Greece is the Greek Republic. Declaration of independence by Greece March 25th what is a holiday in Greece

Greek Sphinx The Greek Sphinx is a creature with the head and chest of a woman and wings. She was aggressive, verbose, and predatory, as she loved to feed on human flesh. The word "Sphinx" comes from the Greek sphiggein (to bind tightly, to strangle). Of all the Greek Sphinxes

Thus, the Greek question entered the last phase of its development. At the head of the government, if this expression can be used here, was the chosen one of the Cybernet, Count Kapodistrias, who arrived in Nauplia in January 1828. His task was extremely difficult in a country devastated, with an unknown future, party rivalry, passions and intrigues. The fate of the country was to be finally decided at the conference of the great powers in London. In the final Anglo-French-Russian decree of February 3, 1830, Greece was freed from all tribute to Turkey and, therefore, made a completely independent state, but in order to reward the Ports, they narrowed the borders compared to the original assumptions. They were looking for a king for the new kingdom: Prince Leopold of Coburg, son-in-law of George IV of England, after much deliberation, refused, among other things because the borders did not correspond, in his opinion, to the needs of the country.

Thus, Kapodistrias remained temporarily at the head of the government of a country that had experienced a lot, but was finally freed from an intolerable and unnatural yoke. Its further structure, of course, had to be in the closest connection and dependence on the will and mutual consent of the great European powers.

CHAPTER FOUR

July Revolution

Holy Alliance

In the Greek question, the principles of the congress turned out to be inapplicable. The Ottoman yoke was a completely legal yoke, and the Greek uprising was a revolution like any other. Meanwhile, this revolution achieved its goal precisely thanks to the help of Emperor Nicholas, an autocrat and strict legitimist. This is not the only case where it was clearly shown that the phrase about “supporting the existing” cannot serve as a basis for serious policy and can serve as a dogma only for very limited minds, at that time special circumstances pushed into the dominant role and position to which they were also little prepared, like Franz I, for the rank of Emperor of Austria. What Metternich, his imitators and followers called a revolution, so as not to search for the real causes and means of healing, five years after the victory of absolutism in Spain, won one victory after another and fifteen years after the founding of the Holy Alliance, shocked with a major victory in France to the foundations, the order established with such labor and zeal.

Spain and Portugal since 1824

Spain since 1824

The senseless system established in Spain after the invasion soon had to be somewhat modified. The king himself changed direction, not because his vindictiveness and cruelty were satisfied or because he realized that excessive persecution of the constitutionalists could have a harmful effect on the victors themselves, but simply because he did not trust anyone; without honor and conscience himself, he always assumed insidious plans in others. He had some reason for this: Ferdinand was childless, and the Apostolic Junta, a subsidiary government with reliable connections throughout the country, relied more on his heir, Infanta Don Carlos, the king's brother, than on himself. For some time the situation was uncertain, the country was ruled by a ministry, sometimes reactionary, sometimes moderate - from July 1824 to October 1825 - Zea Bermudez. Needless to say, the absolutist party allowed itself not only conspiracies, but also open rebellion. All radical parties are like that. Power was in her hands and the future seemed secure. Then an event occurred that was not part of her calculations. The king, having become a widow for the third time, married for the fourth time the Neapolitan princess Maria Christina, which was very unpleasant for the apostles. This gave the liberals an opportunity to express themselves to the new queen; She soon gained influence over the now middle-aged king and noticed the unsympathetic attitude of the apostles towards her. Bearing in mind the fact that she would provide an heir to the throne in the event of the birth of a daughter, the king issued the so-called pragmatic sanction on March 29, 1830; This law restored the Old Castilian succession to the throne, until Philip V, which also extended to the French dynasty, approved by the meeting of the Cortes in 1789, which did not recognize the Salian law and allowed women to govern. Indeed, the king's daughter Isabella was born on October 10; the liberals seized on this as an opportunity to raise a legitimist-dynastic banner around which they could gather.

Portugal since 1824

Things took a slightly different turn in Portugal. In March 1826, Dom John died; his heir Dom Pedro renounced the throne and on April 23, 1826, granted them a magnanimous constitution, and the Portuguese crown passed to his seven-year-old daughter Maria de Gloria, whom he immediately betrothed to her uncle, Dom Miguel, while he himself remained Emperor of Brazil. The king's sister, Isabella, is made regent until the time the wedding can take place. She was soon forced to turn to England for help due to the indignation of the apostolic party. Three days later, upon receipt of a dispatch from the Portuguese government in London, troops were sent. On January 1, 1827, they landed at Lisbon and provided a service with their very appearance. Between the government troops and the rebels, under the command of the Marquis de Chave, at Mondeo there came a clash on January 9, which, however, was indecisive and interrupted in the evening. When at night a rumor spread in the camp of the rebels about the approach of English troops, they abandoned further struggle and dispersed.

More important than the events was the speech with which George Canning justified in the English House of Commons on December 12, 1826 this assistance to Portugal: “a friendly government for a long time,” and in connection with this his entire foreign policy. “England is far from being,” said the minister, “to support by force the constitution adopted by Portugal, but it will also not tolerate being destroyed by others, foreigners or the Portuguese, to whom Spain supplies arms.” He pointed to the universal struggle of principles or opinions - liberalism and absolutism, success and stagnation, no matter how you designate the well-known opposites: “England,” he said, “is neutral, neutral even in a dispute about fundamentals and political principles.” He is happy to have the opportunity to say that those opposites, over the reconciliation and resolution of which there is a struggle everywhere - princely power and popular law - have long been established amicably in England. He insisted that if England were attacked in a big war, immediately, even against her wishes, all those dissatisfied with the existing order in all countries would join her. It is rare that a poet's words can be applied so opportunely as Canning applied the verses of the Roman poet Virgil, which describes the keeper of storms Aeolus and the cave of the winds; he compared his island to this cave.

In his opinion, it was in the power of England, at the very least, to awaken revolutionary forces on the mainland at any time and with the desired force. Of course, this was somewhat exaggerated, but it was useful to remind the world of the Metternichs, the home of Miguel and Ferdinand. An example of this was recently when in reactionary circles there was talk of discussing the restoration of a legitimate government in the fallen Spanish colonies at the upcoming congress: this unfounded assumption was put to an end by the fact that the British government formally recognized on January 1, 1825 the independence of the states of Mexico, Colombia and Buenos Aires, former Spanish possessions.

Canning died that same year (1827) and Portuguese affairs remained unresolved. Dom Miguel swore the carta de ley and accepted the betrothal to Maria. Dom Pedro appointed him viceroy of the empire, but he appeared in Lisbon in 1828 and took advantage of his stay to seize the crown. He destroyed the constitution to which he swore allegiance, supported by the mob and the clergy, convened the state estates in the ancient order and ruled Portugal in the same way as his uncle ruled Spain. On one of the Azores islands, Terceira, the governor still adhered to the rights of Maria de Gloria and her royal father: all adherents of the constitution who managed to escape the tyranny of Don Miguel gathered there. Meanwhile, a great change had taken place in France and better times were coming.

France under Charles X

France after 1824

We have seen that the success of the Spanish enterprise, which worked out better for Bourbon than it once did for Napoleon, and the troops remained unconditionally loyal, increased the strength of the dominant party and its head, Villele. The elections of 1824 turned out to be quite favorable and Villel took advantage of this situation to introduce a new law on elections and rewards for emigrants. It was hoped, given the state of the money market at that time, that the billions of them needed for remuneration would be easily obtained from the conversion of annuities; but this cleverly conceived law did not pass in the House of Peers. On the contrary, an election law was passed, according to which, instead of one quarter of the chamber's composition being removed annually and replaced by new electors, general elections were proposed every seven years. The party became more and more bold: two weeks after the session closed, censorship was introduced by royal order; The clergy were especially active. In bookstores, prayer books and lives of saints replaced secular literature, and from everything it was clear that the time had come for the triumph of clericalism. On September 16, 1824, a long-awaited event took place - the death of Louis XVIII and the accession to the throne of the original head of the Ultra party, Comte d'Artois, under the name Charles X.

The date of the celebration of Independence Day in Greece coincides with the great Christian celebration - the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This confluence of two events is highly symbolic, as Greece celebrates its liberation from the Ottoman yoke every year on March 25th. In the confrontation between two religions - Islam and Christianity - the latter won.

The invasion of Turkish invaders began in the 14th century, and in 1453 the Byzantine Empire fell. Almost the entire part of continental Greece fell into the hands of the Ottomans. For more than 400 years, the Greek people fought for independence, but the forces were clearly not equal. The first significant uprising took place in 1770 during the Russian-Turkish War, but it too was crushed. At the beginning of the 19th century, Greek emigrants living in Odessa created a secret revolutionary society, Filiki Eteria, which became the core of the national liberation movement.

The starting point in the history of the sovereign Greek state is the uprising of March 25, 1821. It was started by Bishop Herman by raising the national banner over the monastery of St. Laurus, which is located in Patras on the island of Peloponnese. The motto of the Greek people in the fight against the occupiers became the slogan “Freedom or Death” (Eleftheria i Thanatos). At the same time, for the first time the banner of Greece saw the light of day, which in our time has been slightly modified. The nine horizontal lines of the flag are believed to correspond to the number of syllables in the national motto. According to another version, the alternation of blue and white stripes represents the waves of the Aegean Sea surrounding Greece. The cross depicted on the left side of the cloth reflects the important role of Christianity in the formation of the state.

Fierce Greek resistance lasted for 9 years and was crowned with success, by the way, not without the participation of the Russian army. On September 2, 1829, according to the Treaty of Andrianapolis, Greece gained independence. However, the struggle for the liberation of all lands continued until 1919, when Western Thrace also became part of Greece.

The celebration of Greek Independence Day is divided into two parts - secular and religious, which do not conflict, but rather complement each other. The morning begins with a festive service. Particularly colorful rituals can be seen in the Church of Panagia Evangelistria on the island of Tinos. On Hydra, celebrations are taking place with renewed vigor. Everywhere you can see not only demonstrations and parades, but also religious processions. During the years of the revolution, the Greek merchant fleet, mostly located on this island, put up strong resistance to the Turkish invaders. Major ceremonies take place in Athens, including a colorful parade of schoolchildren. Children in slender columns with national flags in their hands walk along the main streets of the capital. A grandiose military parade is held annually on the main square of the capital, Syntagma, attracting tens of thousands of spectators.

Numerous demonstrations, exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events take place in all Greek cities. Colorful fireworks displays are held even in small mountain villages. Most Greeks spend the holiday outside the home, gathering in taverns, coffee shops, or simply in squares.

On the eve of the holiday, blue and white flags are hung on balconies, students parade in cities and lay wreaths at memorials.On the day of the holiday itself, after the morning church service, large-scale military parades take place, the main one in Syntagma Square in Athens. Due to the economic crisis, starting in 2011, the country's authorities significantly reduced the number of parade participants and refused to allow military equipment to pass through. In the same year, the government of the country, considering that Greece was already emerging from the crisis and could afford to spend a couple of extra millions, decided to again “show off” military equipment. Also, for the first time since 2010, military aircraft are returning to the parade. 12 Air Force aircraft, 8 National Army helicopters and 5 Navy helicopters are planned to participate.

However, apparently fearing the reaction of the radical part of the population, who considered the “way out of the crisis” to be a deception and a scam, the country’s leaders decided to hold the parade in 2 stages. On March 24, there is a festive parade of schoolchildren, to which everyone is allowed, and a military parade will take place the next day on March 25. At the same time, only those who have invitations from parade participants or official accreditations will be able to admire it “live.” Apparently the authorities still remember the facts of not so distant 2011, when indignant city residents blocked the parade and literally drove the country's President Carlos Papoulias from the stands. From early morning until the end of the events, the city center is tightly blocked by police forces and the National Security Service, and the Syntagma metro station is closed to train stops.

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March 25 is a special day for all Greeks, since it combines two great holidays at once - the Annunciation and Greek Independence Day. These two holidays have a closer connection with each other than it might seem at first glance. The very name “Annunciation” speaks for itself. It is symbolic that this particular day became one of the main national holidays for the Greeks.

In 1821, precisely on March 25th, the Metropolitan of the Greek city Patras- Herman - blessed the banner of the Greek national uprising against the Ottoman yoke. Another 11 years of bloody fighting followed before Treaty of Constantinople established Greece as an independent state. And yet, despite the fact that military happiness for the Greeks had its ups and downs, it was March 25 that is considered to be the starting point Greek independence.

The banner that Metropolitan German consecrated was a white cloth with a blue cross in the middle. It was soon accepted as official flag of greece, and in this form it is still used by the Greek Navy. As for the rest of the country’s structures, several decades ago they switched to the version that is more familiar to us today Greek flag: nine blue and white stripes with a white cross in the upper left corner. According to the most common version, the nine stripes symbolize the nine syllables of the slogan of the independence fighters: “Freedom or death” (gr. E-lef-te-ri-ya and ta-na-tos), and the cross symbolizes Christianity as the state religion of Greece.

National heroes of the struggle for Greek independence are considered klefts(literally - “thieves”) are partisan detachments of an anarchic nature that “came down from the mountains”, delivering surprise attacks on the enemy army. It cannot be denied that subsequent generations, for educational purposes, significantly ennobled the two-faced appearance of the klefts, but the winners are not judged... Perhaps the most prominent figure among this warlike tribe is the hereditary kleft Theodoros Kolokotronis, monuments to which can be found in almost all major cities of Greece.

Little known among modern Slavs is the fact that Russia and Ukraine are directly related to the preparation of the Greek uprising. After all, it was in Odessa that the secret community was founded Filiki Etheria(gr. “Society of Friends”), the goal of which was to create an independent Greek state. Let’s not pretend: the community mainly consisted of young people of Greek origin, but philhellenic heroes (Greek: “friends of the Greeks”) were also known among the Slavic brothers. Together with native Greeks, they went on liberation operations, sometimes doomed to defeat in advance, and shed blood for the “Great Idea” - freedom and Greek independence.

In our time Annunciation And Independence Day in Greece are celebrated very widely. Parades are held throughout the country, schoolchildren prepare plays and performances on a Greek-Turkish theme, and learn patriotic songs. According to existing tradition, cod is eaten everywhere on this day (gr. Bacallaros). Everyone eats it, from young to old, but not even all Greeks remember why!

The fact is that this day falls ironically on period of Lent, when fasting people deny themselves not only meat, but also fish. But the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25, new style) allows for a slight relaxation and allows the presence of fish on the Lenten table. The question remains why of all the fish it is cod ( bakaliaros) received such an honor? The answer is extremely simple: not everyone is lucky enough to live near the sea and have constant access to fresh fish - in some regions, fish had to be brought from afar. And of all the types of Mediterranean fish, it is cod that best tolerates transportation and long-term storage outside the refrigerator, which has long made it an indispensable dish on this holiday.

Wishing March 25 in Greece If you want to dine on cod in a tavern, it’s better to get there early: the demand for this product is huge, and by 14:00 the waiter, in response to your question about cod, will most likely throw up his hands - it’s over! The thing is that it is on this day, practically the only day during Lent, when it is allowed to eat