Eleftherios Venizelos and the Political Crisis in Autonomous Crete

This work attempts to address historical events and the historical context using a scientific method. It rejects the conflation of historical reality with the fluid circumstances of current political life and seeks to assess the events and situations that, at the time, necessitated action or the taking of a specific decision. Secondly, we reject the one-sided prioritisation of individual factors—whether collective or individual, ideological, geopolitical or economic. Thirdly, the exclusive focus of the narrative on Greek affairs, to the exclusion of the broader international context, is considered inappropriate. Furthermore, the aim is to respond to the need to demonstrate a spirit of understanding towards political figures who, in the past, acted with the public interest as their primary concern. Finally, the formulation of a well-documented argument requires the meticulous examination and cross-referencing of sources, grounded in knowledge and creative imagination. The book’s cover is the work of P. Tetsis.

The first edition of the book was published in 1974 and paved the way for modern Greek bibliography. Although notable works concerning that period have been published since then, K.D. Svolopoulos remains the most thorough and comprehensive historical study of Eleftherios Venizelos’s political activities during the first critical phase of the Cretan State. Through a documented account of the events and their political analysis, the book sheds light on the motives and objectives of the key figures, as well as the role of Greek and international factors in the political crisis unfolding in Crete at the time. It is a classic work and a key reference for scholars of the period. The second edition of the book was published with the kind support of the Eleftherios K. Venizelos National Research and Study Foundation, as part of the events marking the centenary of the Theriso revolutionary movement.

Ikaros Publications has released the book by Professor Konstantinos D. Svolopoulos, "The Decision to Extend Greek Sovereignty in Asia Minor." This study clarifies the nature of Greece’s intervention in Asia Minor. It attempts to interpret the decisions of Eleftherios Venizelos and to provide a comprehensive picture of the military, political and diplomatic dimensions of the intervention in Ionia, adopting a multifaceted approach. This book crowns the long and systematic study of Eleftherios Venizelos’s foreign policy by the academic Konstantinos Svolopoulos, a pioneer and recognised scholar of the period and the topics under examination. The publication was made possible with the kind support of the Eleftherios K. Venizelos National Research and Study Foundation.

Rigas Velestinlis, Alexander Ypsilantis, Ioannis Kapodistrias, Alexander Mavrokordatos, Charilaos Trikoupis, Eleftherios Venizelos, Ioannis Metaxas, Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Konstantinos Karamanlis. In his new book, the academic and historian Konstantinos Svolopoulos explores the common characteristics of these nine statesmen, as well as their differences. What connects them? Their contribution to the country’s political affairs? A shared mindset? A shared ideological profile? A shared fate? A common tactical, or even strategic, objective? All nine sought to serve the national interest, as they understood it, whilst distinguishing themselves primarily through their dedication to duty. Beyond their personal characteristics, it remains an indisputable fact that each left an indelible mark on the political history of Greece during their time, and thus all rank highly in terms of their integrity, effectiveness or vision. Drawing on a large part of the relevant literature, the author explores the careers of these figures, endeavours to examine their actions and deeds, and arrives at a personal scholarly assessment.