George I of Greece 187387 225156001 2008-07-12T04:54:19Z Ionoshper33 7463398 {{Infobox_Monarch |name =George I |title =King of the Hellenes |image =[[Image:King George of Hellenes.jpg|250px|King George I in Admiral's uniform, 1912]] |caption= |reign =[[30 March]] [[1863]] – [[18 March]] [[1913]] |coronation = |predecessor =[[Otto of Greece|Otto]] |successor =[[Constantine I of Greece|Constantine I]] |consort =[[Olga Konstantinovna of Russia]] |issue =[[Constantine I of Greece|Constantine I]] <br> [[Prince George of Greece and Denmark|George]] <br> [[Alexandra Georgievna of Greece|Alexandra]] <br> [[Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark|Nicholas]] <br> [[Princess Maria Georgievna of Greece|Maria]] <br> [[Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark|Olga]]<br> [[Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark|Andrew]] <br> [[Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark|Christopher]] |royal house =[[House of Glücksburg]] |royal anthem = |father =[[Christian IX of Denmark]] |mother =[[Louise of Hesse]] |date of birth ={{birth date|1845|12|24|df=yes}} |place of birth =[[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]] |date of death ={{death date and age|1913|3|18|1845|12|24|df=yes}} |place of death =[[Thessaloniki]]<ref>At the time of the King's assassination, Thessaloniki was in occupied [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] territory. The city was recognised as part of [[Greece]] by the [[Treaty of Bucharest (1913)]] five months afterwards.</ref> |buried =[[Tatoi]], [[Attica]], [[Greece]] }} '''George I, King of the Hellenes''' ({{lang-el|Γεώργιος A', Βασιλεύς των Ελλήνων}}, ''Georgios A' Vasileus ton Ellinon''; [[24 December]] [[1845]] – [[18 March]] [[1913]]) was [[List of Kings of Greece|King of Greece]] from 1863 to 1913. Originally a [[Danish monarchy|Danish prince]], when only 17 years old he was elected King by the [[Hellenic Parliament#History|Greek National Assembly]], which had deposed the former [[Otto of Greece|King Otto]]. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the [[Great Powers]] (the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]], the [[Second French Empire]] and the [[Russian Empire]]). As the first monarch of the new [[Greek history|Greek]] dynasty, his 50-year reign (the longest in [[History of modern Greece|modern Greek history]]) was characterized by territorial gains as [[Greece]] established its place in pre-[[World War I]] Europe. Two weeks short of the fiftieth anniversary of his accession, and during the [[First Balkan War]], he was [[Assassination|assassinated]]. In sharp contrast to his reign, the reigns of his successors would prove short and insecure. == Family and early life == George was born in [[Copenhagen]], the second son of [[Christian IX of Denmark|Prince Christian of Denmark]] and [[Louise of Hesse-Kassel]].<ref name=vdk>Van der Kiste, p.6</ref> Until his accession in Greece, he was known as Prince Vilhelm (William), the namesake of his paternal and maternal grandfathers,<ref>Van der Kiste, pp.6–8</ref> [[Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg]], and [[Prince William of Hesse]]. He was a younger brother of [[Frederick VIII of Denmark]] and [[Alexandra of Denmark|Alexandra]], [[Queen consort]] of [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom]]. He was an older brother of [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|Maria Fyodorovna]] (consort of [[Alexander III of Russia]]), [[Princess Thyra of Denmark]] (wife to [[Prince Ernest Augustus, 3rd Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale]]) and [[Prince Valdemar of Denmark]].<ref name=vdk/> He began his career in the [[Royal Danish Navy]], but when only 17 was elected King of the Hellenes on {{OldStyleDate|30 March|1863|[[18 March]]}} following the deposition of [[Otto of Greece|King Otto]]. Paradoxically, he ascended a royal throne before his father,<ref>Van der Kiste, pp.6–11</ref> who became King of Denmark on [[15 November]] the same year. == Another candidate for the Crown == [[Image:George of Greece III.jpg|thumb|left|Prince Vilhelm of Denmark, later King George I of the Hellenes]] George was not the first choice of the Greek people. Upon the overthrow of Otto,<ref>{{cite book |last=Lidderdale |first=H. A. (editor and translator) |authorlink= |title=[[Makriyannis]]: The Memoirs of General Makriyannis 1797–1864 |year=1966 | publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=p.212}}</ref> the Greek people had rejected Otto's brother [[Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria|Leopold]], the [[heir presumptive]], while still favoring the concept of a monarchy. Many Greeks, seeking closer ties to the pre-eminent world power, [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Great Britain]], rallied around [[Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]], second son of [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] and [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.gr/english/politeuma/default.asp |title=The official web-site of the Hellenic Parliament |accessdate=2007-02-12 }}</ref> British Foreign Minister [[Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston]], believed that the Greeks were "panting for increase in territory",<ref>Van der Kiste, p.4</ref> hoping for a gift of the [[Ionian Islands]], which were then a British protectorate. The [[London Conference of 1832]] prohibited any of the Great Powers' ruling families from accepting the crown, and in any event, Queen Victoria was adamantly opposed. The Greeks nevertheless insisted on holding a plebiscite in which over 95% of the 240,000 votes went for Prince Alfred.<ref>Clogg, p.82</ref> There were 93 votes for a Republic and 6 for a Greek.<ref>Forster, p.17</ref> King Otto received one vote.<ref>Van der Kiste, p.5</ref> Eventually, the Greeks and Great Powers winnowed their choice to Prince William of Denmark. There were two significant differences from the elevation of his predecessor: he was elected unanimously by the Greek Assembly, rather than imposed on the people by foreign powers, and he was proclaimed "King of the Hellenes" instead of "King of Greece".<ref>Woodhouse, p.170</ref> At his enthronement in [[Copenhagen]], attended by a delegation of Greeks led by First Admiral and Prime Minister [[Constantine Kanaris]], it was announced that the British government would cede the Ionian Islands to Greece in honor of the new monarch.<ref>''[[The Times|The Times (London)]]'' [[8 June]] [[1863]] p.12 col. C</ref> == Early reign (1863–1870) == [[Image:KingGeorgeIofGreece1864.jpg|thumb|180px|right|King George I in 1864]] The new seventeen-year-old king arrived in [[Athens]] on {{OldStyleDate|30 October|1863|[[18 October]]}}.<ref>Forster, p.18</ref> He was determined not to make the mistakes of his predecessor, so he quickly learned [[Greek language|Greek]] in addition to his native [[Danish language|Danish]]. He adopted the motto "My strength is the love of my people". The new king was seen frequently and informally in the streets of Athens, where his predecessor had only appeared in pomp. King George found the palace in a state of disarray after the hasty departure of King Otto and took to putting it right and updating the 40-year-old building. He also sought to ensure that he was not seen as too influenced by his Danish advisers, ultimately sending his uncle [[Prince Julius of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg|Julius of Glücksburg]] back to Denmark with the words, "I will not allow any interference with the conduct of my government".<ref>''The Times (London)'' [[14 February]] [[1865]] p.10 col. C</ref> Politically, the new king took steps to bring the protracted constitutional deliberations of the Assembly to conclusion. On [[19 October]] [[1864]], he sent a demand, countersigned by [[Constantine Kanaris]], to the Assembly explaining that he had accepted the crown on the understanding that a new constitution would be finalized, and that if it was not he would feel himself at "perfect liberty to adopt such measures as the disappointment of my hopes may suggest".<ref>Royal Message to the National Assembly, [[6 October]] [[1864]] quoted in ''The Times (London)'' Monday, [[31 October]] [[1864]] p.9 col. E</ref> It was unclear from the wording whether he meant to return to [[Denmark]] or impose a constitution, but as either event was undesirable the Assembly soon came to an agreement. On [[28 November]] [[1864]], he took the oath to defend the new [[Greek Constitution of 1864|Constitution]], which created a unicameral Assembly (''Vouli'') with representatives elected by direct, secret, [[universal male suffrage]], a first in modern [[Europe]]. A [[constitutional monarchy]] was set up with George always deferring to the legitimate authority of the elected officials, while not unaware of the corruption present in elections and the difficulty of ruling a mostly illiterate population.<ref>Campbell and Sherrard, p.99</ref> Between 1864 and 1910, there were twenty-one general elections and seventy different governments.<ref>Woodhouse, p.172</ref> Maintaining a strong relationship with his brother-in-law, [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward, Prince of Wales]] (eventually King Edward VII of the United Kingdom), King George sought his help in defusing the recurring issue of [[Crete]], an overwhelmingly Greek island which remained under [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Turk]] control. Since the reign of Otto, this desire to unite Greek lands in one nation had been a sore spot with the United Kingdom and [[France]], which had embarrassed Otto by occupying the main port [[Piraeus]] to dissuade Greek [[irredentism]] during the [[Crimean War]].<ref>Woodhouse, p.167</ref> When the Cretans rose in rebellion in 1866, the Prince of Wales sought the support of Foreign Secretary [[Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby]], in intervening in Crete on behalf of Greece.<ref>Van der Kiste, p.23</ref> Ultimately, the Great Powers did not intervene and the Ottomans put down the rebellion.<ref>Clogg, p.87</ref> == Establishing a dynasty == [[Image:Greek Royal Family II.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Greek Royal Family]] During a trip to the [[Russian Empire]] to meet with his sister [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)|Maria Fyodorovna]], consort to [[Alexander III of Russia]], he met [[Olga Konstantinovna of Russia]], a direct [[matrilineal]] descendant of the Greek Empress [[Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera]]. Olga was just 16 when she married George on [[27 October]] [[1867]] ([[Gregorian calendar]]), in [[Saint Petersburg]]. They had eight children: * [[Constantine I of Greece|Constantine I]] (1868–1923); * [[Prince George of Greece|George]] (1869–1957), High Commissioner of [[Crete]]; * [[Alexandra Georgievna of Greece|Alexandra]] (1870–1891), married [[Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich]] of Russia (son of [[Alexander II of Russia]]), mother of [[Dmitri Pavlovich Romanov]], assassin of [[Grigori Rasputin]]; * [[Prince Nicholas of Greece|Nicholas]] (1872–1938), father of [[Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark]] and [[Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent]]; * [[Princess Maria Georgievna of Greece|Marie]] (1876–1940), married first [[Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (1863-1919)|Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia]] and second [[Perikles Ioannidis|Admiral Perikles Ioannidis]]; * Olga (1881), died aged three months; * [[Prince Andrew of Greece|Andrew]] (1882–1944), father of [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]]; and * [[Prince Christopher of Greece|Christopher]] (1888–1940), father of [[Prince Michael of Greece]]. When alone with his wife, George usually conversed in [[German language|German]]. Their children were taught [[English language|English]] by their nannies, and when talking with his children he therefore spoke mainly English.<ref>Forster, p.74</ref> Intent on not letting his subjects know of his missing his native land, he discreetly maintained a dairy at his palace at [[Tatoi]], which was managed by his former countrymen from Denmark as a bucolic reminder of his homeland.<ref>Van der Kiste, p.37</ref> Queen Olga was far less careful in her expression of apostasy from her native Russia, often visiting Russian ships at anchor in [[Piraeus]] two or three times before they weighed anchor.<ref>Van der Kiste, p.39</ref> The king was related by marriage to the rulers of Great Britain, Russia and [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]], maintaining a particularly strong attachment to the Prince and Princess of Wales, who visited Athens in 1869. Their visit occurred despite continued lawlessness which culminated in the murder of a party of British and Italian tourists, which comprised British diplomat Mr. E. H. C. Herbert (the [[first cousin]] of [[Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon]]), Mr. Frederick Vyner (the brother-in-law of [[George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon]], [[Lord President of the Council]]), Italian diplomat Count de Boyl, and Mr. Lloyd (an engineer).<ref>The King of the Hellenes to the Prince of Wales, April 1870. In: ''Letters of Queen Victoria 1870–1878'' (1926) London: John Murray, vol. II p.16</ref> George's relationships with the other ruling houses would assist the king and his small country but also often put them at the center of national political struggles in Europe. == Territorial expansion (1871–1881) == From 1864 to 1874, Greece had 21 governments, the longest of which lasted a year and a half.<ref>The ministry of [[Epameinontas Deligeorgis]], ([[20 July]] [[1872]] – [[21 February]] [[1874]])</ref> In July 1874, [[Charilaos Trikoupis]] wrote an anonymous article in the newspaper ''Kairoi'' blaming King George and his advisors for the continuing political crisis caused by the lack of stable governments. In the article he accused the King of acting like an [[Absolute monarchy|absolute monarch]] by imposing [[minority government]]s on the people. If the King insisted, he argued, that only a politician commanding a majority in the ''Vouli'' could be appointed Prime Minister, then politicians would be forced to work together more harmoniously in order to construct a coalition government. Such a plan, he wrote, would end the political instability and reduce the large number of smaller parties. Trikoupis admitted to writing the article after the supposed author was arrested, whereupon he himself was taken into custody. After a public outcry he was released and subsequently acquitted of the charge of "undermining the constitutional order". The following year the King asked Trikoupis to form a government (without a majority) and then read a speech from the throne declaring that in future the leader of the majority party in parliament would be appointed Prime Minister.<ref>Clogg, p.86</ref> [[Image:Greekhistory.GIF|thumb|left|400px|Map showing the expansion of Greece from 1832 to 1947: the Plain of Thessaly transferred from Ottoman to Greek sovereignty in 1881]] Throughout the 1870s, Greece kept pressure on the Ottoman Empire, seeking territorial expansion into [[Epirus (region)|Epirus]] and [[Thessaly]]. The [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]] of 1877–1878 provided the first potential alliance for the Greek kingdom. George's sister [[Dagmar of Denmark|Dagmar]] was the daughter-in-law of [[Alexander II of Russia]], and she sought to have Greece join the war. The French and British refused to countenance such an act, and Greece remained neutral. At the [[Congress of Berlin]] convened in 1878 to determine peace terms for the Russo-Turkish War, Greece staked a claim to Crete, Epirus and Thessaly.<ref>Clogg, p.89</ref> The borders still were not finalized in June 1880 when a proposal very favorable to Greece which included [[Mount Olympus]] and [[Ioannina]] was offered by the British and French. When the Ottoman Turks strenuously objected, Prime Minister Trikoupis made the mistake of threatening a mobilization of the [[Hellenic Army]]. A coincident change of government in France, the resignation of [[Charles de Freycinet]] and replacement with [[Jules Ferry]], led to disputes amongst the Great Powers and, despite British support for a more pro-Greek settlement, the Turks subsequently granted Greece all of Thessaly but only the part of Epirus around [[Arta, Greece|Arta]]. When the government of Trikoupis fell, the new Prime Minister, [[Alexandros Koumoundouros]], reluctantly accepted the new boundaries.<ref name="woodhouse">Woodhouse, p.181</ref> == National progress (1882–1900) == While Trikoupis followed a policy of retrenchment within the established borders of the Greek state, having learned a valuable lesson about the vicissitudes of the Great Powers, his main opponents, the [[Nationalist Party (Greece)|Nationalist Party]] led by [[Theodoros Deligiannis]], sought to inflame the anti-Turkish feelings of the Greeks at every opportunity. The next opportunity arose when in 1885 [[Bulgaria]]ns rose in revolt of their Turkish overlords and declared themselves independent. Deligiannis rode to victory over Trikoupis in elections that year saying that if the Bulgarians could defy the [[Treaty of Berlin (1878)|Treaty of Berlin]], so should the Greeks.<ref name="woodhouse" /> Deligiannis mobilized the [[Hellenic Army]], and the British [[Royal Navy]] blockaded Greece. The Admiral in charge of the blockade was [[Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh]], who had been the first choice of the Greeks to be their king in 1863,<ref name="woodhouse" /> and the [[First Lord of the Admiralty]] at the time was [[George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon]], whose brother-in-law had been murdered in Greece 16 years before.<ref>Van der Kiste, p.35</ref> This was not the last time that King George would discover that his family ties would not always be to his advantage. Deligiannis was forced to demobilize and Trikoupis regained the premiership. Between 1882 and 1897, Trikoupis and Deligiannis would alternate the premiership as their fortunes rose and fell.<ref>Clogg, pp.90–92</ref> [[Image:King George 1st of Greece Journal.jpg|thumb|right|King George I of Hellenes on the front page of the French newspaper ''[[Le Petit Journal]]'' in 1895]] Greece in the last decades of the 19th century was increasingly prosperous and developing a sense of its role on the European stage. In 1893, the [[Corinth Canal]] was built by a French company cutting the sea journey from the Adriatic to [[Piraeus]] by {{convert|150|mi|km|0}}. In 1896, the [[Olympic Games]] were revived in Athens, and the Opening Ceremony of the [[1896 Summer Olympics]] was presided over by the King. When [[Spiridon Louis]], a shepherd from just outside Athens, ran into the [[Panathinaiko Stadium]] to win the [[Marathon]] event, the Crown Prince ran down onto the field to run the last thousand yards beside the Greek gold medalist, while the King stood and applauded.<ref>Van der Kiste, pp.54–55</ref> The popular desire to unite all Greeks within the territory of their kingdom (''[[Megali Idea]]'') was never far below the surface and another revolt against Turkish rule in Crete erupted again. In February 1897, King George sent his son, [[Prince George of Greece|Prince George]], to take possession of the island.<ref>Woodhouse, p.182</ref><ref>''The Times (London)'' [[12 February]] [[1897]] p.9 col. E</ref> The Greeks refused an Ottoman offer of an autonomous administration, and Deligiannis mobilized for war.<ref>Clogg, p.93</ref> The Great Powers refused the expansion of Greece, and on [[25 February]] [[1897]] announced that Crete would be under an autonomous administration and ordered the Greek and Ottoman Turk militias to withdraw.<ref>''The Times (London)'' [[25 February]] [[1897]] p.5 col. A</ref> The Turks agreed, but Prime Minister Deligiannis refused and dispatched 1400 troops to Crete under the command of Colonel Timoleon Vassos. Whilst the Great Powers announced a blockade, Greek troops crossed the [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonian]] border and [[Abdul Hamid II]] declared [[Greco-Turkish War (1897)|war]]. The announcement that Greece was finally at war with the Turks was greeted by delirious displays of patriotism and spontaneous parades in honor of the King in Athens. Volunteers by the thousands streamed north to join the forces under the command of [[Constantine I of Greece|Crown Prince Constantine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thesis.bilkent.edu.tr/0003114.pdf |title=''The Origins of the 1897 Ottoman-Greek War: A Diplomatic History'' |accessdate=2007-02-12 |author=Mehmet Uğur Ekinci |year=2006 |work=M.A. Thesis |publisher=Bilkent University, Ankara |language=English }}</ref> The war went badly for the ill-prepared Greeks; the only saving grace being the swiftness with which the Hellenic Army was overrun. By the end of April 1897, the war was lost. The worst consequences of defeat for the Greeks were mitigated by the intervention of the King's relatives in Britain and Russia; nevertheless, the Greeks were forced to give up Crete to international administration, and agree to minor territorial concessions in favor of the Turks and an indemnity of 4,000,000 Turkish pounds.<ref>Clogg, p.94</ref> The jubilation with which Greeks had hailed their king at the beginning of the war was reversed in defeat. For a time, he considered abdication. It was not until the King faced down an assassination attempt in February 1898 with great bravery that his subjects again held their monarch in high esteem.<ref>''The Times (London)'' [[28 February]] [[1898]] p.7 col. A</ref> Later that year, after continued unrest in Crete, which included the murder of the British vice-consul,<ref>Forster, p.33</ref> Prince George of Greece was made the Governor-General of Crete under the suzerainty of the Sultan, after the proposal was put forward by the Great Powers. This effectively put Greece in day-to-day control of Crete for the first time in modern history.<ref>Woodhouse, p.182</ref> == Later reign (1901–1913) == [[Image:King Gerorge and Queen Olga of Greece.jpg|thumb|left|The Royal Couple of Greece in 1903]] The death of Britain's [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] on [[22 January]] [[1901]] left King George as the second-longest-reigning monarch in Europe.<ref>Van der Kiste, p.63</ref> His always cordial relations with his brother-in-law, the new [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]], continued to tie Greece to Britain. This was abundantly important in Britain's support of the King's son George as Governor-General of Crete. Nevertheless, George resigned in 1906 after a leader in the Cretan Assembly, [[Eleftherios Venizelos]], campaigned to have him removed.<ref>Woodhouse, p.186</ref> As a response to the [[Young Turk Revolution]] of 1908, Venizelos' power base was further strengthened, and on [[8 October]] [[1908]] the Cretan Assembly passed a resolution in favour of union despite both the reservations of the Athens government under [[Georgios Theotokis]]<ref>Campbell and Sherrard, pp.109–110</ref> and the objections of the Great Powers.<ref>Forster, p.44</ref> The muted reaction of the Athens Government to the news from Crete led to an unsettled state of affairs on the mainland. [[Image:King George's Portrait by Georgios Iakovidis.jpg|thumb|right|Official Portrait 1910 (''Μουσείο Ιστορικής και Εθνολογικής Εταιρίας της Ελλάδας'')]] A group of military officers formed a military league, ''[[Stratiotikos Syndesmos]]'', that demanded that the Royal family be stripped of their military commissions. To save the King the embarrassment of removing his sons from their commissions, they resigned them. The military league attempted a [[coup d'état]] called the [[Goudi Pronunciamento]], and the King insisted on supporting the duly elected [[Hellenic Parliament]] in response. Eventually, the military league joined forces with Venizelos in calling for a National Assembly to revise the constitution. King George gave way, and new elections to the revising assembly were held. After some political maneuvering, Venizelos became Prime Minister of a minority government. Just a month later, Venizelos called new [[Greek legislative election, November 1910|elections at which he won a colossal majority]] after most of the opposition parties declined to take part.<ref>Clogg, pp.97–99</ref> Venizelos and the King were united in their belief that the nation required a strong army to repair the damage of the humiliating defeat of 1897. Crown Prince Constantine was reinstated as Inspector-General of the army,<ref>Clogg, p.100</ref> and later Commander-in-Chief. Under his and Venizelos' close supervision the military was retrained and equipped with French and British help, and new ships were ordered for the [[Hellenic Navy]]. Meanwhile, through diplomatic means, Venizelos had united the Christian countries of the Balkans in opposition to the ailing Ottoman Empire.<ref>Clogg, pp.101–102</ref> When [[Montenegro]] declared war on Turkey on [[8 October]] [[1912]], it was joined quickly, after ultimata, by [[Serbia]], [[Bulgaria]] and Greece in what is known as the [[First Balkan War]]. The results of this campaign differed radically from the Greek experience [[Greco-Turkish War (1897)|at the hands of the Turks in 1897]]. The well-trained Greek forces, 200,000 strong, won victory after victory. On [[9 November]] [[1912]], Greek forces rode into [[Salonika]], just a few hours ahead of a Bulgarian division. Followed by the Crown Prince and Venizelos in a parade a few days later, King George rode in triumph through the streets of the second-largest Greek city.<ref>''The Times (London)'' [[26 November]] [[1912]] p.11 col. C</ref> Just as he did in Athens, the King went about Salonika without any meaningful protection force. While out on an afternoon walk near the [[White Tower of Thessaloniki]] on [[18 March]] [[1913]], he was shot at close range in the back by [[Alexandros Schinas]], who was "said to belong to a Socialist organisation" and "declared when arrested that he had killed the King because he refused to give him money".<ref>''The Times (London)'' [[19 March]] [[1913]] p.6</ref> The Greek government denied any political motive for the assassination, saying that Schinas was an alcoholic vagrant.<ref>''The Times (London)'' [[20 March]] [[1913]] p.6</ref> Schinas was tortured in prison<ref>''[[The New York Times]]'' [[20 March]] [[1913]] p.3</ref> and six weeks later fell to his death from a police station window.<ref>''The New York Times'' [[7 May]] [[1913]] p.3</ref> For five days the coffin of the King, draped in the [[Flag of Denmark|Danish]] and [[Flag of Greece|Greek flags]], lay in the [[Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens|Metropolis]] in Athens before his body was committed to the tomb at his palace in [[Tatoi]]. Unlike his father, the new King [[Constantine I of Greece|Constantine]] was to prove less willing to accept the advice of ministers, or that of the three protecting powers ([[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]], the [[French Third Republic]] and the [[Russian Empire]]). == Titles, styles and arms == {{infobox hrhstyles| image=[[Image:Coat of Arms of Greek Kingdom.png|centre|60px]]| royal name=King George I of the Hellenes| dipstyle=[[Majesty|His Majesty]]| offstyle=Your Majesty| altstyle=Sir|}} === Titles from birth to death === * 1845–1852: ''His Highness'' Prince Wilhelm of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg * 1852–1858: ''His Highness'' Prince Vilhelm of Denmark * 1858–1863: ''His Royal Highness'' Prince Vilhelm of Denmark * 1863–1913: ''His Majesty'' the King of the Hellenes, Prince of Denmark === Arms === {{Details|Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Greece}} The distinctive Greek flag of blue and white cross was first hoisted during the [[Greek War of Independence]] in March 1822.<ref>{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Whitney|year=1980|title=Flags and Arms Across the World|publisher=Cassell|location=London|pages=p.99}}</ref> This was later modified so that the shade of blue matched that of the [[Bavaria]]n coat of arms of the first King Otto.<ref>{{cite book|last=Maclagan|first=Michael |authorlink=|coauthors=Louda, Jiří|title=Line of Succession: Heraldry of the Royal Families of Europe|year=1999|publisher=Little, Brown & Co |location= London|isbn=0-85605-469-1|pages=p.281}}</ref> The shield is emblazoned with the [[coat of arms]] of the [[Danish Royal Family]], and the supporters on either side are also adopted from the Danish coat of arms. Beneath the shield is the [[motto]] in Greek, ''Ισχύς μου η Αγάπη του Λαού'' (The People's Love is my Strength). Between the motto and the shield dangles the Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Redeemer]], Greece's premier decoration of honor.<ref>Maclagan and Louda, p.285</ref> == Ancestors == {{See also|Byzantine ancestry of Greek Royal Family}} {{House of Glücksburg (Greece)|george1}} <center>{{ahnentafel-compact5 |style=font-size: 90%; line-height: 110%; |border=1 |boxstyle=padding-top: 0; padding-bottom: 0; |boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc; |boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9; |boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc; |boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc; |boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe; |1= 1. [[George I of Greece]] |2= 2. [[Christian IX of Denmark]] |3= 3. [[Louise of Hesse-Kassel]] |4= 4. [[Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg|Frederick William, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg]] |5= 5. [[Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel|Princess Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel]] |6= 6. [[Prince William of Hesse]] |7= 7. [[Princess Louise Charlotte of Denmark]] |8= 8. [[Friedrich Karl Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck]] |9= 9. Countess Friederike of Schlieben |10= 10. [[Charles of Hesse|Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel]] |11= 11. [[Luise, Princess of Denmark and Norway]] |12= 12. [[Prince Frederick of Hesse]] |13= 13. Princess Caroline of Nassau-Usingen |14= 14. [[Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway]] |15= 15. [[Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin|Duchess Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] }}</center> == Notes and sources == {{reflist|2}} == References == {{commonscat|George I of Greece}} * {{cite book |last=Campbell |first=John |coauthors=Sherrard, Philip |title=Modern Greece |year=1968 |publisher=Ernest Benn |location=London}} * {{cite book |last=Clogg |first=Richard |authorlink= |title=A Short History of Modern Greece |year=1979 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location= |isbn= }} * {{cite book |last=Forster |first=Edward S. |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=A Short History of Modern Greece 1821-1956 3rd edition |year=1958 |publisher=Methuen and Co |location=London |isbn= }} * {{cite book |last=Van der Kiste |first=John |authorlink=John Van der Kiste |title=Kings of the Hellenes |year=1994 |publisher=Sutton Publishing |location= |isbn=0-7509-2147-1 }} * {{cite book |last=Woodhouse |first=C. M. |authorlink= |title=The Story of Modern Greece |year=1968 |publisher=Faber and Faber |location=London |isbn= }} {{s-start}} {{s-hou|[[House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg]]|24 December|1845|18 March|1913|[[House of Oldenburg]]}} {{s-reg}} {{s-bef|before=[[Otto of Greece|Otto]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of Kings of Greece|King of the Hellenes]]|years=30 March 1863 – 18 March 1913}} {{s-aft|after=[[Constantine I of Greece|Constantine I]]}} {{end}} {{Kings of Greece}} {{featured article}} <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] --> {{Persondata |NAME=George I of Greece |ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Vilhelm of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg |SHORT DESCRIPTION=King of the Hellenes |DATE OF BIRTH=[[24 December]] [[1845]] |PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]] |DATE OF DEATH=[[18 March]] [[1913]] |PLACE OF DEATH=[[Thessaloniki]], [[Greece]] }} [[Category:1845 births]] [[Category:1913 deaths]] [[Category:Greek monarchs]] [[Category:House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov]] [[Category:House of Glücksburg]] [[Category:Knights of the Garter]] [[Category:Knights of the Golden Fleece]] [[Category:Recipients of the Royal Victorian Chain]] [[Category:Issue of Christian IX of Denmark]] [[Category:Murdered monarchs]] [[Category:Assassinated monarchs]] [[Category:Assassinated Greek politicians]] [[Category:Deaths by firearm in Greece]] [[Category:1896 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Orthodox monarchs]] [[ca:Jordi I de Grècia]] [[da:Georg 1. af Grækenland]] [[de:Georg I. (Griechenland)]] [[et:Geórgios I]] [[el:Γεώργιος Α΄ της Ελλάδας]] [[es:Jorge I de Grecia]] [[eo:Georgo la 1-a (Grekio)]] [[fr:Georges Ier de Grèce]] [[gl:Xurxo I de Grecia]] [[ko:게오르기오스 1세]] [[it:Giorgio I di Grecia]] [[he:גאורגיוס הראשון, מלך היוונים]] [[la:Georgius I (rex Graecorum)]] [[hu:I. György görög király]] [[nl:George I van Griekenland]] [[ja:ゲオルギオス1世 (ギリシャ王)]] [[no:Georg I av Hellas]] [[nn:Georg I av Hellas]] [[pl:Jerzy I Grecki]] [[pt:Jorge I da Grécia]] [[ru:Георг I (король Греции)]] [[sr:Краљ Ђорђе I]] [[fi:Yrjö I (Kreikka)]] [[sv:Georg I av Grekland]] [[th:สมเด็จพระราชาธิบดีจอร์จที่ 1 แห่งกรีซ]] [[zh:乔治一世 (希腊)]]