Georgios Theotokis

Georgios Theotokis
Γεώργιος Θεοτόκης
Theotokis circa 1910
Prime Minister of Greece
In office 2 April 1899 – 12 November 1901 (o.s.)
Preceded by	Alexandros Zaimis
Succeeded by	Alexandros Zaimis
In office 14 – 28 June 1903 (o.s.)
Preceded by	Theodoros Diligiannis
Succeeded by	Dimitrios Rallis
In office 6 December 1903 – 17 December 1904 (o.s.)
Preceded by	Dimitrios Rallis
Succeeded by	Theodoros Diligiannis
In office 8 December 1905 – 7 July 1909 (o.s.)
Preceded by	Dimitrios Rallis
Succeeded by	Dimitrios Rallis
Personal details
Born	(1844-02-08)8 February 1844 Corfu
Died	13 January 1916(1916-01-13) (aged 71) Athens, Greece
Political party	Modernist Party
Spouse	Amalia Theotokis
Children	Nikolaos Theotokis Ioannis Theotokis Zaera Theotokis

Georgios Theotokis (Greek: Γεώργιος Θεοτόκης, 8 February 1844 in Corfu – 12 January 1916 in Athens) was a Greek politician and Prime Minister of Greece, serving the post four times. He represented the Modernist Party or Neoteristikon Komma (NK).

Biography

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.

In May 1886 Trikoupis appointed him Minister for Naval Affairs. As a minister Theotokis ordered the battleships 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 opposition of Theodoros Diligiannis.

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, including the adoption of modern khaki uniforms. He provided assistance for the Macedonian Struggle and is noted for his calm and deliberate foreign policy in the tense period just prior to the Balkan Wars (1912–1913).

His grandson Georgios Rallis, who also became prime minister, has criticized him for two, in his opinion, important mistakes. Namely because in the days leading to the disastrous Greco-Turkish War of 1897, Theotokis did not oppose sending the Hellenic Army to Crete, that led to the outbreak of the war. The second mistake was Theotokis's refusal to mediate between King Constantine I of Greece and Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos during 1915–1916, a disagreement 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 demeanor 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.

Sources

• Georgios Rallis: "Georgios Theotokis: Politician of the measured response" (In Greek), Ελληνική Ευρωεκδοτική, Αθήνα 1986, 355 p. ISBN 960-241-017-5.

External links

• «Georgios Theotokis: Politician of the measured response and of calm manners»– Article by Georgios Rallis in the newspaper Τα Νέα, 18 October 1999.