1897

Events

January

• January 21: 1,500 Greek troops, under Timoleon Vassos, land in Crete to aid local rebels who sought union with Greece.
• January 29: A General Assembly of Cretans at Tzermiado, Lasithi, declares the union of Crete with Greece.

February

• February 22: Cretans battle against Turks in Ierapetra.

April

• April 5: The Greek government declares war on Turkey and the Greco-Turkish War (1897) begins.
• April 17: The Greek Army, under Brig. Gen. Konstantinos Smolenskis, defeats the Turks at Velestino. This was the only Greek victory in the Greco-Turkish War (1897).

December

• December 4: The Istanbul Treaty was signed, officially ending the Greek-Turkish war. Greece was obligated to compensate Turkey with 4 million gold coins while they also had to evacuate the territories between Mt. Olympus and Kamvounia Mountain. Under the same treaty, Crete became independent.

Births

January

• January 2: Jim Londos, Greek-American Professional Wrestler

June

• June 5: Georgios Grivas, military figure and commander of EOKA.

October

• October 26: Maximus V, Patriarch of Constantinople