3 September Revolution

The bloodless Athens uprising of 1843 compelled King Otto to grant Greece its first constitution and establish constitutional monarchy.

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Dimitrios Kallergis: A Greek cavalry officer who became a leading figure in the 1843 uprising against King Otto. His troops surrounded the royal palace and gave the constitutional demand its decisive force.
King Otto of Greece: The first king of independent Greece, who ruled from 1832 until his deposition in 1862. His autocratic government and refusal to grant a constitution provoked the uprising.
Constitutional monarchy: A system in which a monarch’s powers are limited by a constitution and representative institutions. The uprising replaced Otto’s unrestricted rule with this form of government.
Makrygiannis: A Greek revolutionary fighter and political figure who opposed Otto’s autocratic rule. He helped mobilize civilian support for constitutional change in Athens.
Andreas Metaxas: A Greek politician and diplomat who served as prime minister after the 1843 uprising. He helped organize political opposition and led the government that negotiated the settlement.
Greek War of Independence: The struggle from 1821 to 1829 that ended Ottoman rule over much of Greece. The revolt’s demands reflected expectations of self-government formed during independence.
Greek parliamentary system: The system of representative government in which Greece’s parliament legislates and oversees the executive. The constitution established parliamentary institutions that became central to Greek politics.
Ioannis Kolettis: A Greek politician who became prime minister and a leading figure in the constitutional era. He influenced the political order formed after the uprising.
Athens: The capital of Greece and a major political center in the nineteenth century. The uprising unfolded in the city, centered on the royal palace.
Bavarian Regency: The Bavarian-led regency that governed Greece during Otto’s minority from 1833 to 1835. Its centralized rule helped establish the autocratic political order challenged in 1843.