Alexander, King of the Hellenes (Greek: Ἀλέξανδρος, Βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων, Aléxandros, Vasiléfs ton Ellínon; 1 August 1893 – 25 October 1920) ruled Greece from 1917 to 1920 until his unusual death as the result of sepsis contracted by being bitten by two monkeys.
He was born on 1 August 1893 (21 July O.S.) at Tatoi near Athens, the second son of Constantine I and his wife, Sophie of Prussia. Alexander was a direct descendant of five Greek imperial...
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Alexander, King of the Hellenes (Greek: Ἀλέξανδρος, Βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων, Aléxandros, Vasiléfs ton Ellínon; 1 August 1893 – 25 October 1920) ruled Greece from 1917 to 1920 until his unusual death as the result of sepsis contracted by being bitten by two monkeys.
He was born on 1 August 1893 (21 July O.S.) at Tatoi near Athens, the second son of Constantine I and his wife, Sophie of Prussia. Alexander was a direct descendant of five Greek imperial (Byzantine) dynasties (Monomachos, Comnenos, Laskaris, Angelos, and Paleologos).
In 1917, Constantine I insisted that Greece remain neutral in World War I, while Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos was determined to go to war in support of the Triple Entente. At Venizelos' invitation, French and British troops entered Greece and forced Constantine I and his first born son Crown Prince George into exile (see National Schism). Young Alexander, a proponent of the Megali Idea, was enthroned as King; in reality he had absolutely no power and was...
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