Megali Idea

The Megali Idea was a Greek nationalist aspiration to unite Greek-populated territories, including Constantinople and parts of Asia Minor, with the Greek state.

Greek War of Independence: The 1821–1829 uprising that ended Ottoman rule over much of southern Greece and established an independent Greek state. The new state's limited borders helped make territorial expansion a lasting national aspiration.
Greek irredentism: A political movement seeking to incorporate territories inhabited by people considered part of the national community. The Megali Idea was Greece's distinctive irredentist program.
Asia Minor Catastrophe: The Greek name for the 1922 military defeat in Anatolia and the destruction and flight of Greek communities there. It became the defining symbol of the Megali Idea's collapse.
Greek–Turkish relations: The political, diplomatic, and social relations between Greece and Turkey since the two states emerged from Ottoman rule. The Megali Idea's territorial claims shaped enduring disputes and later efforts at rapprochement.
Kingdom of Greece: The Greek monarchy established in 1832 after the War of Independence. Its restricted territory gave the Megali Idea a concrete political setting.
Greek–Ottoman War of 1897: A brief war between Greece and the Ottoman Empire, ending in Greek defeat and international supervision of its finances. Its failure exposed the military and diplomatic risks of pursuing territorial claims by force.
Convention Concerning the Exchange of Greek and Turkish Populations: The 1923 agreement mandating the compulsory exchange of most Greek Orthodox residents of Turkey and Muslim residents of Greece. It formalized the mass displacement that followed the defeat and ended much of the historic Greek presence in Anatolia.
Greek-Turkish rapprochement (1930): A period of improved relations initiated by Greek and Turkish leaders in 1930 through treaties and diplomatic cooperation. It marked a turn from territorial rivalry toward coexistence after the Asia Minor defeat.
Byzantine Empire: The medieval empire centered on Constantinople that preserved Roman state traditions in a predominantly Greek-speaking society. Its former capital and legacy supplied powerful historical symbols for Greek national claims.
Balkan Wars: Two wars in 1912–1913 that sharply reduced Ottoman territory in Europe and expanded Greece's borders. Their territorial gains made parts of the expansionist program seem achievable.

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