Modern Greek History Study Guide: Enlightenment, Revolution, and Constitutional Era

Modern Greek History: From Enlightenment to Constitutional Monarchy

Section 5: Hellenism from the Mid-18th Century to the Early 19th Century

• Economic Development (Οικονομική ανάπτυξη):

  • Greek economic growth during this period unfolded primarily across two main sectors: commerce/trade (εμπόριο) and shipping/maritime navigation (ναυτιλία).
  • Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca (Συνθήκη Κιουτσούκ Καϊναρτζή, 1774):
    • Granted Greek-owned merchant vessels permission to sail freely under the Russian flag (ρωσική σημαία) through the Straits (Στενά).
    • Acted as a massive catalyst and aid to the rapid growth of Greek shipping.
  • Napoleonic Wars (Ναπολεόντειοι πόλεμοι, 1797–1815):
    • Severely restricted and limited the presence of British (αγγλικά) and French (γαλλικά) shipping vessels across the Mediterranean Sea (Μεσόγειος).
    • Directly favored Greek merchant shipping and trade by allowing Greek merchants to dominate maritime commercial routes.

• Modern Greek Enlightenment (Νεοελληνικός Διαφωτισμός):

  • An intellectual movement heavily influenced by the principles and ideas of the European Enlightenment (Ευρωπαϊκός Διαφωτισμός).
  • Core Ideas: Centered around reason/logic (λογική), freedom (ελευθερία), education (παιδεία), and progress (πρόοδος).
  • Primary Objective: The spiritual and intellectual awakening (πνευματική αφύπνιση) of the Greek nation to prepare them for their ultimate liberation and freedom.
  • Key Figures:
    • Rigas Velestinlis (Ρήγας Βελεστινλής): Deeply influenced by the radical ideas of the French Revolution (Γαλλική Επανάσταση); advocated fervently for the liberation of all subjugated peoples.
    • Adamantios Korais (Αδαμάντιος Κοραής): Placed extraordinary emphasis on the imperative necessity and role of education (παιδεία) as the vehicle for achieving freedom.

Section 7: Filiki Eteria and the Start of the Revolution

• The Secret Society of Filiki Eteria (Φιλική Εταιρεία):

  • Founding: Established in 1814 in Odessa (Οδησσός).
  • Nature and Goal: Operating as a secret organization (μυστική οργάνωση), its sole purpose was the thorough organizational preparation of the Greek Revolution (Ελληνική Επανάσταση).
  • Founders/Pioneers (Πρωτεργάτες):
    • Nikolaos Skoufas (Νικόλαος Σκουφάς)
    • Athanasios Tsakalov (Αθανάσιος Τσακάλωφ)
    • Emmanouil Xanthos (Εμμανουήλ Ξάνθος)
  • Supreme Leadership: Alexandros Ypsilantis (Αλέξανδρος Υψηλάντης) subsequently assumed command as overall leader (αρχηγός).

• Revolution in the Danubian Principalities (Επανάσταση στις Παραδουνάβιες Ηγεμονίες):

  • Outbreak: In 1821, Alexandros Ypsilantis crossed the Pruth River (Προύθος) and officially proclaimed the outbreak of the revolution.
  • Military Outcome: The revolutionary enterprise in the Danubian Principalities ultimately failed.
  • Key Engagement: The Battle of Dragatsani (μάχη στο Δραγατσάνι) was a crucial and tragic military confrontation of this initiative.
  • Broader Impact: Despite the strategic defeat in the principalities, the Revolution broke out in mainland Greece shortly thereafter.

Section 10: The Greek Revolution and Europe

• Initial Diplomatic Stance of the Great Powers (Μεγάλες Δυνάμεις):

  • Initially, the Great Powers maintained a completely negative stance toward the Greek Revolution.
  • Primary Reason: The prevailing political climate of the Restoration (Παλινόρθωση) and the concerted efforts of European monarchies to uphold the geopolitical European balance of power (ευρωπαϊκή ισορροπία).
  • Greek Diplomatic Framing: Greek leaders strategically strove to present the war as a national struggle for liberation (εθνικός αγώνας για ελευθερία) rather than a radical social revolution (κοινωνική επανάσταση).

• Diplomatic Shift and Formation of Internal Factions:

  • British Reorientation: Starting in 1823, Great Britain (Αγγλία) began altering its foreign policy stance, officially recognizing the Greek insurgents as a legitimate belligerent power (εμπόλεμη δύναμη).
  • Establishment of Foreign-Oriented Parties: Political mobilization led to the creation of three distinct domestic political parties named after their international backers:
    • The English Party (Αγγλικό)
    • The French Party (Γαλλικό)
    • The Russian Party (Ρωσικό)

• Military Intervention and National Independence:

  • Naval Battle of Navarino (Ναυμαχία Ναυαρίνου, 1827): Allied fleets of the Great Powers delivered a catastrophic defeat to the Ottoman fleet.
  • Recognition of Independence (1830): The formal international recognition of Greece as a fully sovereign independent state was achieved in 1830.

Section 19: From September 3rd to the Dethronement of King Otto

• The Movement of September 3rd, 1843 (3η Σεπτεμβρίου 1843):

  • Popular Demands: A major uprising was organized demanding a Constitution (Σύνταγμα) and the strict limitation of King Otto's (Όθωνας) absolute political powers.
  • Outcome: The political movement achieved complete success.

• The Constitution of 1844 and Constitutional Monarchy (Συνταγματική μοναρχία):

  • In 1844, a formal national Constitution was voted into law, establishing a Constitutional Monarchy (συνταγματική μοναρχία).
  • Division of Powers:
    • Legislative Power (Νομοθετική εξουσία): Shared jointly between the King (Βασιλιάς), the Senate (Γερουσία), and the Parliament / House of Representatives (Βουλή).
    • Executive Power (Εκτελεστική εξουσία): Exercised directly by the King through his appointed ministers (υπουργοί).
    • Judicial Power (Δικαστική εξουσία): Administered independently through courts (δικαστήρια), although the King exercised significant institutional influence over judicial appointments (διορισμούς).

• The Great Idea (Μεγάλη Ιδέα) and Irredentism (Αλυτρωτισμός):

  • Conceptualization: Formally introduced into mainstream political discourse in 1844 by Ioannis Kolettis (Ιωάννης Κωλέττης).
  • Strategic Goal: The enlargement and expansion of official Greek state borders to incorporate territories with dense Greek populations living under foreign rule, primarily inside the Ottoman Empire (Οθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία).
  • Unredeemed Greeks (Αλύτρωτοι): Term referring to ethnic Greeks living beyond the sovereign territorial boundaries of the Greek state.
  • Irredentism (Αλυτρωτισμός): The central political concept and state policy aiming directly at the political annexation and territorial integration of these populations into Greece.

• Crimean War (Κριμαϊκός Πόλεμος):

  • Stands as a crucial geopolitical event closely linked to the foreign policy objectives of the Great Idea and the reign of King Otto.

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