Dimitri Kalergis
Encyclopedia
Dimitrios Kallergis was a Cretan
-born Greek
soldier and statesman.
Hailing from the distinguished Cretan Kallergis family
, he studied medicine at Paris
and on the outbreak of the War of Greek Independence went to the Morea
and joined the insurgents. He fought under Georgios Karaiskakis
, was taken prisoner by the Turks
before Athens
and mulcted of an ear; later he acted as aide de camp to the French
philhellene Colonel Fabvier
and to Count Capo d'Istria, Governor of Greece.
In 1832 he was promoted lieutenant-colonel. In 1843, as commander of a cavalry
division, he was the prime mover in the 3 September Revolution, which forced King Otto
to dismiss his Bavaria
n ministers and grant a constitution
. He was appointed military commandant of Athens and aide de camp to the king, but after the fall of the Alexandros Mavrokordatos ministry in 1845 was forced to go into exile, and spent several years in London
, where he became an intimate of Prince Louis Napoleon.
In 1848 he made an abortive descent on the Greek coast, in the hope of revolutionizing the kingdom. He was captured, but soon released and, after a stay in the island of Zante, went to Paris (1853). At the instance of the Western Powers he was recalled on the outbreak of the Crimean War
and appointed minister of war in the reconstituted Mavrokordatos cabinet (1854). He was, however, disliked by King Otto and his consort, and in October 1855 was forced to resign.
In 1861 he was appointed minister plenipotentiary
in Paris, in which capacity he took an important part in the negotiations which followed the fall of the Bavarian dynasty and led to the accession of Prince George of Denmark
to the Greek throne.
He died in Athens
.
Kallergis was depicted on the reverse
of the Greek 50 drachmas
commemorative coin issued in 1994 for the 150th anniversary of the first Greek Constitution
.
Ottoman Crete
The island of Crete was declared an Ottoman eyalet in 1646, after the Ottomans managed to conquer the western part of the island as part of the Cretan War, but the Venetians would not surrender the capital Candia until 1669, when Francesco Morosini surrendered the keys of the town. The island...
-born Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
soldier and statesman.
Hailing from the distinguished Cretan Kallergis family
Kallergis family
The Kallergis family is a Cretan family said to be descended from Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas , and were at one stage rulers of Crete....
, he studied medicine at 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 on the outbreak of the War of Greek Independence went to the Morea
Morea
The Morea was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It also referred to a Byzantine province in the region, known as the Despotate of Morea.-Origins of the name:...
and joined the insurgents. He fought under Georgios Karaiskakis
Georgios Karaiskakis
Georgios Karaiskakis born Georgios Iskos was a famous Greek klepht, armatolos, military commander, and a hero of the Greek War of Independence.- Early life :...
, was taken prisoner by the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
before 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...
and mulcted of an ear; later he acted as aide de camp to the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
philhellene Colonel Fabvier
Charles Nicolas Fabvier
Charles Nicolas Fabvier was an ambassador, general and French member of parliament who played a distinguished role in the Greek War of Independence.- Career under Napoleon :...
and to Count Capo d'Istria, Governor of Greece.
In 1832 he was promoted lieutenant-colonel. In 1843, as commander of a cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
division, he was the prime mover in the 3 September Revolution, which forced King Otto
Otto of Greece
Otto, Prince of Bavaria, then Othon, King of Greece was made the first modern King of Greece in 1832 under the Convention of London, whereby Greece became a new independent kingdom under the protection of the Great Powers .The second son of the philhellene King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Otto ascended...
to dismiss his Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n ministers and grant a constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
. He was appointed military commandant of Athens and aide de camp to the king, but after the fall of the Alexandros Mavrokordatos ministry in 1845 was forced to go into exile, and spent several years in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he became an intimate of Prince Louis Napoleon.
In 1848 he made an abortive descent on the Greek coast, in the hope of revolutionizing the kingdom. He was captured, but soon released and, after a stay in the island of Zante, went to Paris (1853). At the instance of the Western Powers he was recalled on the outbreak of the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
and appointed minister of war in the reconstituted Mavrokordatos cabinet (1854). He was, however, disliked by King Otto and his consort, and in October 1855 was forced to resign.
In 1861 he was appointed minister plenipotentiary
Plenipotentiary
The word plenipotentiary has two meanings. As a noun, it refers to a person who has "full powers." In particular, the term commonly refers to a diplomat fully authorized to represent his government as a prerogative...
in Paris, in which capacity he took an important part in the negotiations which followed the fall of the Bavarian dynasty and led to the accession of Prince George of Denmark
George I of Greece
George I was King of Greece from 1863 to 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the former king Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers...
to the Greek throne.
He 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...
.
Kallergis was depicted on the reverse
Obverse and reverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...
of the Greek 50 drachmas
Greek drachma
Drachma, pl. drachmas or drachmae was the currency used in Greece during several periods in its history:...
commemorative coin issued in 1994 for the 150th anniversary of the first Greek Constitution
Greek Constitution of 1844
The first constitution of the Kingdom of Greece was the Greek Constitution of 1844. On 3 September 1843, the military garrison of Athens, with the help of citizens, rebelled and demanded from King Otto the concession of a Constitution....
.