George I of Greece, born 1845 replaced the Bavarian king Otto who, believed to be subject to the convention of London and the great powers of the uk, France and Russia isn’t believed to have functioned as an absolute monarchy. A rise of nationalism lead to Greeks insisting on a constitution that would require that there be Greeks on the national council, to which Otto agreed. Even so there was a coup in 1862 and the great powers advised him not to resist. He and Queen Amalia left Greece for Bavaria on a british battle ship.
George I was reportedly the second son of the king and queen of Denmark and nominated by the great powers. In 1889 his eldest son Constantine married princess Sophia of Prussia. Three of their sons ascended to the greek throne. The fourth was Andrew, prince of Greece and Denmark who became the father of prince Philip.
The Greek Turkish war of 1897 occured when Greece tried to reclaim Crete from the Ottoman empire, but the uk, France, Russia and Italy reportedly divided the island. George was appointed high commissioner and a joint muslim-christian assembly was established but this didn’t result in a cessation of hostilities. A greek defeat resulted in a peace treaty and heavy reparations, reportedly leading to the greek economy coming under international scrutiny, and a subsequent coup in 1909.
George I was killed in Thessoliniki in 1913 during the first Balkan war. He was reportedly shot by Alexandros Schinos. Possible socialist or nationalist motives. He was succeeded by Constantine I.
According to reports Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Serbia defeated the Ottoman empire during the first Balkan war. Bulgaria seemingly unsatisfied with the result of the first war began a second Balkan war, Macedonia is thought to have been a factor. Bulgaria fought its former allies and Romania joined in, attacking Bulgaria due to their own territorial disputes. Resulted in the treaty of Constantinople.
The first world war broke out in 1914. Reportedly in 1915 the uk and their allies proposed to side with both Bulgaria and Greece. Bulgaria decided to join Germany and Austria-Hungary in attacking Serbia. Eleftherios Venizelos, a Greek statesman reportedly invited the allies to disembark in Thessoliniki, seemingly so they could help Serbia, but they said they were too late. According to a report, lead to an allied presence in the area as far as Albania. Bulgaria attacked present day northern Macedonia and other Greek and Serbian territory.
Constantine and his eldest son George left Greece in 1917 during the first world war and Alexander, his second son reportedly became king. Said to be inexperieced, he may have been subject to Venizelism, thought to be a nationalist/socialist movement popular until the 1970’s. After three years, following a monkey bite he died of sepsis, which resulted in the return of Constantine and George. Constantine reportedly abdicated again two years later and most of the family were exiled, including Constantine’s younger brother Andrew, father to prince Philip who was born prince of Greece and Denmark.
Constantine was succeeded by George II who reigned from 1922-24 when according to reports following a coup he was exiled to Romania where he reportedly remained until 1934 when the monarchy was restored, but a german invasion in 1941 resulted in his third exile. He settled in London where he is said to have lead the greek government in exile. He died of heart disease in 1947 and having no children his younger brother Paul succeeded him.
Prince Philip’s father, Andrew, fourth son of George I married princess Alice of Battenberg. After the marriage she became known as Princess Andrew. She is thought to have been congenitally deaf. She learnt to lip read. From 1930 she lived apart from her husband. Reportedly she became Anglican and according to a source became involved in charity work.
Alice was sister to Louis, prince of Battenberg, battenberg being a german term meaning, serene highness, though George V is said to have asked that the term, highness be omitted. Another source says Louis anglicised Battenberg to Mountbatten during the first world war, and in order to appease nationalist sentiment George V changed the family name of Saxe, Coburg and Gothia to Windsor.
In 1943 Louis Mountbatten was appointed supreme allied commander of south east Asia. He was reportedly made an earl the following year. Shortly after he became viceroy of British India and oversaw the partitioning of India and Pakistan. In 1952 he became the commander in chief of the royal navy, in charge of protecting trade routes east and thought to be south. He was also nato commander of the allied forces Mediterranean which was said to cover all military operations in the Mediterranean. From 1959 until 1965 he was head of the British armed forces.