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Antonios Kriezis
Αντώνιος Κριεζής
Kriezis.jpg
A portrait of Antonios Kriezis
Coat of arms of Greece (Wittelsbach).svg
10th Prime Minister of Greece
In office
14 December 1849 – 16 May 1854 (o.s.)
Monarch Otto I
Preceded by Konstantinos Kanaris
Succeeded by Alexandros Mavrokordatos
Minister for Naval Affairs
In office
14 February 1836 – 3 September 1842 (o.s.)
Monarch Otto I
Prime Minister Cabinet of Josef Ludwig von Armansperg
Ignaz von Rudhart
Alexandros Mavrokordatos
Preceded by Wilhelm von Le Suire
Succeeded by Konstantinos Kanaris
Personal details
Born c. 1796
Troezen, Morea Eyalet, Ottoman Empire (now Greece)
Died 1 April 1865
Athens, Kingdom of Greece
Spouse Kyriakoula Voulgari
Children Dimitrios Kriezis
Epameinondas Kriezis
Occupation Sailor
Politician
Military service
Allegiance Greece First Hellenic Republic
Greece Kingdom of Greece
Branch/service  Hellenic Navy
Battles/wars

Antonios Kriezis (born around 1796, died 1865) was an important Greek naval captain. He fought bravely in the Greek War of Independence. Later, he became the Prime Minister of Greece from 1849 to 1854. He was a key figure in shaping modern Greece.

Antonios Kriezis: Early Life

Antonios Kriezis was born in a place called Troezen around 1796. His family were Arvanites, an ethnic group in Greece. His family's story goes back to 1650. An ancestor was a prisoner in Venetian Crete. This ancestor later became involved in building ships for the Venetian navy. Eventually, the family settled on the island of Hydra.

A Hero in the Greek War of Independence

Antonios Kriezis played a big part in the Greek War of Independence. This war was fought to free Greece from the Ottoman Empire.

Naval Battles and Missions

  • In July 1821, Kriezis joined a Greek mission to the island of Samos.
  • In 1822, he took part in the important naval battle of Spetses. This battle was a key moment in the war.
  • In 1825, Kriezis and another hero, Konstantinos Kanaris, tried to attack the Egyptian navy. They attempted to destroy their ships inside the port of Alexandria. Even though they didn't succeed, it showed their bravery.
  • In 1828, Ioannis Kapodistrias, who was the first leader of independent Greece, put Kriezis in charge of a naval group.
  • The next year, Kriezis successfully captured Vonitsa from the Ottomans. This was an important victory for the Greeks.

Political Career and Prime Minister

After the war, Antonios Kriezis continued to serve his country.

Minister for Naval Affairs

  • In 1836, under King Otto, Kriezis became the Minister of Naval Affairs. This meant he was in charge of Greece's navy.

Serving as Prime Minister

Later Life and Legacy

Antonios Kriezis passed away in Athens in 1865. His family continued his legacy of service.

His Children's Contributions

  • His older son, Dimitrios Kriezis, followed in his father's footsteps. He became a naval officer. He also served as an aide-de-camp (a personal assistant) to King George I of Greece. Dimitrios also became the Minister for Naval Affairs, just like his father.
  • His younger son, Epameinondas Kriezis, also joined the navy and became a politician.

Honoring His Name

To honor Antonios Kriezis and his service, two ships of the Hellenic Navy have been named Kriezis.

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