Why was Otto of Greece deposed?

Otto of Greece served as the first King of modern Greece from 1832 until his deposition in 1862. Ascending the throne at age 17 as a Bavarian prince, he initially ruled through a regency before governing as an absolute monarch and later granting a constitution under pressure. His reign ended when he was overthrown in an insurrection due to mounting domestic discontent and foreign economic meddling.

What we know

• Otto ascended the newly created throne of Greece in May 1832 under the Convention of London at age 17. [2]
• Otto was deposed in October 1862 following a popular insurrection that began in Vonitsa and spread to Athens. [2, 3]
• Otto's standing among Greeks suffered after the British Royal Navy blockaded Greece in 1850 and 1854 to prevent attacks on the Ottoman Empire during the Crimean War. [2]
• After being deposed, Otto lived out his remaining years in exile in Bavaria until his death in 1867. [1, 2]

Where to go next

• what caused itHow did the 1862 insurrection unfold?
• how we knowWhat was the Convention of London?
• whoWho was Ludwig I of Bavaria?
• whenHow did the Crimean War affect Greece?
• the bigger pictureWhat is the history of the name Otto?
• an unexpected connectionWhy is a modern German football coach nicknamed King Otto?German coach Otto Rehhagel earned the nickname King Otto from his historic triumph leading the Greek national football team to win UEFA Euro 2004.

Sources

• [1]Otto of Greece (Wikidata Q77067) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Otto of Greece · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Expulsion of Otto of Greece · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Otto · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Otto Rehhagel · CC BY-SA 4.0