1917: King Alexander Ascends the Greek Throne Amid Allied Pressure
In 1917, amid the turmoil of World War I and growing pressure from Allied forces occupying Athens, King Constantine I of Greece was forced to abdicate the throne. The Allies viewed Constantine’s neutrality and perceived pro-German sympathies with suspicion, leading to political intervention that reshaped the Greek monarchy.
Following his abdication, his son, Alexander of Greece, assumed the throne as King Alexander I. His accession marked a dramatic shift in Greek politics, as the country aligned more closely with the Entente Powers during the final stages of the war.
The abdication of Constantine I of Greece represented one of the most significant foreign-influenced royal transitions in modern Greek history, highlighting the intense geopolitical pressures exerted on smaller European monarchies during the First World War.
