Spyridon Trikoupis

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Spiridon Trikoupis (1788-1873).

Spiridon Trikoupis (April 20, 1788 – February 24, 1873) was a Greek author, orator, diplomat and statesman. He was born in Missolonghi and was son of the primate of Missolonghi. After studying in Paris and London, he became private secretary to Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, Governor of the Ionian Islands.

During the Greek War of Independence, he occupied several important administrative and diplomatic posts. He was a member of the provisional government in 1826, a member of the national convention at Troezen in 1827, and president of the council and minister of foreign affairs in 1832. He was appointed the first Prime Minister of Greece in 1833. He was thrice Greek minister to London (1835-1838, 1841-1843 and 1850-1861), and in 1850 envoy-extraordinary to Paris.

His funeral oration for his friend Lord Byron, delivered in the cathedral of Missolonghi in 1824, was translated into many languages. A collection of his earlier religious and political orations was published in Paris in 1836. He was the author of Istoria tis Ellinikis Epanastaseos (London, 1853-1857), his masterpiece on the history of the Greek revolution. He was the father of Charilaos Trikoupis, also a Prime Minister of Greece.