Spyridon Mercouris

Spyridon Mercouris

Spyridon Mercouris (Greek: Σπυρίδων Μερκούρης) was a Greek politician and long-time Mayor of Athens in the early 20th century.

He was born in Ermioni, Argolida, in 1856 to a prominent family that had taken part in the Greek War of Independence in the 1820s. Elected as Mayor of Athens in 1899, he held the post continuously until 1914. As a committed conservative royalist, in 1917, during the National Schism, he was exiled to Corsica by the Venizelists. He was also accused of complicity in the riots of the Noemvriana of 1916, and was sentenced to death. Released from prison in 1920, he was elected as a Member of Parliament representing Atticoboeotia in 1928 and re-elected as Mayor of Athens in 1929. He served as Mayor until 1932, and died in 1939. His sons Stamatis and George served as Members of the Greek Parliament and Cabinet Ministers, whilst his granddaughter was the famous actress and later Socialist Minister of Culture in the government of Andreas Papandreou, Melina Mercouri.