List of heads of state of Greece

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This is a list of the heads of state of Greece, from the international recognition of autonomy of the modern nation state in 1828, during the last stages of the Greek War of Independence, until the present day.

Contents

First Hellenic Republic (1828-1832)

Governor Picture Life Term of office Comments
Ioannis Kapodistrias 1776–1831 24 January 1828-
9 October 1831		 Assassinated in 1831.
Augustinos Kapodistrias 1778–1857 9 October 1831-
9 April 1832		 President of the Provisional Government Commission.

After the assassination of Ioannis Kapodistrias the country was plunged into chaos and anarchy. Following the resignation of Augustinos Kapodistrias, a series of collective governing councils were established, but their authority was often only nominal.

Governing Council Life Term of office Comments
Theodoros Kolokotronis,
Andreas Zaimis,
Ioannis Kolettis,
Andreas Metaxas,
Vasilios Boudouris		 9 April 1832-
14 April 1832
Georgios Kountouriotis,
Ioannis Kolettis,
Andreas Metaxas,
Andreas Zaimis,
Dimitrios Plapoutas,
Dimitrios Ypsilantis,
Konstantinos Botsaris (from 25 April 1832)		 14 April 1832-
3 October 1832
Andreas Zaimis,
Andreas Metaxas,
Ioannis Kolettis		 3 October 1832-
6 February 1833

Kingdom of Greece (1832-1924)

House of Wittelsbach (1832-1862)

King[1] Picture Life Reign Comments
Otto 1815–1867 6 February 1833-
23 October 1862		 Until 13 June 1835 with a regency council consisting of ministers Josef Ludwig von Armansperg (president), Karl von Abel and Georg Ludwig von Maurer. Deposed in 1862.
Regency Council 23 October 1862-
30 March 1863		 Collective regency pending the election of a new king.

House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1863-1924)

King[2] Picture Life Reign Comments
George I 1845–1913 30 October 1863-
18 March 1913		 Assassinated.
Constantine I 1868–1923 18 March 1913-
11 June 1917		 Went into exile and abdicated in 1917 in favour of his second son Alexander.
Alexander 1893–1920 11 June 1917-
25 October 1920		 Died in office.

After the death of Alexander the succession proved problematic, as the Venizelist government at first favoured Alexander's younger brother Paul. As Paul refused to pass by his father Constantine and his elder brother George, the government as a whole acted as head of state until the election of admiral Kountouriotis as regent.

Regent Picture Life Term of office Comments
Admiral
Pavlos Kountouriotis		 1855–1935 28 October 1920-
17 November 1920		 Resigned after the electoral defeat of the Venizelists.
Queen Mother
Olga		 1851–1926 17 November 1920-
19 December 1920

The new government held a plebiscite, which resulted in an overwhelming majority for the return of King Constantine I.

King[2] Picture Life Reign Comments
Constantine I 1868–1923 19 December 1920-
27 September 1922		 Abdicated again in 1922
after the Asia Minor Disaster.
George II 1890–1947 27 September 1922-
25 March 1924		 Exiled on 19 December 1923, deposed on 25 March 1924.

Admiral Kountouriotis became regent for a second time from 19 December 1923 until 24 March 1924. The next day the parliament declared the country a Republic and Kountouriotis became provisional president.

Second Hellenic Republic (1924-1935)

President Picture Life Term of office Comments
Admiral
Pavlos Kountouriotis		 1855–1935 25 March 1924-
15 March 1926		 Elected by Parliament,
resigned over General Pangalos' dictatorship.
General
Theodoros Pangalos		 1878–1952 15 March 1926-
22 August 1926		 Military dictator,
self-appointed President,
overthrown by minister Georgios Kondylis.
Admiral
Pavlos Kountouriotis		 1855–1935 24 August 1926-
9 December 1929		 Restored to office by Kondylis, re-elected in 1929,
resigned due to ill health.
Alexandros Zaimis 1855–1936 10 December 1929-
10 October 1935		 Overthrown by military revolt.

Kingdom of Greece (1935-1973)

Regent Picture Life Term of office Comments
Georgios Kondylis 1879–1936 10 October 1935-
25 November 1935		 Appointed himself Regent pending the return of King George II.

House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1935-1973)

King[2] Picture Life Reign Comments
George II 1890–1947 25 November 1935-
1 April 1947		 Fled the country in May 1941 during the German invasion. After the liberation and before his return Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens was Regent from 31 December 1944 until 27 September 1946. Died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother Paul.
Paul 1901–1964 1 April 1947-
6 March 1964		 Succeeded by his son Constantine.
Constantine II 1940– 6 March 1964-
1 June 1973		 Went into exile on 13 December 1967 after a failed counter-coup against the military regime ruling since 21 April 1967.

Military Dictatorship (1967-1974)

The regime of the colonels was established in a military coup led by Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos on 21 April 1967. When King Constantine II went into exile on 13 December, his constitutional role was assumed by regents appointed by the military junta.

Regent Picture Life Term of office Comments
General
Georgios Zoitakis		 1910–1996 13 December 1967-
21 March 1972		 Appointed by the military junta. Eventually replaced by Colonel Papadopoulos.
Colonel
Georgios Papadopoulos		 1919–1999 21 March 1972-
31 May 1973		 Abolished the monarchy and declared himself President after a controversial referendum.

On 1 June 1973 the junta abolished the monarchy and replaced it with a presidential republic.

President Picture Life Term of office Comments
Colonel
Georgios Papadopoulos		 1919–1999 1 June 1973-
25 November 1973		 Deposed in a coup led by Brigadier Dimitrios Ioannides.
General
Phaedon Gizikis		 1917–1999 25 November 1973-
17 December 1974		 Appointed by Brigadier Ioannides,
remained transitional President after the fall of the regime.

Third Hellenic Republic (since 1974)

In 1974, the military 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 as the head of state.

President Picture Life Term of office Comments
Michail Stasinopoulos 1903–2002 18 December 1974-
19 June 1975		 1st President (pro tempore).
Elected by parliament with 206 votes
Constantine Tsatsos 1899–1987 20 June 1975-
15 May 1980		 2nd President
Supported by the New Democracy party, elected by parliament with 210 votes
Konstantinos Karamanlis 1907–1998 15 May 1980-
10 March 1985		 3rd President (first term)
Supported by the New Democracy party, elected by parliament with 183 votes on the third ballot
Ioannis Alevras 1912–1995 10 March 1985-
30 March 1985		 Speaker of Parliament acting as President pro tempore
Christos Sartzetakis 1929– 30 March 1985-
4 May 1990		 4th President
Supported by the PASOK party, elected by parliament with 180 votes on the third ballot
Konstantinos Karamanlis 1907–1998 5 May 1990-
10 March 1995		 5th President (second term)
Supported by the New Democracy party, elected by parliament with 153 votes on the fifth ballot
Konstantinos Stephanopoulos 1926– 10 March 1995-
12 March 2005		 6th President (two terms)
Supported by the Political Spring and PASOK parties, elected by parliament with 181 votes on the third ballot. Re-elected with 269 votes on the first ballot
Karolos Papoulias 1929– 12 March 2005-
Incumbent		 7th President (two terms)
Supported by the New Democracy and PASOK parties, elected by parliament with 279 votes on the first ballot. Re-elected with 266 votes on the first ballot

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The formal title was "King of Greece", Greek: Βασιλεύς της Ελλάδος.
  2. ^ a b c The formal title was "King of the Hellenes", Greek: Βασιλεύς των Ελλήνων.

External links