Alexandros Karapanos
Encyclopedia
Alexandros Karapanos was a Greek
politician and diplomat. He was born in from Arta
(Epirus
) and died in Athens
.
He was the son of the politician and archeologist Konstantinos Karapanos. He studied law and political science in Paris
and at 1899 he joined the Greek diplomatic corps and became the country’s ambassador on several European capitals during the following years. At the outbreak of the Balkan Wars
he was appointed political-diplomatic advisor of the Army of Epirus.
At February 1914, when the Great Powers awarded the region of Northern Epirus
, which was under the control of the Greek army, to the Principality of Albania
, he moved to Gjirokastër
and became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the provisional autonomous government formed by the local Greek population. His relative, Georgios Christakis-Zografos
, was the head of this government. After successful negotiations with the representatives of the Great Powers and William of Wied of Albania, in May, the Protocol of Corfu
was signed which granted full autonomy to Northern Epirus.
At the Greek elections of 1915 he became MP for Arta, and in 1916 he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece. He launched negotiations for the country’s participation with the Triple Entente
in the First World War, but negotiations finally reached a deadlock.
Karapanos participated at the Paris Peace Conference
(1919), as a representative of the Northern Epirotes. In 1920 he became again an MP. Two years later, following the Asia Minor Catastrophe, he disagreed with the policies of the military revolt of September 1922, and rejected an offer to become Prime Minister of Greece.
Continuing his diplomatic activity, he was sent to Rome
in 1923 to negotiate with Italy, after the Corfu incident
. In 1928 he became again Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the cabinet of Eleftherios Venizelos
(4 July 1928-7 Juny 1929). During this period Greece signed a number of treaties with Italy
and Yugoslavia
.
Alexandros Karapanos was the founder of the newspaper Elefthero Vima, which is known today as To Vima
("the podium" in Greek) and the magazine Politiki Epitheorisi ("Political Review").
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
politician and diplomat. He was born in from Arta
Arta, Greece
Arta is a city with a rich history in northwestern Greece, capital of the peripheral unit of Arta, which is part of Epirus region. The city was known in ancient times as Ambracia . Arta is famous for its old bridge located over the Arachthos River, situated west of downtown...
(Epirus
Epirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
) and died in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
He was the son of the politician and archeologist Konstantinos Karapanos. He studied law and political science in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and at 1899 he joined the Greek diplomatic corps and became the country’s ambassador on several European capitals during the following years. At the outbreak of the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
he was appointed political-diplomatic advisor of the Army of Epirus.
At February 1914, when the Great Powers awarded the region of Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
, which was under the control of the Greek army, to the Principality of Albania
Principality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
, he moved to Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
and became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the provisional autonomous government formed by the local Greek population. His relative, Georgios Christakis-Zografos
Georgios Christakis-Zografos
Georgios Christakis-Zografos was a Greek politician, minister of foreign affairs and president of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus .-Studies & early career:...
, was the head of this government. After successful negotiations with the representatives of the Great Powers and William of Wied of Albania, in May, the Protocol of Corfu
Protocol of Corfu
The Protocol of Corfu , signed on May 17, 1914, was an agreement between representatives of the Albanian Government and the Provisional Government of Northern Epirus, which officially recognized the area of Northern Epirus as an autonomous region within the Albanian state...
was signed which granted full autonomy to Northern Epirus.
At the Greek elections of 1915 he became MP for Arta, and in 1916 he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece. He launched negotiations for the country’s participation with the Triple Entente
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente was the name given to the alliance among Britain, France and Russia after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907....
in the First World War, but negotiations finally reached a deadlock.
Karapanos participated at the Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
(1919), as a representative of the Northern Epirotes. In 1920 he became again an MP. Two years later, following the Asia Minor Catastrophe, he disagreed with the policies of the military revolt of September 1922, and rejected an offer to become Prime Minister of Greece.
Continuing his diplomatic activity, he was sent to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1923 to negotiate with Italy, after the Corfu incident
Corfu incident
The Corfu Incident was a 1923 diplomatic crisis between the Kingdom of Greece and the Kingdom of Italy.-Background:There was a boundary dispute between Greece and Albania. The two nations took their dispute to the Conference of Ambassadors. The Conference of Ambassadors created a commission to...
. In 1928 he became again Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the cabinet of Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
(4 July 1928-7 Juny 1929). During this period Greece signed a number of treaties with Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
.
Alexandros Karapanos was the founder of the newspaper Elefthero Vima, which is known today as To Vima
To Vima
To Vima is a Greek daily newspaper first published in 1922 by Dimitris Lambrakis, the father of Christos Lambrakis. It is owned by Lambrakis Press Group, a group which also publishes the newspaper Ta Nea, amongst others in its fold of publications...
("the podium" in Greek) and the magazine Politiki Epitheorisi ("Political Review").