King Constantine's Counter-Coup

On 13 December 1967, King Constantine II attempted to overthrow the military junta that had seized power in April 1967. The king had reluctantly sworn in the junta's government but had grown increasingly opposed to it. He planned to fly to northern Greece, rally loyal army units and march on Athens to remove the colonels. On the morning of 13 December, the king, together with his family and the prime minister, flew to Kavala. However, the plan was poorly organized, and news of it leaked. Officers loyal to the junta quickly arrested the senior commanders who supported the king, and the expected military support never materialized. By the evening, it was clear the attempt had failed. On 14 December, the king and his family fled to Rome, where he lived in exile. The junta appointed a regent to exercise the king's powers. The failed counter-coup strengthened the junta's control over Greece. Constantine never returned as king. The junta abolished the monarchy in 1973, and after the fall of the junta, a referendum in 1974 confirmed Greece as a republic.