Greece’s Prime Ministers of Albanian origin

Historically the Arvanites (Albanians of the South) have given a great contribution in all areas of political and cultural life of Greece. Many of their names are included in the list of the most glaring, which gave glory to new Greece.

We have learned from history that the Albanians have made leading political career in Turkey, Romania, Italy, Egypt. But very little has been written and spoken for Albanians or otherwise for Greeks of Albanian origin who were Presidents and Prime Ministers of Greece.

Therefore for readers today we have chosen to present the biographies of some of the Greek state Premiers who were Albanians by origin. The aim is to illuminate the historic role played by Arvanitas for the leading fo Greek Kingdom and the State. Greece’s prime Ministers of Albanian origin are much more that are present in this general summary, but unfortunately we lack data for broader biography. These biographies are taken from the archives of the League of Arvanites of Greece. Arvanites, these brave warrior heroes of the Uprising of 1821, fought for the independence of Greece not only with their guns, but were the first presidents of the Greek state, which led Greece to its development of European life. Most Prime Ministers of Greece were Arvanitas originating from islands known historically occupied and inhabited even today by the majority of the population by Arvanitas, as Hydra, Speca, Poros, Salamina, etc.

In 1850, Andoni Kryeziu, announced the Greece Church Autocephalous, being permanently detached from the subordination of the Phanar in Istanbul.

Demetrius Vulgari after being elected Prime Minister of Greece, united the Seven Islands with Greece.

Theodoros Pangalos also is an Arvanitas and was elected as Head of Greek State.

Arvanitas have historically provided a significant contribution in all areas of political and cultural life in Greece. Many of their names are included in the list of the most glaring, who gave the glory to Greece. But today the position of language, culture and traditions of Greece has left them deliberately aside. Where everything that has to do with Arvanitas is deleted, isolated and demolished. But the truth is that Arvanitas are the masters of the Greece everyone knows today.

1.- George Kundurioti (1782-1858) was born on the island of Hydra. Belongs to the family of Kunduriots that gave to many for the of uprising182.  Kunduriots and Lazarus together gave the amount of 1,948,158 gold francs (4/5 of their assets) to support the uprising against Ottoman Empire in 1821. It was President of Greece during  11.10. 1824 to 6.2.1825. Chairman and member of the Steering Committee in 1832. He was elected chairman of the first meeting of Old Age (1844-1845), the second meeting of Old Age (1845-1846), and of the third session (1846-1847). In January 1844 he became prime minister and minister of Navy.

He became prime minister again in 1848, and resigned due to disagreement with the king Otton. Next was a member and chairman of the Assembly of the Kingdom of Greece in 1856. He died in 1858 on the island of Hydra.

2.- Andond KRYEZIU (1796-1865) was born on the island of Hydra in 1796. His family had come to the island in seventeenth century. Kryezinjve roots can be found in the Arvanitas village of Krieza, Southern Eubea. Since the beginning of the war in 1821 always fought on the front lines and was right arm of Admiral Andrea Miauli. In 1836 he became the Minister of the Navy Greek marine, later becoming custodian head  of the court of King Otton and elected prime minister twice, one in 1842-1844, and in 1849-1854. By the time he was prime minister solve the main ecclesiastical problem of that time with the announcement of the Greek Orthodox Church in 1850 by permanently detaching it from the center of Orthodox religion in Istanbul. He was the first man who became vice-admiral of the Greek Navy and was appointed adjutant of king George I of Greece. He died in Athens in 1865 and was buried with great honors.

3. – Demetrius Vulgari (1801-1877) was born 1801 on the island of Hydra. Was the son of the Bey of Hydra, Gjeorgjio Vulgari. At age 17 he became a member of the Council of Hydra and in 1822 was elected the chairman of the Representation of Hydra, and became leader of the military ship of the island. In 1826 was the prosecutor of Hydra and in 1848 became Minister of Economy.

He was prime minister the following periods: 1855-1857, 1862-1863, 1863-1864, 1868-1869, 1871-1872, and 1874-1875. By the time he was Prime Minister occured the union of Seven Islands with Greece, and strongly supported the uprising of the island of Crete.

He died in 1877 in Athens.

4. – Athanas MIAULI (1815-1867) was born on the island of Hydra in 1815 and was the son of the glorious Andrea Miauli. He grew up near her father in the sea and taught literacy in Greek language from Philip Joanu on frigate ship. He was graduated from the Military Faculty of Munich in Germany and served as an officer of the Greek Navy. Became the adjutant of King Otton and Minister of the Navy in 1855.  Prime Minister of Greece was elected from 1857 to 1862.

He died in Paris in 1867.

5.- Pavlo Kundurioti (1855-1935) was born in 1855 on the island of Hydra was the grandson of Gjeorgjio Pavlo Kundurioti and made career as Navy officer, with lot of activities. In 1905, became adjutant of Gjeorgjio I, on the eve of war in 1912 he became commander of the Aegean fleet  and next became vice-admiral.

Invaded the islands Limons, Tenedos, Tasos, Samothraqit, Psara and Mitilini. Defeated the Turkish fleet in December 1912 and January 1913.

In 1915 was appointed minister of Navy and in in 1916 a member of Arvanite Troika  : Venizelos, Dangëlliu and Kundurioti who led the movement in 1917, and then became minister of the Navy. In 1920 became the viceroy of the king of Greece, and in 1923 became the first President of the Greek Republic, till 1926. In 1926 was elected another Arvanitas President of the Hellenic Republic, Theodoros Pangalos. In 1929 was elected President of the Republic of Greece and resigned for health reasons in December 1929. He died in 1935 in Faliro, Greece.

6.- Petro Vulgari (1884-1957) was born on the island of Hydra in 1884. It was the Navy officer in the Balkan Wars and close friend of Pavlo Kundurioti. In the period 1926-1935, became the overall commander of naval aviation, submarine base commander and later a military attache in Ankara, Turkey. He became Minister of Aviation of the Government of the Middle East, and from 8-4-1945 until 17-10-1945 became prime minister of Greece. He never accepted bonuses whet at office as Prime Minister. He died in Athens in 1957.

7.- Diomidh QIRIAKO (1811-1869) was born on the island of Specas in 1811. The family Qiriako gave to mutch for the Uprising of 1821. His brother, Jani was vice-admiral of Qiriako fleet  of the island Specas and is killed in the war of Mesollogis.

Diomidhi studied law at the University of Pisa and Paris. In 1835 became the Prosecutor of the Court of First Instance. In 1840 he was elected the Reeve of the island of Specas. Was the main editor of the Constitution of 1843 and since 1851 a professor of Constitutional Law.

He was Minister of Religion and Public Education, and on 18-3-1863 to 29-4-1863 was Prime Minister of Greece. He died in Italy in 1869.

 8.- Emmanouil REPILI (1863-1924) was born in 1863 in Kranidhi. He studied law and engaged in journalism. Was editor of the newspaper “Acropolis” and the special writer for a decade. He became foreign minister in 1910 and 1913, alongside Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos. He took the overall management and organization of North Greece. In 1925 he was elected Minister of Economy and in 1916 Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the Government. As foreign minister elaborated and managed to be voted on municipalities. He was elected Prime Minister on 21-8-1917 to 28-8-1917 and from 3-1-1918 to 19-10-1917. Kranidhi died in 1924.

9.- Alexander KORIZI (1885-1941) was born in 1885 on the island of Poros. Studied law and in 1903 was appointed clerk in the National Bank of Greece. He became director of the bank in 1921 and vice director in 1928. In 1929 created the Agricultural Bank and was its first director. In 1936 he became minister of Communications and again in 1939 became director of the National Bank of Greece. With the death of the Prime Metaxas in January 1941, when no one undertook the government  of Greece, in 19-1-1941 became Prime Minister, and on April 18, 1941, after a difficult meeting of the Council of Ministers, when he returned home, killed himself.

10.- Kitsos Tzavelas (1801-1855), the most important of Suljo tribe of Xhavella who participated in the Revolution of 1821. The most important is considered Photo, for whom Kollokotroni said: Marko Boçari can not be caught, but Photo was the perfection. Kitsos Tzavelas rose in Corfu, were Suljo displaced after the invasion of Souli by Ali Pasha. In 1820, after the agreement with Ali Pasha, returned to Sul and is declared Captain at age 19. Went to Italy with the duty to provide ammunition, but when he returned, Ali Pasha was killed, and they were uprooted again from Suli by Sultan of the Turks. Tzavelas went to Etolakanani and participated in all the battles of the region, sometimes under the command of Marko Bocari and sometimes alone. When Georgia Karaiskaqi became main General of Rumelia, Kitsos Tzavelas with the Suljots followed him, despite initial objections. In 1835 King Othon made him vice general and General Supervisor of of the Army and also his adjutant. Kitsos Tzavelas served as a prosecutor and General, but after the death of Karaiskaqi, served as defense minister in 1844. I was Prime Minister from 1847 to 1848. Died in Mesology in 1855.

Today members Tzavelas tribe are located in Albania, Greece, USA and Australia. Those living in Albania have changed their surname from Tzavelas (alb: Xhavella) to Tasho. Tzavelas tribe gather every August 6th at the church of St. Melesin Sotiri where they celebrate together and remember their ancestors. Tzavelas were also members of the Guard of Skanderbeg.

11. Jonani Theodore Kolokotronis (1804-1868) was born in 1804 in Zakintho. At the age of 17 took part in the uprising against the Turks. He participated in several major battles for the liberation of Greece as in Tripoli, Navplio, and fought alongside the other Arvanitas Gjeorgjio Karaiskaqi to his murder. After that Johan turned to Peloponnese to fight against the Turks. Was friend of another Arvanitis, John Kapodistrias, and later is imprisoned by political opponents who oppose the arrival of the king Otton. In 1836, when Greece was led by Otton, was his army General.

He was elected Prime Minister of Greece in 1862 and fought to defend the king Otton from political opponents who wanted to topple the government. With the departure of the king Otton he fled to Italy. He returned to Greece after the arrival of king Georgia I. He died on May 20, 1868.