History

Present days Greece includes most of the Roman diocese of Macedonia. In the West, there is the province of Epirus, present Albania, and the Rhodope province of the diocese of Thrace. Macedonia was a part of the prefecture of Illyricum which was made a part of  the Eastern Roman Empire at the division of the Empire  by Theodosius in 395.

The capital of Macedonia was for a long time Thessalonica which has always played an important role in the history of Greece. The other areas of interest are the other provinces of Thessaly and Achaia. These provinces will be treated in separate Chapters.

At the time of the Isaurians (717-820) key provinces have been transformed into the themata (themes) Thessalonike, Greece and Peleponesos.

A governance crisis was created by the Fourth Crusade in 1204 when current Greece came into the hands of the Frankish Crusaders under Baldwin of Flanders. The Latin Empire which was then founded was divided into Imperial territory that lay on either side of the Bosphorus and the Sea of ​​Marmora and came under the authority of Baldwin of Flanders, the Thessalonica kingdom that included Thessaly, the Duchy of Athens and the principality of Achaia. Euboa then named Negroponte was, together with the  Aegean Archipelago and Crete, managed by the Venetians. [1]

Not long after the establishment of the Latin Empire its decay began. Thessalonica was conquered in 1223 by the despot of Epirus and in 1246 became subordinate to the emperor of Nikaia. In the years 1259-'62 the Principality of Morea Arkadia and Lakonia was lost to Michael VIII Paleologus, the one who in 1261 had become  also master of Constantinople. The Latin imperial title from that time meant nothing, also because the rulers of the remaining parts further refused to pay homage.

Notwithstanding the encirclement of the remnants by the Byzantine Empire and Epirus the two principalities preserved their independence until the fifteenth century,. In the years 1458-'60, they were occupied and incorporated by the Ottomans.

Of the Venetian possessions Negroponte was conquered in 1479 and Naxos in 1566. In 1669 the Venetians had to cede Crete to the Ottomans. So it was at the beginning of the eighteenth century all Greece was in the hands of the Porte.

In the Ottoman Empire the greek areas became a part of Rumelia roughly consisting of Thrace and Illyricum. They were divided into nine sançaks viz. Gelibolu, Selanik, Tirhala, Egriboz, Mora, Inebahti, Karli-eli, Yanya and Delvina.

When the first modern Greek state was founded under British protection, there was also opposition on the mainland. At the beginning of the 19th century saw several secret societies of which the most important was the  Filiki Eteria Haeterie the Philikon which was founded in Odessa in 1814 and led by Alexandros Ypsilanti, Major General in the Russian army. He tried to establish an independent Greek state but this first attempt failed. Several weeks later the uprising continued on the mainland.

Under Ottoman rule the church retained its rights thereunder was also the right to deploy a flag with a cross. In the 18th century the population was also a Cross flag, originally in different colors. For example, in a nineteenth century mural painting of Deltil called "The struggle of the Greeks" a white flag with a blue cross. In 1832 the first flag adopted was a white cross on a blue cloth. [2]

The provisional government established in 1822 referred for its device to the French revolutionary tradition. The seal shows the goddess Athena with a spear, surrounded by a laurel wreath on the right branch which an owl had taken place. [3]

When Kapodistria proclaimed the Hellenic Republic in 1827 he adopted a phoenix as the device of the new republic. In 1829 Kapodistria placed a similar phoenix with a Latin cross above its head and illuminated by rays of the sun on coins of the new republic.

The phoenix was used as the emblem of the republic until the election of king Otto of Wittelsbach. A coat of arms in the German tradition was created for him by his brother, King Louis I of Bavaria. The coat of arms was a square white cross couped with the arms lozengy of Wittelsbach in the middle, on a blue field. The shield was crowned with a royal crown and held by two golden crowned lions standing on a marble pedestal. The whole was placed on a royal purple mantle of which the edges were decorated with oak leaves. [4] With the smaller arm, fixed-composition arm casing and arm mantle and shield holders. After the foundation of the Order of the Redeemer (Τάγμα του Σωτήρος) in 1834 the ribbon and the order cross was added to the composition. Also a version is known with the cross of the order hanging from a collar.  In 1863 Otto was succeeded by George I of the Danish royal house Oldenburg. The coat of arms was modified in accordance with the Wittelsbach diamonds were replaced by the gun-Holstein Glücksburg: Quarterly of Denmark, Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg with heart shield per pale of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst. The lions were replaced by the Danish supporters: two savages armed with clubs and with aprons of oak leaves. The mantle was blue, the ciborium strewn with white crosses, the edge decorated with a silver meander [5] On a blue ribbon is the motto iscus mou h agape tou laou (My strength is the affection of the People). The titles were changed to "King of the Hellenes".

By King Contantine I, a distinction was made between the state arms, in which the dynastic blason was omitted, and the royal coat of arms. The mantle was red with golden fringes and tassels. The same coat of arms was used by King Alexander (1917-'20).

In 1924 King Alexander was deposed and a Republic was proclaimed. The royal arms were abandoned. By decree of 25 May 1924 a new coat of arms was adopted. The shield with the white square cross was maintained but symbols of the different eras of Greek history were placed in the four quarters: the head of Athena for the classic time, a helmet and a spear for Macedonia, a double eagle for Byzantium and a phoenix the first Republic. Around the shield came a laurel wreath and on the seal the name of the republic: ellehnkn  dhmokratia was added.

By decision of 9 March 1932 the arms were changed again. The four emblems in the corners were removed and instead the cross was charged with a golden phoenix.

The royal arms returned with the restoration of the monarchy in 1935 and were used until 1973, when the then-ruling military junta abolished the monarchy. After WWII a new coat of arms of state appeared on coins. On it the white cross was reaching to the borders of the shield as it was on the flag. A Royal crown and savages as supporters like before.

After the coup in 1967 this achivement became obsolete and was replaced in some cases by the emblem of the junta. This consisted of a phoenix which a standing Greek soldier and the date of the coup: 21 apriliou 1967.

With the abolition of the kingdom in 1973 the soldier and date were omitted. From this time the state name also reads again ellehnkn dhmokratia The current design, by the artist Kostas Grammatopoulos, was adopted by law on 7 June 1975 It is a white cross on a blue field. The shield is surrounded by a golden wreath. of laurel.

Heraldry

Flags of Salloniq and Costantinople in the 14th century

on a map of Petrus Vesconte, Genoa, 1320. In: Cod. Pal. Lat. 1362 A, fol 3 v /4r

Coat of arms of the Bey of Rumeli

On a 17th cent. french map of Grece and Romanie by François Ollive,  1662. [6]

Coats of arms ascribed  by Ritter Vitezovic to Graecia, Macedonia and Thessalia:[7]

Arms: Bendy of 9 Azure and Or

Arms: Or, a lion Gules

Arms: Per fess, in chief Or, an eagle Sable; in base Gules three arrows per pale

Modern Greece

The Ionian Islands which first revolted to Ottoman occupation flew a blue flag with the Venetian lion with a bible in his claws and seven arrows from 1800 to 1807. In 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon,  the blue cloth was surrounded with a red border and in 1817 the Union Jack came in dexter upper corner. This flag existed until 1864.

1800-1807

1815-1817

1817-1864

The emblem of Filiki Eteria

Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends (Φιλική Εταιρεία or Εταιρεία των Φιλικών) was a secret 19th-century organization whose purpose was to overthrow the Ottoman rule of Greece and establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia, Serbs, and local chieftains from Greece. One of its leaders was Alexander Ypsilantis  The Society initiated the Greek War of Independence in the spring of 1821

Arms of Alexander Ypsilantis (1792-1828)

(Athens, 1860)

Provisional Government

1822-1827

The Greek national emblem was provided for by the Constitution of Epidauros of 1 January 1822 and was established by decree on 15 March of the same year. It was blue and white cockade and circular in shape.

On the seal was the Goddess Athena:

Seal

Figure: The Goddes Athena with helmet, spear and shield, surrounded by a garland with an owl seated.

Legend: ΠΡΟΣΩΡΙΝΗ ΔΙΟΙΚΗΣΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ (Provisional Administration of Greece)

Seal and signature of President  Ioannis Kapodistrias 1822-1831

Eλλhikh Πoλiteia / Greek State

1827-1832

Emblem

Seal

Baσiλeion tήσ Eλλaδoσ / Kingdom of Greece

1832-1923

Otto I Wittelsbach

1832-1862

Larger Royal Achievement

Arms: Azure, a square cross couped Argent, in fess point lozengy Azure and Argent in bend (Wittelsbach).

Crown: A royal crown

Supporters: Two lions reguardant  Or, royally crowned, on a piedestal.

Mantle: Purpure, fringed and tasseled Or, lined ermine and royally crowned.

Larger royal achievement, 1844 [8]

Achievement with ribbon and cross of the Order of the Redeemer added:

Arms: Azure, a square cross couped Argent, in fess point lozengy Azure and Argent in bend (Wittelsbach).

Crown: A royal crown

Order: The Cross and ribbon of the Τάγμα του Σωτήρος (the Order  of the Redeemer).

Supporters: Two lions reguardant  Or, royally crowned, on a piedestal.

Mantle: Purpure, fringed and tasseled Or, lined ermine and royally crowned.

The Order of the Redeemer / Τάγμα του Σωτήρος

The Order of the Redeemer was founded at the Fourth National Assembly at Argos in 1829, (the final year of the Greek War of Independence). The relevant decree was not immediately implemented, however, and it was signed in Nafplio by the Regency Council  consisting of Josef Ludwig von Armansperg, Karl von Abel and Georg Ludwig von Maurer,  in the name of King Otto on 20 May  1833. According to the decree, the name of the Order "shall recall the, by divine assistance miraculously and fortuitously accomplished, salvation of Greece".

The cross hanging from a blue ribbon in the royal achievement is a green garland charged with a white enameled eight-poined cross with a blue medallion of the royal arms surround by the motto of the Order from Exodus, 15:6:  “Η ΔΕΞΙΑ ΣΟΥ ΧΕΙΡ, ΚΥΡΙΕ, ΔΕΔΟΞΑΣΤΑΙ ΕΝ ΙΣΧΥΙ”  (Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power".

The obverse, with the portrait of the kimg is not shown in the achievement.

Larger Achievement

Achievement with collar and cross of the Orde of the Redeemer added:

Arms: Azure, a square cross couped Argent, in fess point lozengy Azure and Argent in bend (Wittelsbach).

Crown: A royal crown

Order: The Cross and collar of the Τάγμα του Σωτήρος (the Order  of the Redeemer).

Supporters: Two lions reguardant  Or, royally crowned, on a piedestal.

Mantle: Purpure, fringed and tasseled Or, lined ermine and royally crowned.

The coller never has been made and can only be seen on the letters of knighthood of the order. It consists of three different links: the first of the arms of Greece supported by two national flags; the second of two swords in saltire and the third of the crowned  royal cypher “O” of king Otto. [9]

Seal, 1834

Larger achievement and legend reading “Otto by the Grace of God King of Greece” .

Larger achievement

As on the coffin of King Otto in the Theatinerkirche in München

Lesser Achievement

Arms: Azure, a square cross couped Argent, in fess point lozengy Azure and Argent in bend (Wittelsbach).

Crown: A royal crown

Order: The Cross and collar of the Τάγμα του Σωτήρος (the Order  of the Redeemer).

Supporters: A sword and sceptre in saltire

Mantle: Gules, fringed Or

Arms

George I

1863-1913

Constantine I

1913-1917

Alexander

1917-1920

Constantine I

1920-1922

George II

1922-1923

Larger achievement

Arms: Azure, a square cross couped Argent, in fess point Quarterly: 1. Danmark; 2. Schleswig; 3. Holstein; 4. Lauenburg. In fess point per pale of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst.

Crown: A royal crown

Order: The Cross and collar of the Τάγμα του Σωτήρος (the Order  of the Redeemer).

Supporters: Two savages armed with clubs proper, standing on a piedestal.

Motto: iscus mou h agape tou laou (My strength is the affection of the People).

Mantle: Azure, fringed of a meander Argent, tasseled Or, lined ermine vaulted Azure, strewn with square crosslets, decorated with a ribbon of meanders Argent and royally crowned.

Arms

Arms: Azure, a square cross couped Argent

Order: Of the Redeemer

Motto: iscus mou h agape tou laou (My strength is the affection of the People).

Mantle: Azure, fringed of a meander Argent, tasseled Or, lined ermine and royally crowned.

Eλλhnikh Δhmokpatia / Greek Republic

1923-1935

Seal 25.05.1924

In 1924 a new coat of arms was adopted. It was:

Arms: Azure, a square cross couped Argent, in the first quarter the head of the Goddes Athena for Athens; in the second a greek helmet and a spear for Macedonia; in the third a two-headed eagle Or for Epirus; in the fourth  a phoenix Or for the state of Greece.

Garland: Branches of laurel proper tied with a ribbon Azure.

After the Greek elections of 1932. the Venizelos republican government of 1928 was succeeded by a monarchist coalition government led by Panagis Tsaldaris of the People's Party. The coat of arms was changed by replacing the four emblems in the quarters by the phoenix of the Gteek state of 1827.

09.03.1932

Baσiλeion tήσ Eλλadoσ

George II

2nd term 1935-1947

Two failed Venizelist military coups followed in 1933 and 1935 in an effort to preserve the Republic, but they had the opposite effect. On 10 October 1935, a few months after he suppressed the 1935 Greek coup d'état attempt, Georgios Kondylis, the former Venizelist stalwart, abolished the Republic in another coup, and declared the monarchy restored. The rigged Greek plebiscite of 1935 confirmed the regime change, and King George II returned.

The royal heraldic emblems of King George II were restored but the dynastic arms of the House of Holstein Glucksburg on the cross were omitted .

Arms

Arms: Azure, a square cross couped Argent

Order: Of the Redeemer

Motto: iscus mou h agape tou laou (My strength is the affection of the People).

Mantle: Azure, fringed of a meander Argent, tasseled Or, lined ermine and royally crowned.

World War II

Despite this declared neutrality, Greece became a target for Mussolini's expansionist policies. Italian troops crossed the border on 28 October 1940, beginning the Greco-Italian War, but were stopped by a determined Greek defence that ultimately drove them back into Albania.

Metaxas died suddenly in January 1941. His death raised hopes for a liberalization of his regime and the restoration of parliamentary rule, but King George quashed these hopes when he retained the regime's machinery in place. In the meantime, Germany attacked Greece through Yugoslavia and Bulgaria on 6 April 1941. The Germans overran most of the country by the end of May. The King and the government escaped to Crete, where they stayed until the end of the Battle of Crete (June 1941). They then transferred to Egypt, where a Greek government in exile was established.

Greek State Flag - Government in Exile. The Prime Minister of Greece presented this Greek State and War Flag to Mr. Calvin Bullock during WWII, when the Greeks maintained a government-in-exile. Between 1941 and 1944, the internationally recognized Greek government, nominally headed by King George II, but led by Prime Minister Emmanouil Tsouderos, was headquartered in Cairo Egypt. Commonly called the “Cairo Government”, they maintained diplomatic offices in the United States where they helped the Office of Strategic Services train Greek expatriate soldiers for missions inside Greece[10]

State of Hellas

1941-1944

Italian, German and Bulgarian Occupation

Occupied Greece was divided in three zones (German, Italian and Bulgarian) and in Athens, a puppet regime was established. The members were either conservatives or nationalists with fascist leanings. The three prime ministers were Georgios Tsolakoglou, the general who had signed the armistice with the Wehrmacht, Konstantinos Logothetopoulos, and Ioannis Rallis, who took office when the German defeat was inevitable and aimed primarily at combating the left-wing Resistance movement. To this end, he created the collaborationist Security Battalions.

In this time three heraldic devices were used in Greece.

The first of the arms with the cross, crowned with a royal crown.

The second the arms with the cross only and

The third the eagle with the swastika of the Greater German Empire.

These were used in the parts of the kingdom occupied by Germany and Italy.

Passport with visas, 1943

In the left upper corner fiscal stamps with the royal arms (1935)

In the middle the crowned arms of the kingdom (as the passport was issued before the war)

In the left lower corner a seal with the arms of the State of Greece consisting of a shield with the cross couped only

On the right page the stamp of the Bevollmächtigte des Reichs für Griechenland (= Günther Altenburg) with the imperial german eagle.

Wehrmacht paper money in Greece, 1942 (reverse)

The texts on the stamps read:

German Handstamp: "Befehlshaber Saloniki-Ägäis (Commander of Saloniki-Aegean Sea)

Greek Stamp: Elliniki Politeia - Gen. Dioikesis Makedonias (Greek State, Commander General of Macedonia)

In the territories annexed by Bulgaria the bulgarian heraldic devices were valid.

At the same time the Government in exile continued the use of the royal arms. Of the royal flag of a white cross on blue and the royal crown in the middle some samples have been preserved.

Resistance

The first major resistance group to be founded was the National Liberation Front (EAM). The establishment of EAM was decided at the 7th Plenum of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), despite the refusal of mainstream politicians to participate. EAM was founded on 27 September 1941 by representatives of four left-wing parties.

On 16 February 1942, EAM gave permission to Athanasios (Thanasis) Klaras (later known as Aris Velouchiotis) to examine the possibilities of a victorious armed resistance movement. The same year the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS), the armed forces of EAM, was created. Soon the first andartes (guerrillas) joined ELAS.

The second resistance movement to be found was Venizelist-oriented National Republican Greek League (EDES), led by a former army officer, Colonel Napoleon Zervas, with exiled republican General Nikolaos Plastiras as its nominal head.

Liberation, October 1944

Baσiλeion tήσ Eλλadoσ

One drachme, issued 9 November 1944

Paul

1947-1964

Larger Achievement

Arms

Arms of State

Constantine II

1964-1973

Arms of State

Emblem of the Greek Military Junta, 1967-1974

Eλλhikh Δhmokpatia

1973-1975

Law 48

(Gov. Gazette 108, issue A, dated 7.6.1975)

The national emblem of Greece consists of a blue escutcheon with a white cross, surrounded by two laurel branches.

The emblem is painted or woven, mainly on the hats, uniforms and buttons of the military, the security forces etc.

The current design, by the artist Kostas Grammatopoulos, was adopted by law on 7 June 1975

Προεδρία της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας

Presidency

Royal and Presidential standards

Standard of King Otto 1832-1862

Royal standard

aopted 1863 and used until 1914

The ascendance of Georgios I did not bring about significant changes in the flag of the state. By Law "About the banner" (Government Gazette Issue 5 / 3-2-1864, pp. 16-17), of 28 December, 1863, the flag had to carry the emblems of the state and the coat of arms of the Royal Family in the middle of the cross.  Also, the flags of the Infantry Battalions showed the emblems of the state, while those of the Navy and the Forces were charged with the Royal crown in the middle of the cross.

On May 31, 1914, the Navy (Gazette 175 / 30-6-1914, pp. 933-936) defined, inter alia, the flag of the Ministries, Embassies, Public and Municipal Stores, which was similar to that of the armed forces. It was also established that the merchant navy flag, which was identical to the National flag, would be the only allowed flag to be used by individuals.

On March 25, 1924, the Fourth Regular Assembly decided to depose the Royal Dynasty and proclaim the Republic. The change in the form of government also had an impact on the National Flag, in which the Royal symbols.were removed. Later, on 10 October 1935, the National Assembly, as part of the abolition of the "abovementioned republic", restored the Royal emblems on the flags.

1914-1924

Adopted by Decree of King Constantine, 03.06.1914.

Presidential Flag, 1930-1935

Flewn by President Alexandros Zaimis (president, 1929-1935).

1936-1973 [11]

Presidential Flag 1973-1975

Introduced by the Junta after the abolition of the monarchy. Proportions: 4:5 (without fringes).

Presidential Flag adopted 13.04.1979

Intelligence Service

The first modern Greek intelligence agency was created in 1924. Until then, officials of the Armed Forces were responsible for such activity.

The agency, in its current form, was founded on 7 May 1953 (Law 2421/1953) with the name of Central Intelligence Service (Κεντρική Υπηρεσία Πληροφοριών, ΚΥΠ), which it retained until 27 August 1986, when it was renamed and reestablished as the Εθνική Υπηρεσία Πληροφοριών, ΕΥΠ, (National Intelligence Service) by ministerial decree

Coat of arms of the NIS

Arms: Azure, a globe representing the western hemisphere, charged with a hand holding a torch Argent, flaming Gules.

The inscriptions on the ribbons read:

ΕΘΝΙΚΉ ΥΠΗΡΕΣΊΑ ΠΛΗΡΟΦΟΡΙΏΝ (National Intelligence Service)

The agency's motto is "ΛΌΓΩΝ ΑΠΟΡΡΉΤΩΝ ΕΚΦΟΡΆΝ ΜΗ ΠΟΙΟΎ" (translated roughly as "do not discuss confidential affairs"), a quote of the Ancient Greek philosopher Periander. 

Police

Armed Forces

ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟΝ ΤΩΝ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΙΚΩ

Ministry of Defense

National Defence Staff

The emblem of the HNDGS from the day of its establishment until its renaming in 1968 to Armed Forces Supreme Command was a complex consisting of a casque, an anchor and wings, symbolizing the Army, the Navy and the Air Force respectively. In this emblem, the cask and wings were affixed on the anchor, which was in an upright position. 

National Defence General Staff

After the renaming of the HNDGS to AFSC, a new colored emblem was adopted. The new emblem also consisted of a red cask, a blue anchor and silver wings that symbolized the Army, the Navy and the Air Force respectively. The following motto could be read an the emblem:

“Always be first and superior and do not shame the ancestors…”

The difference between the emblem of the Armed Forces Supreme Command (AFSC) and that of the HNDGS was that on the former the anchor, on which the casque and wings were fixed, was in a tilted position.

The aforementioned emblem of AFSC remained even after it changed to HNDGS, by law 660/770. It is still the same today.

Army

Army

Army Flag

Hat badge 1967-1969

Officers

Cap badge 1973

Navy

Minister of the Navy, 1914-1924

Navy

Naval Jack (Republic)

Naval Jack (Kingdom)

Royal Greek Navy Cap Badge

Officers

Cap Badge 1973

Cap Badge 1975-present

Hellenic Navy Commands [12]

Aegean Command

Northern Greece Command

Ionian Command

Frigates Command

Submarines Command

Mine Hunters Command

Fast Boat Command

Surveilance Ships Command

Amphibious Operations Command

Helicopter Command

Special Forces Command

Tactical & Training School

Air Force

Hellenic Air Force Arms

Air Force Flag  (before 1980)

Air Force Flag

By Presidential Decree 348 / 04.17.1980 (GG 98 vol. I),   

Air Force Flag (present)

Roundel

Cap Badge (WWII)

Officers

Cap badge (WWII)

 Other ranks

Cap Badge 1960 ca

Officers

Cap Badge (present)

Wings (WWII)

For the Air Badges, & unit emblems Æ see: Αεροπορικά σήματα και εμβλήματα