List of lord high commissioners of the Ionian Islands facts for kids

Map of the Ionian Islands.

The Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands was a very important person who represented the British government in a place called the United States of the Ionian Islands. This was a group of islands that were like a small country, but they were protected by the United Kingdom. This arrangement started in 1815 after a big agreement called the Treaty of Paris.

The main job of the Lord High Commissioner was to make sure things ran smoothly on the islands. Before 1816, there was a similar role called the Civil Commissioner of the Ionian Islands. These leaders were based in Corfu, which is the northernmost of the seven Ionian Islands. These islands are located off the western coast of mainland Greece.

Who Governed the Ionian Islands?

The Ionian Islands had different British leaders over time. These leaders were in charge of the islands while they were under British protection. Here's a list of the people who held these important roles.

Early Leaders: Civil Commissioners (1809–1816)

These were the first British representatives on the Ionian Islands. They served before the official "United States of the Ionian Islands" was fully set up under British protection.

Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office
	John Oswald (1771–1840)	16 October 1809	February 1811
	Richard Church (1784–1873)	February 1811	December 1811
	George Airey (1761–1833)	December 1811	1813
	Sir James Campbell (1763–1819)	30 April 1813	17 February 1816
	Sir Thomas Maitland (1759–1824)	17 February 1816	31 March 1816

Main Leaders: Lord High Commissioners (1816–1864)

After 1816, the main British representative was known as the Lord High Commissioner. These individuals held significant power and responsibility in governing the Ionian Islands.

Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office
	Sir Thomas Maitland (1759–1824)	31 March 1816	17 January 1824
	Sir Frederick Adam (1781–1853)	7 January 1824	2 June 1832
	Sir Alexander George Woodford (1782–1870)	28 April 1832	1 December 1832
	George Nugent-Grenville 2nd Baron Nugent (1788–1850)	1 December 1832	23 February 1835
	Sir Alexander George Woodford (1782–1870) (acting)	23 February 1835	29 April 1835
	Sir Howard Douglas (1776–1861)	29 April 1835	8 June 1841
	James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie (1784–1843)	8 June 1841	17 February 1843
	Sir George Berkeley (1785–1857)	15 September 1842	1 April 1843
	John Colborne 1st Baron Seaton (1778–1863)	1 April 1843	2 June 1849
	Sir Henry George Ward (1797–1860)	2 June 1849	13 April 1855
	Sir George Young (1807–1876)	13 April 1855	25 January 1859
	William Ewart Gladstone (1809–1898)	25 January 1859	17 February 1859
	Sir Henry Knight Storks (1811–1874)	17 February 1859	2 June 1864