Treaty of London creates the independent Kingdom of Greece
- When
- 1832
- Where
- London; London Conference
- Episodes
- 2
The Treaty of London, signed on 7 May 1832, established Greece as an independent monarchical state under the protection of Britain, France, and Russia. It selected Otto of Wittelsbach as king and defined the northern frontier at the Arta-Volos line. The agreement concluded the second Greek loan and set terms for the regency until Otto reached majority.
Episodes
- Selection of Otto as King
The Great Powers offered the throne to Otto of Wittelsbach, who was approved by the Fifth National Assembly at Nafplion.
- Signing of the Treaty of London
On 7 May 1832, Bavaria and the protecting powers signed the Treaty of London, defining Greece as an independent monarchical state.
Background and detail
Background. Following the assassination of Governor Kapodistrias in 1831, political instability endangered Greece's relations with its allies. To strengthen ties with the great powers, Greece agreed to become a kingdom. The London Conference was convened by Palmerston in May 1832, and the resulting Treaty of London defined Greece as a monarchical and independent state, requiring an indemnity to the Ottoman Empire.
Selection of King. The three Great Powers offered the throne to the Bavarian prince, Otto of Wittelsbach. The Fifth National Assembly at Nafplion approved this choice and passed the Constitution of 1832. Separately, the Convention of London established the Kingdom of Greece on 7 May 1832, from which Otto reigned as king.
Terms and Boundaries. The Treaty of London defined Greece as an independent kingdom with the Arta-Volos line as its northern frontier. It dealt with the management of the Regency until Otto reached his majority and concluded the second Greek loan for £2,400,000 sterling. The borders were later reiterated in the London Protocol of 30 August 1832.
People involved
- Otto of Wittelsbach · King of Greece
- Lord Palmerston · British Foreign Secretary who convened the London Conference
- Great Powers · Protecting Powers
Sources
- Treaty of Constantinople (1832) Wikipedia, revision of 2025-10-11
- Greek War of Independence Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
- Otto of Greece Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
- Kingdom of Greece Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-18
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.