Origins & Early Life

George II (Greek: Γεώργιος Β', romanized: Geórgios II; 19 July [O.S. 7 July] 1890 – 1 April 1947) was King of Greece from 27 September 1922 until 25 March 1924, and again from 25 November 1935 until his death on 1 April 1947. The eldest son of King Constantine I of Greece and Princess Sophia of Prussia, George followed his father into exile in 1917 following the National Schism, while his younger brother Alexander was installed as king. Constantine was restored to the throne in 1920 after Alexander's death, but was forced to abdicate two years later in the aftermath of the Greco-Turkish War.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

George acceded to the Greek throne, but after a failed royalist coup in October 1923 he was exiled to Romania. Greece was proclaimed a republic in March 1924 and George was formally deposed and stripped of Greek nationality. He remained in exile until the Greek monarchy was restored in 1935, following a rigged referendum, upon which he resumed his royal duties. The king supported Ioannis Metaxas's 1936 self-coup, which established an authoritarian, nationalist and anti-communist dictatorship known as 4th of August Regime. Greece was overrun following a German invasion in April 1941, forcing George...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul Ghaffar Khan — Contemporary (Born in 1890) (1890): Pioneering nonviolent activist, founder of Khudai Khidmatgar, and advocate for Hindu-Muslim unity.
• Agatha Christie — Contemporary (Born in 1890) (1890): The 'Queen of Crime,' a master of the mystery genre, best-selling author of all time.
• Aimee Semple McPherson — Contemporary (Born in 1890) (1890): Pioneering Pentecostal evangelist, famous for founding the Foursquare Church.
• Al Capone — Contemporary (Died in 1947) (1947): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Alan Guth — Contemporary (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering cosmologist known for developing the theory of cosmic inflation.
• Alan Sugar — Contemporary (Born in 1947) (1947): Pioneering British entrepreneur, founder of Amstrad, and TV personality.
• Alfredo Binda — Shared historical date (07-19 · Died) (1986): Pioneering Italian cyclist, renowned for five Giro d'Italia wins and multiple world titles.
• Arno Breker — Shared historical date (07-19 · Born) (1900): German sculptor famous for public works during Nazi Germany, known for idealized heroic figures.
• Abbé Prévost — Shared historical date (04-01 · Born) (1697): French novelist, best known for the highly popular romance, Manon Lescaut.
• Abdul Qadeer Khan — Shared historical date (04-01 · Born) (1936): Pakistani nuclear physicist, known as the 'father of Pakistan's atomic weapons program'
• 1890 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1890
• July 19 (07-19) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 19
• 1947 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1947
• April 1 (04-01) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on April 1