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List of heads of state of Greece

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of the heads of state of the modern Greek state, from its establishment during the Greek Revolution to the present day.

First Hellenic Republic (1822–1832)

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"First Hellenic Republic" is a historiographical term used by academics the actual name of the government was the Provisional Administration of Greece and was established at the beginning of the greek revolution and later renamed as the Hellenic state. There was no separation between head of state and head of government.

Provisional Administration of Greece (Presidents of the Executive, 1822–1827)

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No. Head of state Term of office Title
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Alexandros Mavrokordatos
Αλέξανδρος Μαυροκορδάτος
(1791–1865)
15 January 1822 26 April 1823 1 year, 117 days President of the Executive
2 Petros Mavromichalis
Πέτρος Μαυρομιχάλης (Πετρόμπεης)
(1765–1848)
26 April 1823 5 January 1824 235 days President of the Executive
3 Georgios Kountouriotis
Γεώργιος Κουντουριώτης
(1782–1858)
6 January 1824 17 April 1826 2 years, 101 days President of the Executive
4 Andreas Zaimis
Ανδρέας Ζαΐμης
(1791–1840)
18 April 1826 26 March 1827 353 days President of the Government Commission
Vice-gubernatorial Committee of 1827 3 April 1827 20 January 1828 292 days

Hellenic State (1827–1832)

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No. Governor Term of office Political affiliation[1]
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Ioannis Kapodistrias
Ιωάννης Καποδίστριας
(1776–1831)
20 January 1828 27 September 1831 o.s.
(Assassinated)
4 years, 177 days Independent
2 Augustinos Kapodistrias
Αυγουστίνος Καποδίστριας
(1778–1857)
8 December 1831 27 March 1832 (o.s.)
(Resigned)
110 days Independent
Administrative Committee of Greece (1832) 28 March 1832 25 January 1833 302 days Independent

Kingdom of Greece (1832–1924)

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House of Wittelsbach (1832–1862)

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The London Conference of 1832 was an international conference convened to establish a stable government in Greece. Negotiations between the three Great powers (United Kingdom, France and Russia) resulted in the establishment of the Kingdom of Greece under a Bavarian prince. The decisions were ratified in the Treaty of Constantinople later that year.

The convention offered the throne to Prince Otto of Bavaria. They also established the line of succession which would pass the crown to Otto's descendants, or his younger brothers should he have no issue. It was also decided that in no case there would be a personal union of the crowns of Greece and Bavaria. Otto went on to rule Greece until he was exiled in the 23 October 1862 Revolution.

No. King Reign Claim
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Reign start Reign end Duration
1 Otto
Όθων
(1815–1867)
25 April 1832
[2][3]
12 October 1862 (o.s.)
(Deposed)
30 years, 170 days Ascended to the throne following the 1832 London Conference

House of Glücksburg (1863–1924)

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In October 1862, King Otto was deposed in a popular revolt, but while the Greek people rejected Otto, they did not seem averse to the concept of monarchy per se. Many Greeks, seeking closer ties to the pre-eminent world power, Great Britain, rallied around the idea that Prince Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, could become the next King. British Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston believed that the Greeks were "panting for increase in territory", hoping that the election of Alfred as King would also result in the incorporation of the Ionian Islands, which were then a British protectorate, into an enlarged Greek state.

The London Conference of 1832, however, had prohibited any of the Great powers' ruling families from accepting the crown of Greece, and in any event, Queen Victoria was adamantly opposed to the idea. Nevertheless, the Greeks insisted on holding a referendum on the issue of the head of state in November 1862. It was the first referendum ever held in Greece.

Prince Alfred turned down the Kingship and Prince William of Denmark, son of Prince Christian of Denmark, was elected by the National Assembly to become King George I of the Hellenes.

  Denotes Regent
No. King Reign Claim
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Reign start Reign end Duration
2 George I
Γεώργιος A΄
(1845–1913)
30 March 1863 18 March 1913
(Assassinated)
49 years, 353 days Ascended to the throne following the 19 November 1862 referendum
3 Constantine I
Κωνσταντίνος A΄
(1868–1923)
18 March 1913 11 June 1917
(Abdicated)
4 years, 85 days Son of George I
4 Alexander
Αλέξανδρος
(1893–1920)
11 June 1917 25 October 1920 3 years, 136 days Second son of Constantine I
Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis
Παύλος Κουντουριώτης
(1855–1935)
28 October 1920 17 November 1920
(Resigned)
20 days Regent
Queen Olga
Βασίλισσα Όλγα
(1851–1926)
17 November 1920 19 December 1920 32 days Regent
Widow of George I
Mother of Constantine I
(3) Constantine I
Κωνσταντίνος A΄
(1868–1923)
19 December 1920 27 September 1922
(Abdicated)
1 year, 282 days Restored to the throne following the 22 November 1920 referendum
5 George II
Γεώργιος Β΄
(1890–1947)
27 September 1922 25 March 1924
(Deposed)
1 year, 180 days Eldest son of Constantine I

The Second Hellenic Republic was a parliamentary republic which was proclaimed on 25 March 1924 and a referendum was held to abolish the Monarchy. The Second Republic was abolished after the 1935 monarchy referendum. The President of the Republic had a symbolic role as head of the state.

Status
  Denotes Acting President
No. President Elected Term of office Political affiliation
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis
Παύλος Κουντουριώτης
(1855–1935)
1924 25 March 1924 6 April 1926
(Resigned)
2 years, 12 days Military
2 Lt. General Theodoros Pangalos
Θεόδωρος Πάγκαλος
(1878–1952)
6 April 1926 18 April 1926 138 days Military
1926 18 April 1926 22 August 1926
(Deposed)
(1) Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis
Παύλος Κουντουριώτης
(1855–1935)
22 August 1926 24 August 1926 3 years, 108 days Military
24 August 1926 10 December 1929
(Resigned)
3 Alexandros Zaimis
Αλέξανδρος Ζαΐμης
(1855–1936)
10 December 1929 14 December 1929 5 years, 304 days Independent
1929
1933
14 December 1929 10 October 1935
(Deposed)

Kingdom of Greece (1935–1973)

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House of Glücksburg (1935–1973)

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  Denotes Regent
No. King Reign Claim
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Reign start Reign end Duration
Lt. General Georgios Kondylis
Γεώργιος Κονδύλης
(1878–1936)
10 October 1935 25 November 1935 46 days Regent
(Took power in the 10 October 1935 coup [el], abolished the republic, and declared himself regent)
(5) George II
Γεώργιος Β΄
(1890–1947)
25 November 1935 31 December 1944 9 years, 36 days Restored to the throne following the 3 November 1935 referendum
Archbishop Damaskinos
Αρχιεπίσκοπος Δαμασκηνός
(1891–1949)
31 December 1944 27 September 1946 1 year, 270 days Regent
(Named regent after the Liberation of Greece, until the conclusion of a referendum on the monarchy)
(5) George II
Γεώργιος Β΄
(1890–1947)
27 September 1946 1 April 1947 186 days Restored to the throne following the 1 September 1946 plebiscite on the monarchy
6 Paul
Παύλος
(1901–1964)
1 April 1947 6 March 1964 16 years, 340 days Third son of Constantine I
Brother of George II
7 Constantine II
Κωνσταντίνος Β΄
(1940–2023)
6 March 1964 1 June 1973
(Deposed)
9 years, 87 days Son of Paul
Lt. General Georgios Zoitakis
Γεώργιος Ζωιτάκης
(1910–1996)
13 December 1967 21 March 1972 4 years, 99 days Regent
For Constantine II
(Appointed by the Greek junta following the failed royal counter-coup of 13 December 1967 and the King's flight to Italy)
Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos
Γεώργιος Παπαδόπουλος
(1919–1999)
21 March 1972 31 May 1973 1 year, 71 days Regent
For Constantine II
(Strongman of the Greek junta, declared himself regent)

Republic under the Greek junta (1973–1974)

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On 1 June 1973 the junta abolished the monarchy and replaced it with a presidential republic. The abolition of the monarchy was approved by a rigged referendum held on 29 July 1973.

No. President Term of office Political affiliation
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos
Γεώργιος Παπαδόπουλος
(1919–1999)
1 June 1973 25 November 1973
(Deposed)
177 days Military
2 General Phaedon Gizikis
Φαίδων Γκιζίκης
(1917–1999)
25 November 1973 24 July 1974 241 days Military

Third Hellenic Republic (1974–present)

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On 24 July 1974, the junta was overthrown and democracy restored. A second referendum, held on 8 December 1974, confirmed the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the current parliamentary republic, with the President of the Republic in a symbolic role as head of the state.

Status
  Denotes Acting President
No. President Elected Term of office Political affiliation
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Took office Left office Time in office
General Phaedon Gizikis
Φαίδων Γκιζίκης
(1917–1999)

(Remained in office pro tempore)
24 July 1974 17 December 1974 146 days Military
1 Michail Stasinopoulos
Μιχαήλ Στασινόπουλος
(1903–2002)
1974
(Interim)
18 December 1974 19 July 1975 213 days New Democracy
2 Konstantinos Tsatsos
Κωνσταντίνος Τσάτσος
(1899–1987)
1975 19 July 1975 10 May 1980 4 years, 296 days New Democracy
3 Konstantinos Karamanlis
Κωνσταντίνος Καραμανλής
(1907–1998)
1980 10 May 1980 10 March 1985
(Resigned)
4 years, 304 days New Democracy
Ioannis Alevras
Ιωάννης Αλευράς
(1912–1995)

(Acting)
10 March 1985 30 March 1985 20 days PASOK
4 Christos Sartzetakis
Χρήστος Σαρτζετάκης
(1929–2022)
1985 30 March 1985 4 May 1990 5 years, 35 days Independent
(3) Konstantinos Karamanlis
Κωνσταντίνος Καραμανλής
(1907–1998)
1990 5 May 1990 10 March 1995 4 years, 310 days New Democracy
5 Konstantinos Stephanopoulos
Κωνσταντίνος Στεφανόπουλος
(1926–2016)
1995
2000
10 March 1995 12 March 2005 10 years, 2 days Independent
6 Karolos Papoulias
Κάρολος Παπούλιας
(1929–2021)
2005
2010
12 March 2005 13 March 2015 10 years, 1 day PASOK
7 Prokopis Pavlopoulos
Προκόπης Παυλόπουλος
(born 1950)
2014–2015 13 March 2015 13 March 2020 5 years New Democracy
8 Katerina Sakellaropoulou
Κατερίνα Σακελλαροπούλου
(born 1956)
2020 13 March 2020 Incumbent 4 years, 229 days Independent

Timeline

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Katerina SakellaropoulouProkopis PavlopoulosKarolos PapouliasKonstantinos StephanopoulosChristos SartzetakisIoannis AlevrasKonstantinos KaramanlisKonstantinos TsatsosMichail StasinopoulosPhaedon Gizikis

Head of state titles

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State Years Title
First Hellenic Republic 1827–1832 Governor
Kingdom of Greece
(Under Wittelsbach dynasty)
1832–1862 King of Greece
Kingdom of Greece
(Under Glücksburg dynasty)
1863–1924 King of the Hellenes
Second Hellenic Republic 1924 Governor
1924–1935 President of the Republic
Kingdom of Greece
(Restored Glücksburg dynasty)
1935–1973 King of the Hellenes
Hellenic Republic
(Military Junta)
1973–1974 President of the Republic
Third Hellenic Republic 1974–present

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ There weren't any formal political parties then. According to Greek historian Grigorios Dafnis : "...it is not possible to talk about parties during the revolutionary period" («Υπό αυτούς τους όρους δεν είναι δυνατό να ομιλούμε περί κομμάτων κατά την περίοδο της επανάστασης και μέχρι της 3ης Σεπτεμβρίου 1843»). «Τα Ελληνικά Πολιτικά Κόμματα 1821–1961» Εκδ. Κάκτος, σελ. 190 (2020) Grigorios Dafnis: "Greek political parties 1821–1961", Athens:Kaktos, p.190
  2. ^ Protocol signed in 22 April 1832 but landed in Greece on 6 February 1833.
  3. ^ "[1821-1833]".
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