Capo d'Istrias

Capo d'Istrias, IOANNES ANTONIOS, COUNT, president of the Greek republic from 1828 to 1831, was born 11th February 1776 in Corfu, where a monument was erected to him in 1887. His family had been settled there since 1373, but originally came from the Illyrian town of Capo d'Istria. He devoted himself to political life, and in 1809, after holding a high position in the Ionian Islands, he entered the diplomatic service of Russia. Here his policy tended to the separation of Greece from Turkey. In 1828 he entered on a seven years' presidency of Greece; but imbued as he was with Russian ideas, he aroused discontent by his autocratic measures; and on 9th October 1831 he was assassinated in a church at Nauplia. See his Life by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (Berl. 1864). His feeble brother, Iony Augustinos (1778-1857) succeeded him, but resigned in the following April.