Makarios III

Makarios III was a towering figure in modern Cypriot history, serving simultaneously as the Archbishop of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus and the first President of Cyprus. His leadership, spanning from the final years of British colonial rule through the turbulent early decades of independence, was defined by the complex struggle for Enosis (union with Greece) and the subsequent intercommunal conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. A charismatic and often controversial statesman, his political career navigated decolonization, civil war, foreign invasion, and the enduring division of the island of Cyprus.

Early life and education

Born Michail Christodoulou Mouskos in the village of Pano Panagia in the Paphos District, he was educated at the Monastery of Kykkos before attending the Pancyprian Gymnasium in Nicosia. He was ordained as a deacon in 1938 and adopted the ecclesiastical name Makarios. With the support of the Church of Cyprus, he pursued higher theological studies at the University of Athens and later at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of Boston.

Ecclesiastical career

Upon his return to Cyprus, he quickly ascended the church hierarchy, becoming Bishop of Kition in 1948. His election as Archbishop of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus in 1950, succeeding Makarios II, placed him at the pinnacle of the Church of Cyprus, an institution that was not only the spiritual authority for the Greek Cypriot community but also a central political force in the national movement. His enthronement coincided with a plebiscite on Enosis, which he strongly endorsed, cementing his role as both religious and ethnic leader.

Political leadership and presidency

His ecclesiastical authority seamlessly translated into political leadership as he became the undisputed head of the Greek Cypriot campaign against British rule. This dual role was formalized with the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960 following the Zurich and London Agreements. Makarios was elected the fledgling republic's first president, with Fazıl Küçük as his Turkish Cypriot vice-president. His presidency was immediately challenged by the complexities of the power-sharing constitution and escalating intercommunal violence.

Enosis and the Cyprus problem

Initially a fervent advocate for Enosis, Makarios's stance evolved after independence, as he increasingly pursued a policy of non-aligned independence for a unified Cyprus, a shift that angered hardliners in Greece and among Greek Cypriots. This tension culminated in the Cypriot intercommunal violence of 1963-64 and the subsequent deployment of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). His rejection of a 1964 compromise plan by Dean Acheson further complicated international mediation efforts led by the United Nations.

Exile and return

His revised position on Enosis directly led to a military coup in July 1974, engineered by the Greek military junta of 1967–1974 and the EOKA B paramilitary group, which briefly overthrew his government. Forced into exile, he first sought refuge with the British Sovereign Base Areas and then traveled to London, New York City to address the UN Security Council, and Malta. The coup prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, leading to the island's de facto partition. Makarios returned to a fractured Cyprus in December 1974, resuming the presidency amidst a dramatically altered political landscape.

Death and legacy

He served as president until his sudden death from a heart attack on 3 August 1977 in Nicosia. His legacy remains profoundly contested; he is venerated by many Greek Cypriots as a national leader and father of the republic, while criticized by others for his political maneuvers and by most Turkish Cypriots as a central figure in the conflict. Internationally, he was a prominent leader of the Non-Aligned Movement, cultivating relationships with figures like Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt and Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia. His death ushered in the presidency of Spyros Kyprianou and left the Cyprus dispute unresolved, a status that persists to the present day. Category:Presidents of Cyprus Category:Archbishops of Cyprus Category:1913 births Category:1977 deaths