Constantine I Biography

Constantine I was the King of Greece for several years between 1913 and 1922. He had also served as the commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the Greco-Turkish War. Following the assassination of his father, King George I of the Hellenes, he took over the throne of Greece for the first time. He had been the leader of an army that failed to unite Crete with Greece. He had seen multiple wars during the time of his reign, including the Balkan Wars and World War I. Although he was committed to keep Greece neutral during World War I, the Prime Minister Eleuthérios Venizelos supported the Allied forces. This major disagreement between Constantine I and Venizelos, known as “The National Schism,” was so impactful that it had consequences that were felt in Greek politics even beyond World War II. Although he was in power, the Allied forces taking over Thessaloníki and Venizelos’ formation of a separate pro-Allied government led to his abdication. He turned over the throne to his second son, Alexander, without renouncing his titular right. When Venizelos fell out of power and Alexander died, Constantine I came back from his exile following a plebiscite. Due to a military revolt, he lost his throne a second time and handed over the power to his eldest son, who then became King George II.