Russia – Greek Diaspora History

Ioannis Kapodistrias

Ioannis Kapodistrias was one of the most famous members of the Greek diaspora in Russia and in fact one of the greatest Greeks to have ever lived. He is one of the few men throughout history to be celebrated as a national hero and influential figure across at least three different nations – Greece, Russia, and Switzerland. Kapodistrias was born on the 11^th of February, 1776 in Corfu, Greece (at the time under Venetian rule) and died on the 9^th of October, 1831 in Nafplio, Greece.

Early Life of Ioannis Kapodistrias

As his birth place – Corfu was under Venetian rule at the time, Ioannis Kapodistrias was also known as Conte Giovanni Antonio Capo D’Istria. Kapodistrias was born into nobility, with an ancestor of his being provided the title of a count by the Duke of Savoy. Although he was raised as a nobleman, Kapodistrias would become one of the greatest symbols of modern Greek liberal and democratic values.

In 1795, Kapodistrias moved to Italy and studied medicine, philosophy, and law at the University of Padua. In 1797, at the age of 21, he moved back to Corfu and practiced as a doctor. The same year, Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Venice and with it the Ionian islands, including Corfu.

In 1799, an allied fleet of Ottomans, Russians, and English arrived in Corfu, driving out the French and establishing the Ionian islands as an independent state under the protectorate of the Russian and Ottoman Empire – the Septinsular Republic (1800-1807). At the age of 25, Kapodistrias became one of two ministers of the new state, thus entering into politics.

Ioannis Kapodistrias in Russia

In 1809, Kapodistrias entered the Russian foreign service under the rule of Alexander I.

Regarded as an expert on the Balkan region, in 1812, Kapodistrias was appointed as the commander of Russia’s armed forces on the lower Danube River. Napoleon invaded Russia the same year, and in 1813, Kapodistrias was appointed as a diplomat to the army staff.

Ioannis Kapodistrias in Switzerland

Kapodistrias was sent by Alexander I on a special mission to Switzerland, staying in the country from November, 1813 to September, 1814. The purpose of the mission was to “save Switzerland” and make it a neutral country.

At the time of Kapodistrias’ arrival, Switzerland was deeply divided and on the brink of civil war. In an extraordinary feat, within a ten month period, Kapodistrias managed to unite the divided cantons, write a new constitution, and form an independent and neutral state.

This achievement led to Ioannis Kapodistrias being described as “undeniably the most… decisive influence” among the envoys of all the allied powers of the time. He was made an Honorary Citizen of Switzerland, and regarded as a Swiss national hero.

Kapodistrias was also an advocate of Swiss interests at the Congress of Vienna and the 1815 Treaty of Paris.

Ioannis Kapodistrias Returns to Russia

Kapodistrias was now regarded across all of Europe as a highly influential diplomat and would become the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia between 1816 and 1822.

In January 1817, Kapodistrias was offered the leadership of the Filiki Eteria – the movement for Greek independence. Kapodistrias rejected the offer.

It was not until 1821, when the Ottomans publicly hanged Patriarch Grigorios V in Constantinople and killed many other Orthodox priests that Kapodistrias felt compelled to assist the Greek cause. He was influential in Russia breaking diplomatic ties with the Ottoman Empire the same year. However, failing to gain Alexander’s support for the Greek revolution of 1821, Kapodistrias took an extended leave of absence from his position as Foreign Minister.

President Ioannis Kapodistrias

In 1822, Kapodistrias moved to Geneva, where he devoted himself to supplying support to the Greek revolutionaries. He toured Europe seeking financial and diplomatic support for the Greek War of Independence.

As the highest regarded Greek-born politician in Europe at the time, the National Assembly of Trizina elected him Governor of the newly established Greek state on March 30, 1827. After securing support from the Great Powers, he arrived in Nafplio on January 7, 1828 and was welcomed by most with celebrations and optimism.

Kapodistrias’ greatest challenge was not from the outside, but from within. The rivalry that arose between the factions during the revolution had escalated to the point of civil war, all while the country was bankrupt.

As Governor of Greece between 1828 and 1831, Kapodistrias’ most notable contributions and reforms were the implementation of:

Schools
Universities
Orphanages
Quarantine system
Foundations for young women to work
Fundamental infrastructure that was destroyed by the war e.g. roads, bridges, and houses
Strict austerity measures that led to a stabilized economy
An independent Greek currency – the Phoenix
The National Bank of Greece
Courts and a modern judicial system
The Hellenic Military Academy
The cultivation of potatoes – in an aim to raise the living standard of the population

Kapodistrias achieved all this in three years. As a workaholic, committed to the Greek people, he worked from 5am to 10pm every day. Kapodistrias used his connections in Europe to gain loans and support for Greece, often using his own money to cover national expenses and lived modestly himself.

Assassination of Ioannis Kapodistrias

Kapodistrias distrusted most of the men who led the Greek War of Independence, many of whom wanted to divide the country and gain power for themselves. As a result, Kapodistrias didn’t include many of the revolutionary fighters or other Greek elite in leadership roles within the newly formed government. He did however attracted support from revolutionaries such as Theodoros Kolokotronis and Yannis Makriyannis.

In 1831, Kapodistrias ordered the arrest and imprisonment of one of the leaders of the revolution – Petros Mavromichalis. Petros’ brother Konstantis and son Georgios Mavromichalis sought revenge and on September 27, Kapodistrias was assassinated in front of the church of Saint Spyridon in Nafplion.

Today, numerous statues have been erected throughout Greece, Switzerland, and Russia commemorating the renowned and virtuous political figure that was Ioannis Kapodistrias.

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