Lambros Koromilas
Encyclopedia
Lambros Koromilas was a Greek
economist and diplomat, and one of the leading figures in the Macedonian Struggle
during his tenure as Greek Consul-General to Thessaloniki
in 1904–1907. He also served as Finance Minister in 1910–1912 and Foreign Minister before and during the Balkan Wars
of 1912–1913.
In 1888, he left Greece and went to the Ottoman
capital, Constantinople
, where he studied the Turkish language and the structure of the Ottoman government. On his return to Greece, he participated in the Cretan Revolt of 1896, as well as in the subsequent Greco-Turkish War of 1897. After the war, he was appointed General Secretary of the Finance Ministry, a post he held until 1899. In January 1904 he was sent as Greek consul to Philippopolis
, and in May of the same year he was transferred to the Greek Consulate General in Thessaloniki
. From this point he became one of the main figures of the Macedonian Struggle
, the Greek effort to compete with the pro-Bulgarian IMRO for the allegiance of the population of Macedonia
. Koromilas activity as the central coordinator of the Greek armed bands across Macedonia did not go unnoticed by the Ottoman government, which demanded his recall. In 1906 he was dismissed from his consular post, but appointed instead as Inspector General of the Greek consulates in Macedonia, continuing his work until his final recall under Ottoman pressure in late 1907.
Koromilas was then sent to the United States
as ambassador. During his three-year tenure there he was successful in bringing unity of purpose and cohesion among the Greek immigrant organizations in the country. On his return to Greece in 1910, Koromilas resigned from the diplomatic service and entered politics. He was elected to the Hellenic Parliament
in 1910 and became Finance Minister in the cabinet of Eleftherios Venizelos
until 17 August 1912, when he was appointed Foreign Minister (although he already directed the ministry's affairs since 1 May). He kept his post through the Balkan Wars
, and resigned on 18 August 1913 following disagreements with Venizelos.
Koromilas was then sent as ambassador to Rome
, where he remained until his resignation and retirement in 1920. He then left for the United States, where he remained until his death in 1923.
, Koromilas was awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Redeemer
. Among his numerous publications, the most important were the book Greek finances from 1848 to 1903, and the 1892 article Income and taxes.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
economist and diplomat, and one of the leading figures in the Macedonian Struggle
Macedonian Struggle
The Macedonian Struggle was a series of social, political, cultural and military conflicts between Greeks and Bulgarians in the region of Ottoman Macedonia between 1904 and 1908...
during his tenure as Greek Consul-General to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
in 1904–1907. He also served as Finance Minister in 1910–1912 and Foreign Minister before and during 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...
of 1912–1913.
Life
Koromilas was born in Athens in 1856, the second son of the publisher Andreas Koromilas. After studies in Physics and Mathematics in Athens, he continued his studies in France and Germany. On his return to Greece, he took up his father's business, but shortly after he was appointed director of the National Printing House. He later succeeded his elder brother Dimitrios (a noted theatrical writer) in running the newspaper Efimerida.In 1888, he left Greece and went to the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
capital, Constantinople
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, where he studied the Turkish language and the structure of the Ottoman government. On his return to Greece, he participated in the Cretan Revolt of 1896, as well as in the subsequent Greco-Turkish War of 1897. After the war, he was appointed General Secretary of the Finance Ministry, a post he held until 1899. In January 1904 he was sent as Greek consul to Philippopolis
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, and in May of the same year he was transferred to the Greek Consulate General in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
. From this point he became one of the main figures of the Macedonian Struggle
Macedonian Struggle
The Macedonian Struggle was a series of social, political, cultural and military conflicts between Greeks and Bulgarians in the region of Ottoman Macedonia between 1904 and 1908...
, the Greek effort to compete with the pro-Bulgarian IMRO for the allegiance of the population of Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
. Koromilas activity as the central coordinator of the Greek armed bands across Macedonia did not go unnoticed by the Ottoman government, which demanded his recall. In 1906 he was dismissed from his consular post, but appointed instead as Inspector General of the Greek consulates in Macedonia, continuing his work until his final recall under Ottoman pressure in late 1907.
Koromilas was then sent to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as ambassador. During his three-year tenure there he was successful in bringing unity of purpose and cohesion among the Greek immigrant organizations in the country. On his return to Greece in 1910, Koromilas resigned from the diplomatic service and entered politics. He was elected to the Hellenic Parliament
Hellenic Parliament
The Hellenic Parliament , also the Parliament of the Hellenes, is the Parliament of Greece, located in the Parliament House , overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece....
in 1910 and became Finance Minister in the cabinet 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...
until 17 August 1912, when he was appointed Foreign Minister (although he already directed the ministry's affairs since 1 May). He kept his post through 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...
, and resigned on 18 August 1913 following disagreements with Venizelos.
Koromilas was then sent as ambassador to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he remained until his resignation and retirement in 1920. He then left for the United States, where he remained until his death in 1923.
Honours and works
For his work in the Macedonian Struggle and later in bringing about the Balkan LeagueBalkan League
The Balkan League was an alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which at the time still controlled much of the Balkan peninsula...
, Koromilas was awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Redeemer
Order of the Redeemer
The Order of the Redeemer , also known as the Order of the Savior, is an order of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the oldest and highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state.- History :...
. Among his numerous publications, the most important were the book Greek finances from 1848 to 1903, and the 1892 article Income and taxes.