RECENT HISTORY. The Greeks from their ear liest history have been devoted to constitutional government and to the principle of popular parti cipation in the political life of the State. This was denied to them under the Bavarian rule, con stitutions being frowned upon by the Continental Powers at that time. Thus the Government was cut of touch with the people, and the discontent was increased by the faulty administration of the finances, which burdened the country with un profitable taxation. England and France urged upon King Otho the advisability of giving the people a constitution, but he delayed until the revolution was already under way. This broke out in a bloodless way at Athens, September 15, 1843, and the King was compelled to yield. The new Constitution, however, did not restore the local self-government so dear to the Greek. nor satisfy the aspirations of the people. At the open ing of the war between Russia and Turkey in 1853 Greece prepared to invade Turkey, hoping that the time had conic to recover the Hellenic heritage. To prevent any alliance between Greece and Russia, French and English forces landed at the Pirnus in 1854, and remained in occupation until 1857. This incident increased the national discontent with the King and his Government. The popular feeling, stimulated by the example of a regener ated Italy, took revolutionary form in 1862. In February the garrison at Nauplia revolted, and that of Athens followed in October. Otho was deposed, and, failing to obtain the support of the Powers, was compelled to leave the country. The choice for a new sovereign finally fell upon the second son of the King of Denmark, who be came King of Greece as George I. The choice be ing acceptable to England, that country ceded to the new monarch the seven Ionian Islands, which since 1815 had constituted a republic under a British protectorate. This was an im portant accession, as the islands were prosperous and had constantly desired reunion with Greece. By the Constitution of 1864 the legislative func tions of government were vested in the Bollle, comprising a single chamber, elected by universal suffrage for a term of four years. So demoraliz ing had been the experience of the country that brigandage was not suppressed until 1870.
Perhaps the greatest national aim of the con stitutional kingdom has been the restoration of the historic Hellas; and the dissatisfaction of the people with existing territorial conditions has been a continual disturbing element in the East ern situation. The Congress of Berlin (q.v.) in 1878 recommended a readjustment of the unfair and unscientific northern boundary; but Turkey refused to make the concessions demanded, and war between the two countries seemed inevitable. Finally, after protracted negotiations, the Powers in 1881 accepted the compromise offered by the Porte, giving Greece all Thessaly south of the northern watershed of the Salambria, including Larissa and Trikala, and in Epirus running the boundary along the Arta River, leaving Arta to Greece. Greece was not satisfied with this settle ment, but accepted it under protest as the best arrangement possible at the time. The island of Crete was regarded by the Greeks as a natural Hellenic possession, and the desire for its union with the kingdom was intensified by sympathy for the Cretans under Turkish misrule. The
bloody conflict between the Christians and Mo hammedans that broke out in Crete in 1896 led Greece to make an attempt to annex the island. This action brought about the interference of the Powers, who decreed the autonomy of Crete and proceeded to compel Greece to withdraw her forces.
The Cretan disturbances gave the war party in Greece an opportunity to fan the embers of na tional passion into life, and to bring on a war with Turkey, in the hope of arousing Macedonia to revolt, and winning much of the desired ter ritory on the north. Greece was wholly unpre pared for such a conflict. Her army was ill or ganized. poorly officered, and insufficiently sup, plied with hospitals and commissariat, while the Turkish armies were in a comparatively efficient condition. Yet, in spite of all restraining counsel, and without any countenance from the Powers, without whose support such a contest was des: tined to he futile, the war party precipitat ed the struggle. Greek irregulars opened the fighting in Macedonia early in April, 1897. They were probably incited by persons' high in authority, although the regular Greek offi cers on the frontier and the Government dis claimed their acts. On the 17th of April the Porte declared war, charging Greece with being the aggressor. The campaign of thirty-one days that ensued was so inefficiently managed on the Greek side that it would have been ludi crous had it not ,been so pathetic. The Turks forced one position after another, the Greeks, under the incapable command of Prince Con stantine, the heir to the throne, showing an un steadiness in marked contrast to the discipline and determination of the Turks. The latter threw back the advanced line of the Greeks, who at first had a distinct strategic advantage, invaded Thessaly on April 21st, and occupied Larissa, on the 25th, while the Greek army, now a panic stricken mob, was in headlong flight. Heavy fighting occurred at Velestino April 25th, and at Fersala May 5th. The plain of Thessaly was oc cupied by the forces of Edhem Pasha, and in the third week of May the Turks held the line of the Orthrys Mountains, and threatened Cen tral Greece. Their advance was stopped only when Russia peremptorily demanded an armis tice. This was concluded on May 18th. Prelimi naries of peace were signed September 18th, and on December 4th the definitive treaty was signed at Constantinople. Greece was required to pay an indemnity to Turkey amounting to $18,000, 000, the payment to be supervised by an inter national commission of the mediating Powers, which also undertook to rectify the frontier. In 1898 the Powers compelled Turkey to withdraw her forces from Crete, and Prince George of Greece was installed as Governor of the now au tonomous island. The war with Turkey was a great misfortune to Greece, which had other wise enjoyed under King George a normally healthy development, and was slowly recovering its prosperity. It was with difficulty saved from serious loss of territory by the intervention of the Powers. The Greek people show all the politi cal activity and restlessness of the ancient Athe nian democracy; but, like their forefathers, they are inclined to divide into personal factions, lack steadiness, and need wise and firm leadership.