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Election to the Throne of Greece (1822–1832)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The election to the throne of Greece in 1822–1832, which began soon after the start of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire (1821–1830) and concluded two years after the international recognition of the country's independence, was a pivotal moment in Greek history. The conflict was significantly shaped by the involvement of major European powers, namely the United Kingdom, Russia, and France, in the struggle between Greek patriots and their former Ottoman rulers.
![]() The coat of arms of King Otto I of Greece. | |
Date | 1822–1832 |
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Location | Greek and Europe |
Motive | Creation of the Kingdom of Greece and election of Prince Otto of Bavaria to the Greek crown. Establishment of a Regency Council. |
From the outset of the Greek War of Independence, the leaders of the rebellion recognized that the major European powers, collectively known as the "Vienna Order", would acknowledge only Greece's independence if it adopted a monarchical form of government. Consequently, the patriots endeavored to identify a foreign prince who would be amenable to assuming governance of their nation, a prospect that piqued the interest of several ambitious contenders. However, the discord among the powers and the insurgents' precarious position against the Ottoman forces made the election impossible for an extended period.
As the Greek rebellion waned around 1825-1826, the international impact of the fall of Missolonghi prompted the major powers to intervene militarily in the conflict and gradually recognize Greece's independence. By 1827, Greece had been practically liberated from Ottoman rule. However, the Greek people were not consulted in the royal election, which was conducted by the powers that had taken charge of the matter. Initially reluctant to accept a foreign-imposed monarchy, the Greek people ultimately welcomed the arrival of an independent sovereign to unify the young nation.
The initial candidate proposed by the powers was Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, the son-in-law of King George IV of the United Kingdom. He was initially inclined to accept the honor, but ultimately declined the Greek crown due to the indecisiveness of Greek executive leader Count Ioannis Kapodistrias and the refusal of European governments to guarantee more favorable borders for Greece. Subsequently, other candidates were considered, but the political upheavals in Europe in 1830 resulted in the election becoming a less prominent priority for the chancelleries of the major powers. It was not until several months later that the name of the second son of King Louis I of Bavaria was proposed.
At the age of 17, the prince was subject to a regency imposed by the Fifth Greek National Assembly and the major powers. He finally ascended to the Greek throne as King Otto I in 1832, marking the beginning of the Kingdom of Greece and the Othonian monarchy. This period was characterised by a regime that was close to absolutism.