EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis). In this interview with Savvas Kalenteridis, director Yiannis Smaragdis explains how Ioannis Kapodistrias rose from a distinguished political career in the Ionian State—then under French, Russian, and Ottoman influence—to become one of Europe’s most respected diplomats. His administrative skill in reorganizing the Ionian Islands earned the attention of Tsar Alexander I, who brought him into Russian service. As a senior official and eventually Foreign Minister, Kapodistrias played a decisive role at the Congress of Vienna (1814–1815), where he advocated for the rights of smaller nations and pushed against the conservative dominance of Metternich. His diplomatic work continued in Switzerland, where he helped design key elements of the Swiss federal system, contributed to the development of Swiss direct democracy, and became a principal architect of Swiss permanent neutrality, which was internationally recognized in 1815.
Despite his prominence in European diplomacy, Kapodistrias devoted himself increasingly to the Greek struggle for independence. Drawing on his international prestige, he advocated tirelessly for the Greek cause abroad until eventually accepting the role of first Governor of independent Greece in 1827. His attempts to modernize and centralize the new state met resistance from powerful regional factions, and his tenure was marked by both nation-building reforms and intense political conflict. His assassination in 1831 ended one of the most remarkable careers of any 19th-century statesman—stretching from the administration of a small Ionian republic to shaping European diplomacy, forging the foundations of modern Switzerland, and guiding the birth of modern Greece.
THE INTERVIEW BELOW HAS ENGLISH SUBTITLES – PLEASE ADJUST YOUR SETTINGS
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