History Enosis

map showing greek territorial gains between 1832 , 1947.

the boundaries of kingdom of greece established @ london conference of 1832 following greek war of independence. created country smaller greece became, significant ethnic greek populations remaining outside greek nation state. of these aspired incorporated in kingdom, , movements among them calling enosis, or union greece, achieved popular support. ottoman empire declined greek state expanded number of territorial gains.

the ionian islands had been placed under british protection result of treaty of paris in 1815, once greek independence established after 1830 islanders began resent foreign colonial rule , press enosis. britain transferred islands greece in 1864.

thessaly remained under ottoman control after formation of kingdom of greece. although parts of territory had participated in initial uprisings in greek war of independence in 1821, revolts had been swiftly crushed. during russo-turkish war of 1877–78 greece remained neutral, result of assurances great powers territorial claims on ottoman empire considered after war. in 1881 greece , ottoman empire signed convention of constantinople created new greco-turkish border, incorporating of thessaly greece.

crete rebelled against ottoman rule during cretan revolt of 1866-69 using motto crete, enosis, freedom or death . cretan state established following intervention of great powers, , cretan union greece occurred de facto in 1908 , de jure in 1913 through treaty of bucharest.

an unsuccessful greek uprising in macedonia against ottoman rule had taken place during greek war of independence. there rebellion in 1854 aiming unite macedonia greece, failed. treaty of san stefano in 1878 following russo-turkish war of 1877–1878 awarded of macedonia bulgaria. resulted in 1878 greek macedonian rebellion , reversal of award @ treaty of berlin (1878), leaving territory in ottoman hands. there followed protracted macedonian struggle between greeks , bulgarians in region, resultant guerrilla war coming end ottoman revolution of young turks in july 1908. bulgarian , greek rivalries on macedonia became part of balkan wars of 1912–13, 1913 treaty of bucharest awarding greece large parts of macedonia, including thessaloniki. treaty of london (1913) awarded southern epirus greece, epirus region having risen against ottoman rule during epirus revolt of 1854 , epirus revolt of 1878.

in 1821, several parts of western thrace rebelled against ottoman rule, participating in greek war of independence. during balkan wars, western thrace occupied bulgarian troops , in 1913 bulgaria gained western thrace under terms of treaty of bucharest. following world war i, western thrace withdrawn bulgaria under terms of 1919 treaty of neuilly , put temporarily under allied management before being given greece @ san remo conference in 1920.

following conclusion of world war i, greece began occupation of smyrna , surrounding areas of western anatolia in 1919 @ invitation of victorious allies of world war i, particularly david lloyd george british prime minister. occupation given official status in 1920 treaty of sèvres, , territory declared protectorate in 1922. however, attempted enosis failed when new turkish republic prevailed in resulting greco-turkish war of 1919–1922, after anatolian christians had not fled during war forced relocate greece in 1923 population exchange between greece , turkey.

most of dodecanese islands slated become part of new greek state in london protocol of 1828, when greek independence recognized in london protocol of 1830, islands left outside new kingdom of greece. subsequently occupied italy in 1912 , held until world war ii, after became british military protectorate. islands formally united greece 1947 treaty of peace italy, despite objections turkey desired them.

the autonomous republic of northern epirus proclaimed in 1914 ethnic greeks in northern epirus, area having been incorporated albania following balkan wars. greece held area between 1914 , 1916 , unsuccessfully tried annex in march 1916, in 1917 greek forces driven area italy, took on of albania. paris peace conference of 1919 awarded area greece, following greece s defeat in greco-turkish war area reverted albanian control. following italy s invasion of greece territory of albania in 1940 , successful greek counterattack, greek army briefly held northern epirus six-month period until german invasion of greece in 1941. tensions between greece , albania remained high during cold war, relations began improve in 1980s greece s abandonment of territorial claims on northern epirus , lifting of official state of war between 2 countries. in modern times, apart cyprus, call enosis heard among part of greek community living in southern albania.