Emmanouil Benakis was a Greek merchant and politician, considered a national benefactor of Greece.

Benakis who, after studying in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 emigrated to Alexandria, Egypt where he worked for the Greek cotton industrialist Horemi and in whose family he married. There, he had six children. Among them were the writer Penelope Delta

Penelope Delta

Penelope Delta was a Greek author of books for children. Practically the first Greek children's books writer, her historical novels have been widely read and influenced Greek popular perceptions on national identity and history...

 and art collector Antonis Benakis

Antonis Benakis

Antonis Benakis was a Greek art collector and the founder of the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece, the son of politician and magnate Emmanuel Benakis and the brother of author Penelope Delta...

. He accumulated a considerable fortune. In his political career he was a Venizelist, as a close friend of Eleftherios Venizelos

Eleftherios Venizelos

Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...

 himself, elected to the Hellenic Parliament and served as Minister of Agriculture and Industry. He was elected mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 of the city of Athens

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

 in 1914.

Among other benefactions he contributed to the settlement of refugees in the aftermath of the Greco-Turkish war in Asia Minor. He has donated to the Red Cross Nurses' School and the Athens College

Athens College

Athens College is a co-educational private independent school in Psychiko, Greece, a suburb of Athens, part of the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation which also includes Psychiko College, although both schools are usually referred to as "Athens College"...

. He placed his fortune at the disposal of numerous charitable foundations after his death and his funeral was carried at Greek public expense.

The Benaki Phytopathological Institute was one such institution founded through his legacy.