1453 Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Turks

1571 Fall of Venice held Cyprus to Turks

1669 Venice rules Crete falls to Ottoman Turks

1709 Nikolaos Mavrokoprdatos appointed first Phanariot/Fanariot hospodar of Moldavia

1774 Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca ends Russo-Turkish war of 1768-1774

Russia claims protectorate over the Orthodox Christians of the Ottoman Empire

Ionian Greeks see it as an opportunity to develop a Greek state independent of the Ottomans under Russian protection

1780 Iosipos Moisiodax, Apology (Vienna) –turn from reforming monarchy to republic – Swiss model

1797 Venetian control of Ionian Islands replaced by French

1797-8 arrest (by Austrians) and execution (by Turks) of Rhigas Velestinlis – Jacobin revolutionary calling for a Hellenic republic based on French constitution of 1793

1798 Paternal Instruction – anti republican pamphlet against Rigas

1798 Fraternal Instruction  by Adamantios Korais – rejected religious history of Greek community, offering a secular one ins its place.

1800-1807 Septinsular Republic in Ionian Islands under Ottoman suzerainty and Russian Protection and a new constitution in 1803

1806 publication of anonymous Elliniki Nomarkhia/Hellenic Nomarchy  insisting on superiority of non-monarchical government

1814 Philiki Etairia /Friendly Society secret society formed in Odessqa by three merchants; laid ground for 1821 revolution

1817 the United States of the Ionian Islands become first notionally independent Greek state, under British protection following defeat of Napoleon.

1821 Greek war of independence; 1822 first constit drafted

1827 Navarino – Ottoman-Egyptian fleet destroyed by French, English and Russians

1828 Kapodistrias first president

1830 Greek independence recog by France, GB and Russia

1831 Kapodistrias assassinated by Mani clan (whose town was the first to revolt in March 1821!)

1833 Prince Otto of Bavaria arrives as first king

1843 troops of Athens garrison and a popular demo in front of palace force Otto to grant a constit  [debates PM Kolettis with King Otto led to coining of term for  megali idea – idea of reviving Byzantine empire by estab a Gk state, centred in Constantinople]

1844 constit defines realm as a constit monarchy

1854 occup and blockade of Piraeus by Br and Fr force Gk neutrality in Crimean war

1862 Otto forced to abdicate after uprising Nafplion and Athens [Alfred of GB first offered throne, following referendum in which he was overwhelmingly elected, but he refused]

1863 Prince George of Denmark becomes king of Hellenes [expressed megali idea]

1864 Ionian islands incorp in Gk state. New constit defines regime as a ‘crowned democracy’ [followed Belgium 1831; Denmark 1849; estab in clear terms principle of popular sovty; article 31 all power stemmed from nation; king only had powers confided in him by constit. Single chamber parlt – senate accused of having been a tool in hands of monarchy; 4yr universal, direct elections

1866-9 uprising in Crete fails to dislodge Ottomans

1871 govt grants legal title deeds to peasant squatters

1875 King Geo accepts principle of responsible govt; 1974 plebiscite rejects monarchy