Georgios Theotokis
Γεώργιος Θεοτόκης
Theotokis circa 1910
Prime Minister of Greece
In office 2 April 1899 – 12 November 1901 (O.S.)
Preceded by	Alexandros Zaimis
Succeeded by	Alexandros Zaimis
In office 14 – 28 June 1903 (O.S.)
Preceded by	Theodoros Diligiannis
Succeeded by	Dimitrios Rallis
In office 6 December 1903 – 17 December 1904 (O.S.)
Preceded by	Dimitrios Rallis
Succeeded by	Theodoros Diligiannis
In office 8 December 1905 – 7 July 1909 (O.S.)
Preceded by	Dimitrios Rallis
Succeeded by	Dimitrios Rallis
Personal details
Born	(1844-02-08)8 February 1844[1][2] Corfu,United States of the Ionian Islands
Died	13 January 1916(1916-01-13) (aged 71) Athens, Greece
Political party	Modernist Party
Spouse	Amalia Theotokis
Children	Nikolaos Theotokis Ioannis Theotokis Zaera Theotokis

Georgios Theotokis (Greek:Γεώργιος Θεοτόκης; 8 February 1844 – 12 January 1916^[3]) was aGreek politician andPrime Minister of Greece, serving the post four times. He represented theModernist Party or Neoteristikon Komma (NK).^[4]

He was the third child of Corfiote Nikolaos Andreas Theotokis. After graduating from the Ionian High School, he enrolled at the Law School of theIonian University. In 1861 he received his law degree from the Ionian University with a scholarship and continued his studies at theSorbonne inParis.

Upon his return to Corfu, he worked as a lawyer. In 1879 he took part in the municipal elections and was elected mayor with a percentage of 65%. In 1883 he was re-elected mayor only to leave in 1885 at the invitation ofCharilaos Trikoupis, to become a member of theHellenic Parliament for the Trikoupis party.

In May 1886 Trikoupis appointed himMinister for Naval Affairs. As a minister Theotokis ordered thebattleshipsSpetsai,Hydra andPsara. He also improved drastically the condition of theNavy by promoting better training and establishing many naval academies and schools. Later Trikoupis appointed him Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs and Public Education. With the aid of professor Papamarkos, Theotokis prepared and submitted to Parliamentprogressive legislation for the improvement of education in Greece. However, the legislation was never passed due to the opposition ofTheodoros Diligiannis.

From mid-1903 to 1909 Theotokis became three more times Prime Minister of Greece, the third time being the longest at the prime minister's post. Among his achievements are the organisation and strengthening of the army, including the adoption of modernkhaki uniforms. He provided assistance for theMacedonian Struggle and is noted for his calm and deliberate foreign policy in the tense period just prior to theBalkan Wars (1912–1913).

His grandsonGeorgios Rallis, who also became prime minister, has criticized him for two, in his opinion, important mistakes. Namely because in the days leading to the disastrousGreco-Turkish War of 1897, Theotokis did not oppose sending theHellenic Army toCrete, that led to the outbreak of the war. The second mistake was Theotokis's refusal to mediate between KingConstantine I of Greece and Prime MinisterEleftherios Venizelos during 1915–1916, a disagreement that eventually grew to become theNational Schism.^[5]

Georgios Theotokis, however, is considered by many to be a politician distinguished for his high ethics, calm demeanor and controlled temper, qualities not often found among politicians of his era.

As amayor of Corfu, Georgios Theotokis approved construction for theMunicipal Theatre of Corfu in 1885.

• Georgios Rallis: "Georgios Theotokis: Politician of the measured response" (In Greek), Ελληνική Ευρωεκδοτική, Αθήνα 1986, 355 p. ISBN 960-241-017-5.

• «Georgios Theotokis: Politician of the measured response and of calm manners»– Article by Georgios Rallis in the newspaperΤα Νέα, 18 October 1999.

• 1844 births
• 1916 deaths
• 19th-century prime ministers of Greece
• 20th-century prime ministers of Greece
• United States of the Ionian Islands people
• Mayors of Corfu (city)
• University of Paris alumni
• Ministers of naval affairs of Greece
• MPs of Corfu
• New Party (Greece) politicians
• History of Greece (1863–1909)
• Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
• Theotokis family
• Politicians from Corfu
• Greek Freemasons

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