Georgios Theotokis

Georgios Theotokis ( _el. Γεώργιος Θεοτόκης) (1844 – 1916) born in Corfu, Greece was a Greek politician and four times prime minister of Greece. He represented the New Party or "Neoteristikon Komma" (NK).He was the third child of Corfiote Nikolaos Andreas Theotokis. After graduating from the Ionian high school, he enrolled at the Law School of the Ionian University. In 1861 he received his law degree from the Ionian University with a scholarship and continued his studies at the Sorbonne in Paris.Upon his return to Corfu he worked as a lawyer. In 1879 he took part in the municipal elections and was elected mayor with a percentage of 65%. In 1883 he was re-elected mayor only to leave in 1885 at the invitation of Charilaos Trikoupis, to become a member of the Hellenic Parliament for the Trikoupis party. Georgios Theotokis article from Greek Wikipedia]

In May 1886 Trikoupis appointed him minister of the Navy. As a minister Theotokis ordered the frigates Spetsai, Hydra and Psara. He also improved drastically the condition of the Navy by promoting better training and establishing many naval academies and schools. Later Trikoupis appointed him Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs and Public Education.With the aid of professor Papamarkos, Theotokis prepared and submitted to Parliament progressive legislation for the improvement of Education in Greece. However the legislation was never passed due to the Deliyannis opposition.

From mid 1903 to 1909 Theotokis became three more times Prime Minister of Greece, the third time being the longest at the Prime Minister's post. Among his achievements are the organisation and strengthening of the army. He was the one who established the modern army and navy uniforms. He provided assistance for the Macedonian struggle and is noted for his calm and deliberate foreign policy just prior to the Balkan wars.

His nephew Georgios Rallis has criticized him for two, in his opinion, important mistakes. Namely because in the days leading to the 1897 war he did not oppose sending the Hellenic army to Crete and that led to Greece's involvement and eventual defeat in the ensuing war. The second mistake according to Rallis was Theotokis' refusal to mediate between Prince George of Greece and Eleftherios Venizelos during their disagreement, an event that eventually grew to become the National Schism.

Georgios Theotokis, however, is considered by many to be a politician distinguished for his high ethics, calm demeanour and controlled temper, qualities not often found among politicians of his era.

As a Mayor of Corfu Georgios Theotokis approved construction for the Municipal Theatre of Corfu in 1885.

First Cabinet, April 14, 1899 – November 25, 1901

*Prime Minister: Georgios Theotokis
*Minister for Foreign Affairs: Athos Romanos
*Minister for the Interior: Georgios Theotokis
*Minister for War: Konstantinos Koumoundouros
**replaced on January 11 1900 by Nikolaos Tsamandos
*Minister for Finance: Anargiros Simopoulos

econd Cabinet, June 27, 1903 – July 11, 1903

*Prime Minister: Georgios Theotokis
*Minister for Foreign Affairs: Georgios Theotokis
*Minister for the Interior: Nikolaos Levidis
*Minister for War: Alexios Grivas
*Minister for Finance: Anargiros Simopoulos

Third Cabinet, December 19, 1903 – December 29 1904

*Prime Minister: Georgios Theotokis
*Minister for Foreign Affairs: Athos Romanos
*Minister for the Interior: Giorgios Theotokis
*Minister for War: Konstantinos Smolenskis
*Minister for Finance: Anargiros Simopoulos
**replaced on October 10 1904 by Nikolaos Kalogeropoulos

Fourth Cabinet, December 21, 1905 – July 29, 1909

*Prime Minister: Georgios Theotokis
*Minister for Foreign Affairs: Alexandros Skouzas (left office on 21 June 1908
**replaced on July 5 1908 by Giorgios Baltazzis
*Minister for the Interior: Nikolaos Kalogeropoulos
*Minister for War: Giorgios Theotokis
*Minister for Finance: Anargiros Simopoulos
**replaced on January 8 1908 by Nikolaos Kalogeropoulos
**replaced on July 5 1908 by Dimitrios Gounaris
**replaced on February 28 1909 by Nikolaos Kalogeropoulos

Books

*Georgios Rallis: "Georgios Theotokis: Politician of the measured response" (In Greek), Ελληνική Ευρωεκδοτική, Αθήνα 1986, 355 p. ISBN 9602410175.

External links

* [http://ta-nea.dolnet.gr/neaweb/nsearch.print_unique?entypo=A&f=16569&m=N20&aa=1 «Georgios Theotokis: Politician of the measured response and of calm manners»] ndash Article by Georgios Rallis in the newspaper "Τα Νέα", 18 October 1999.

Citations and notes