Athanasios N. Miaoulis
Encyclopedia
Athanasios N. Miaoulis was a Greek
naval officer and politician, serving several times as Navy Minister and briefly as the Mayor of Piraeus
. He was a relative of the naval leader of the from the Hydriot family .
in 1868, to the Hydriot family of Miaoulis
. He was the great-grandson of admiral Andreas Miaoulis, the chief Greek naval leader during the Greek War of Independence
. Together with his cousin Andreas D. Miaoulis
, he enrolled in the Hellenic Naval Academy
in 1884, the year of its re-establishment. He graduated in 1888 as an ensign, and took part in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897
as captain of a torpedo boat
, with the rank of sub-lieutenant. He retired as a commander
in 1911 in order to run for public office in Hydra. With the outbreak of the Balkan Wars
, he was recalled to service, and was assigned as captain of the destroyer Panthir
, from its delivery in Britain to the signing of the peace treaties, whereupon he returned to reserve status.
In 1909 he served as Minister of Naval Affairs, a post he held again in 1914, 1915 and 1919. As a diehard Venizelist
, he was persuaded in 1932 to run for the mayoralty of Piraeus, despite his own reluctance. He accepted on the condition that he could resign following a possible victory of the Liberal Party
in the forthcoming legislative elections
. Indeed, the Venizelists won the elections, opening the prospect of his retirement from the mayor's office and politics in general. This filled Miaoulis with such joy, that he suffered a heart attack, to which he succumbed. Four years later, on 16 June 1936, his wife, Maria Lykoudis, also died as a result of an illness caused by her grief.
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
naval officer and politician, serving several times as Navy Minister and briefly as the Mayor of Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
. He was a relative of the naval leader of the from the Hydriot family .
Biography
Miaoulis was born in PiraeusPiraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
in 1868, to the Hydriot family of Miaoulis
Miaoulis
The surname Miaoulis belongs to an illustrious family of Hydriot origin, whose original name was Vokos . Its members include:*Andreas Miaoulis, the most significant naval leader of the Greek War of Independence of 1821...
. He was the great-grandson of admiral Andreas Miaoulis, the chief Greek naval leader during the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
. Together with his cousin Andreas D. Miaoulis
Andreas D. Miaoulis
Andreas Miaoulis was a Greek naval officer, hailing from the distinguished Hydriot Miaoulis family. He was the son of Dimitrios Miaoulis and grandson of Andreas Miaoulis, the celebrated admiral of the Greek War of Independence....
, he enrolled in the Hellenic Naval Academy
Hellenic Naval Academy
The Hellenic Naval Academy is a military academy with university status and has the responsibility to educate and suitably train competent Naval Officers for the Hellenic Navy. Its full name is Hellenic Naval Cadets Academy and was founded in 1845. The academy is one of the oldest educational...
in 1884, the year of its re-establishment. He graduated in 1888 as an ensign, and took part in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897
Greco-Turkish War (1897)
The Greco-Turkish War of 1897, also called the Thirty Days' War and known as the Black '97 in Greece, was a war fought between the Kingdom of Greece and Ottoman Empire. Its immediate cause was the question over the status of the Ottoman province of Crete, whose Greek majority long desired union...
as captain of a torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
, with the rank of sub-lieutenant. He retired as a commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1911 in order to run for public office in Hydra. With the outbreak of the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, he was recalled to service, and was assigned as captain of the destroyer Panthir
Greek destroyer Panthir
Panthir served in the Hellenic Royal Navy from 1912–1946.The ship, along with her three sister ships of Wild Beast class destroyers Aetos, Ierax and Leon, was ordered from England. They were purchased ready for delivery, each for the sum of £148,000 from the English shipyards Camell Laird in...
, from its delivery in Britain to the signing of the peace treaties, whereupon he returned to reserve status.
In 1909 he served as Minister of Naval Affairs, a post he held again in 1914, 1915 and 1919. As a diehard Venizelist
Venizelism
Venizelism was one of the major political movements in Greece from the 1900s until the mid 1970s.- Ideology :Named after Eleftherios Venizelos, the key characteristics of Venizelism were:*Opposition to Monarchy...
, he was persuaded in 1932 to run for the mayoralty of Piraeus, despite his own reluctance. He accepted on the condition that he could resign following a possible victory of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Greece)
The Liberal Party was one of the major Greek political parties of the early 20th century.- History :Founded as the Xipoliton party in Crete , its early leaders were Kostis Mitsotakis and Eleftherios Venizelos...
in the forthcoming legislative elections
Greek legislative election, 1932
Legislative elections were held in the Second Hellenic Republic on 25 September 1932. At stake were 250 seats in the Lower House of the Greek Parliament, the Vouli ....
. Indeed, the Venizelists won the elections, opening the prospect of his retirement from the mayor's office and politics in general. This filled Miaoulis with such joy, that he suffered a heart attack, to which he succumbed. Four years later, on 16 June 1936, his wife, Maria Lykoudis, also died as a result of an illness caused by her grief.