ELEFTHERIOS VENIZELOS (1864 - 1936)

   Eleftherios Venezelos, one of the greatest statesman of Greece, was born on 23rd August 1864 in the village of Mournies near Chania. He was until this day the most important politician of Crete and succeeded in the final unification of Crete with Greece.

   After studying law in Athens he became leader of the Liberal Party on Crete.

   1n 1905 Venizelos gathered his supporters in his headquarters in the village of Therissos and called for a rebellion, which led to the abdication of Prince George, the High Commissioner of Crete. Venizelos then became Prime Minister of the still independent Crete. His aim was to unify all Greeks in one nation.

   He made his career on the mainland were he was elected Prime Minister of Greece in 1910 and was able to bring about necessary civil reforms.

   At the London peace conference Greece was granted Macedonia, Epirus, as well as the east Aegean islands and Crete. On May 30, 1913 Crete was finally unified with Greece.

   Despite his achievements he was defeated in the 1920 general elections. The pro-royalist government brought King Constantine back to power.

   Venizelos was again Prime Minister in 1924, 1928 - 1932 and 1933.

   After a failed attempted coup against the Tzaldanis government, Venizelos went into exile in Paris where he died on 18th March 1936.

   Many streets and squares on Crete, on the mainland and the new Athens airport are named after him.

   His lavish tomb can be found on Profitis Ilias hill at Akrotiri, high up above Chania.