Themistoklis Sofoulis

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Themistoklis Sofoulis

Themistoklis Sofoulis was a Greek Archaeologist, Politician and Prime Minister (1862 - 1949) during whose last tenure the Greek Civil War was fought.

As an archaeologist he was the first, in 1895, to dig and explore the ruins of ancient Messene.

In 1912, during the First Balkan War, he landed in Samos leading a band of guerrilas, to urge the locals to revolt against the Turks and join Greece.

In 1924 he became Prime Minister of Greece for the first time.

He headed the Liberal Party (Komma Fileleftheron) after the death of Eleftherios Venizelos.

After World War II, he unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a settlement with Panagis Tsaldaris (head of the Popular Party (Laiko Komma) to lead Greece out of the post-war political crisis. He became Prime Minister in 1945 - 1946 and again in 1947.

He died in office in 1949 while the Greek Civil War was still being fought and was succeeded by Alexandros Diomedes.


Preceded by:
Alexandros Papanastasiou
Prime Minister of Greece
July 24, 1924 - October 7, 1924
Succeeded by:
Andreas Michalakopoulos
Preceded by:
Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
Prime Minister of Greece
November 22, 1945 - April 4, 1946
Succeeded by:
Panagiotis Poulitsas
Preceded by:
Konstantinos Tsaldaris
Prime Minister of Greece
November 7, 1947 - June 24, 1949
Succeeded by:
Alexandros Diomedes