 boys and 2 girls), who grew up lovingly and naturally. ing George bought for his family a 40,000 acre property, fifteen miles north of Athens, which was named Tatoi. George gave tatoi a danish character; more trees were planted, the roads were fixed, Danish agricultural methods were introduced, barns and stables were built and Danish and Swiss cows were imported, and soon Tatoi had become a complete Danish farm. Altough King George was a Dane in private, he was a Greek in public life. he had a compromise with the "Great Hellenic Dream", the return to Greece of Crete, Thessaly, Espirus, and most of all, Constantinople, then in Turkish hands. By 1897, when King George was 51 years old and had been for 34 years in the throne, his subjects, with the firm purpose of achieving the "Great Hellenic Dream", were claiming for action. The Greek population in the island of Crete rose upo against the Turks and King George sent a Greek troop commanded by his second son, Prince George, to support the rebels. The Great Powers feared a war between Greece and Turkey and sent an international force to Crete, ordering Prince George to retreat. But Greece was determined to keep her troops in Crete, and moreover, the Greeks in Turkish-ruled Macedonia revolted. On April 17, Turkey declared war on Greece. A week later, the Greek army, under the comand of Crown Prince Constantine, was defeated by the Turks. King george turned to his relations among European royalty, but neither England, nor Russia, nor Germany were able to help him. On the contrary, Germany, who supported Turkey, imposed humilliant conditions to Greece. The Greek troops must withdraw from Crete and the North Greek frontier was modified in Turkish's favour. Thanks to the intervention of Tsar Nicholas II and of the Prince of Wales, the terms were less hard. King George was now unpopular among his subjects and he retired with his family toTatoi. Thirteen years later, Eleftherio Venizelos became Prime Minister of Greece. He was fired with the spirit of the "Great Hellenic Dream". Greece must take revange against Turkey for the defeat of 1897 and the government must have a stable government and a strong army, so Venizelos devoted himself to review the Constitution and reorganized the army. In everything he did, he had the King's support. The Minister reinstalled Prince Constantine as Commander in Chief of the Army and by 1912 he had arranged military alliances with his neighbours, Bulgaria and Serbia. Now Greece was ready for war. This time the Greeks were luckier, and their army, under Prince Constantine's personal command, gained one victory after other. In November, 1912, the Greeks took Salonica, the capital of Macedonia, which had been under the Turks for more than a century. King George, Prince Constantine and Minister Venizelos rode triumphantly through the streets. By January, Greece had recovered Espirus and Turkey was forced to withdraw almost entirely from Europe, remaining only in Constantinople. Greece had almost doubled her territory and King George was again a national hero. He spent some wonderful days after his entry to salonica, receiving congratulations from his Danish relatives, even Kaiser Wilhelm II sent his sister Sophie (who was Prince Constantine's wife) a congratulations message. He announced that on October 26 that same year, at the golden jubilee of his reign he would abdicate on his son Constantine. But.... on the afternoon of March 18, 1913, King George went for a walk trough the streets of Salonica, accompanied by an aide. On their way to the harbour, they passed by a cafe, the "Pasha Liman", where was a strange man who looked closely at them, as they passed. On their way back, the King and his companion passed again by the cafe. The man was still there and when the King passed by his side, the man drew out a revolver and shot the King in the back; within seconds, he was dead. His companion seized the assasin by the throat until two policeman came. The man was mentally deranged and he later committed suicide whilst awaiting for his trial. King George's body was taken back to Athens and he was buried in a chapel built on a little hill near Tatoi, known as Paleocastro. In 1832, the Great powers (England, Russia and France offered the new kingdom of Greece to Prince Otto of Bavaria; Otto was a well- intentioned monarch but that was not enough for the turbulent Greek people and a revolt forced Otto to approve a constitution and a second one in 1862 forced him to abdicate. The vacant Greek crown was then offered to Queen Victoria's second son Alfred, Duke of Edimburgh, but the British government refused since there was an international agreement that established that no member of the British Royal family was elegible for the Greek throne. Neveertheless, England was deeply interested in Greece since she wanted to inccrease her infuence in the Aegean. If Prince Alfred could not be king, there were other candidates. and the elected was the second son of Prince Christian of Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glucksburg, the seventeen-year-old Prince William of Denmark. The Greeks accepted the choice. A King suportted by England meant the return of the Ionian Islands, now in British hands. Besides, Prince William was closely related to the British Royal family since his siser Alexandra had just married the Prince of Wales. King George I of Greece On March 30, 1863, the Greek National Assembly proclaimed William as King George I of the Hellenes. William,a frank and cheerful young man, who loved joking, was happy about acceptng the Greek crown, but not his father, Prince Christian, nor his mother, Princess Luise, who apealed toher daughter the Princess of Wales to influence the British government against the match and wrote Queen Victoria, looking for her support; but everything was unuseful against William becoming King of the Hellenes. Even King Frederik VII of Denmark supported the idea. Christian had to accept but he established some conditions: the three Great Powers must guaranteee his son 25,000 pounds a year in case of being dethroned and the Ionian Islands should be returned to Greece by England.On June 6, 1863, Prince William formally accepted the Greek crown. In October that same year, the young King George arrived in Greece. He soon realised he had received one of the poorest, bad organized and unstable countries in Europe. The Royal Palace, where he would live, was in a deplorable condition, having been victim of vandalism since King Otto's departure. The Danish Prince faced the difficulties of his new possition with great aplomb, and he identified himself with his new country as much as posssible. He quicly lernt the Greek language and he visited every part of the country, even by mule or on foot. He remained Protestant but he paid a great respect to the Greek orthodox Church. King George forced his Greek ministers to frame a new constitution which resulted very liberal for those days. Altough he could appoint and dismiss ministers as well as to disolve the assembly, he involved himself as little as possible in internal politics. Most of the times, he left the politicians to resolv problems, interfiring only in time of crisis. He didn't favpour any party. After four years of reigning, King George began to think in marriage in order to establish a dynasty. He tought Russia would provide him of a suitable wife since his future children would have to be Orthodox and only in Russia he could find an Orthodox princess. And so he did. In October, 1867 King George of the Hellenes married in the Winter Palace to the fifteen-year-old daughter of Grand Duke Constantine (Alexander II's younger brother), Grand Duchess Olga. Nine months later, the new Queen of Greece geve birth to her first son. He was named Consantine and soon was followed by six more children (4 boys and 2 girls), who grew up lovingly and naturally. ing George bought for his family a 40,000 acre property, fifteen miles north of Athens, which was named Tatoi. George gave tatoi a danish character; more trees were planted, the roads were fixed, Danish agricultural methods were introduced, barns and stables were built and Danish and Swiss cows were imported, and soon Tatoi had become a complete Danish farm. Altough King George was a Dane in private, he was a Greek in public life. he had a compromise with the "Great Hellenic Dream", the return to Greece of Crete, Thessaly, Espirus, and most of all, Constantinople, then in Turkish hands. By 1897, when King George was 51 years old and had been for 34 years in the throne, his subjects, with the firm purpose of achieving the "Great Hellenic Dream", were claiming for action. The Greek population in the isalnd of Crete rose upo against the Turks and King George sent a Greek troop commanded by his second son, Prince George, to support the rebels. The Great Powers feared a war between Greece and Turkey and sent an international force to Crete, ordering Prince George to retreat. But Greece was determined to keep her troops in Crete, and moreover, the Greeks in Turkish-ruled Macedonia revolted. On April 17, Turkey declared war to Greece. A week later, the Greek army, under the comand of Crown Prince Constantine, was defetaed by the Turks. King george turned to his raltions among European royalty, but neither England, nor Russia, nor Germany were able to help him. On he contrary, Germany, who supported Turkey, imposed humilliant conditions to Greece. The Greek troops must withdraw from Crete and the North Grreek frontier was modified in Turkish's favour. Thanks to the intervention of Tsar Nicholas II and of the Prince of Wales, the terms were less hard. King George was now unpopular among his subjects and he retiredwith his family toTatoi. Thirteen years later, Eleftherio Venizelos became Prime Minister of Greece. He was fired with the spirit of the "Great Hellenic Dream". Greece must tooke revange against Turkey for the defeat of 1897 and the government must had a stable govenrment and a strong army, so Venizelos devoted himself to review the Constitution and reorganized the army. In everything he did, he had the King's support. The Minister reinstalled Prince Constantine as Commander in Chief of the Army and for 1912 he had aranged military alliances with his neighbours, Bulgaria and Serbia. Now Greece was ready for war. This time the reeks were luclier, and thier army, under Prince Constantine's personal command, gained one victory after other. In November, 1912, the Greeks took Salonica, the capital of Macedonia, which had been under the Turks for more than a century. King George, Prince Constantine and Minister Venizelos rode triumphantly through the streets. By January, Greece had recovered Espirus and Turkey was forced to withdrawalmost entirely from Europe, remaining only in Constantinople. Greece had almost doubled her territory and King George was again a national heroe. He spent some wonderful days after his entry to salonica, receiving congratulations from his Danish relatives, even Kaiser Wilhelm II sent his sister Sophie (who was Prince Constantine's wife) a congratulations message. He announced that on October 26 that same year, at the golden jubilee of his reign he would abdicate on his son Constantine. But it would not be time for the abdication; on the afternoon of March 18, 1913, King George went for a walk trough the streets of Salonica, accompanied by an aide. On their way to the harbour, they passed by a cafe, the "Pasha Liman", where was astarnge man who look closely to them, as they passed. On their way back, the King and his companion passed again by the cafe. The man was still there and when the King passed by his side, the man drew out a revolver and shot the King in the back; within seconds, he was dead. His companion seized the assasin by the throat until two policeman came. The man was mentally deranged and he commit suicide while awaiting for his trial. King George's body was taken back to Athens and he was buried in a chapel built on a little hill near Tatoi, known as Paleocastro.
  Person ID	I770	Royal Family of Europe
  Last Modified	1 Nov 2005

  
  

  Father	DENMARK Christian IX King Of,   b. 8 Apr 1818, Schloss Gottorf Bei Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein, Prussia ,   d. 29 Jan 1906, Amalienborg Slot, K2benhavn, K2benhaven, Denmark
  Mother	HESSE-KASSEL-RUMPENHEIM Luise Wilhelmine Friederike Princess Of,   b. 7 Sep 1817, Kassel, Hessen-Nassau, Prussia ,   d. 29 Sep 1898, Bernstorff Slot, Jaegersborg-Gentofte, K2benhaven, Denmark
  Married	Abt 1840	, K2benhavn, K2benhavn, Denmark
  Family ID	F332	Group Sheet

  
  

  Family	OF RUSSIA Olga Constantinova,   b. 1851, Russia ,   d. 1926
  Married	27 Oct 1867	Staint Petersburg, , Russia
  Children	> 1. OLDENBURG Constantine I,   b. 2 Aug 1868, Athens, Greece ,   d. 11 Jan 1923, Palermo, , Italy   2. OLDENBURG George,   b. 1869, ,   d. 1957   3. OF GREECE Alexandria,   b. 1870, ,   d. 1891   4. OF GREECE Nicholas,   b. 1872, ,   d. 1938   5. OLDENBURG Mary,   b. 1876, ,   d. 1940 > 6. MOUNTBATTEN Andrew of Greece and Denmark,   b. 1 Feb 1882, Athens, Greece ,   d. 3 Dec 1944   7. OLDENBURG Christopher,   b. 1888, Athens, Greece ,   d. 1940   8. OLDENBURG Olga,   b. Abt 1890, Athens, Greece
  Family ID	F98	Group Sheet