Eleftherios Venizelos: The Trials of Statesmanship

Eleftherios Venizelos, Prime Minister of Greece 1910-1920 and 1928-1932, is regarded by many as the creator of contemporary Greece and one of the main actors in European diplomacy during his time in office.This book draws on considerable new research and places the study of Venizelos' leadership in the broad setting of twentieth-century politics and diplomacy. The complex and often dramatic trajectory of Venizelos' career from Cretan rebel to an admired European statesman is charted in a sequence of chapters that survey his meteoric rise and great achievements in Greek and European politics amidst violent passions and tragic conflicts. Further chapters appraise in depth some critical aspects of his policies, while a conclusion offers a glimpse into a great statesman's personal and intellectual world.