This is a thread about the expansion that the republic of Greece had, after 1830, which officially is the end of the war of independence, which started at 1821.
Brief background: After 1453 (fall of Constantinople) and the fall of Trebizond a few years later, no greek territory remained under greek (byzantine) rule, but either was part of some minor latin kingdoms which were formed after the 4rth crusade (1204) in southern Greece, or was part of the ottoman empire.
The philhellenic movement in the west, which was not only supported by greek emigre's and minorities in western countries but also from non greek scholars and famous writers (like Lord Byron and Victor Hugo) was helpfull in assuring that England, France and Russia in the end gave help to the revolutionary movement, which was fragmented and left on its own possibly wouldnt have been able to be successful, given the era and the lack of care for civilian casualties from the waring sides. The naval battle of Navarino (Navarone), in which a combined fleet of Russia, England and France destroyed utterly the ottoman fleet, was a turning point in the war of independance.
The new greek state was recognised by treaty at 1830, and was made up from the provinces of the Pelloponesos (Pelloponese) Attica and the cyclades.
In 1863 the ionian islands (Corfu/Kerkyra, Cephalonia, Leukas and Ithaca) which before that were part of Britain, and shortly were independant, as being the "ionian republic", were given to Greece.
In 1883 Thessaly was granted to Greece, from the ottoman empire, so as to limit the urge for a new war, sentiment for which was gaining popularity due to the reality that most of the greek people were still outside the country of Greece.
1908 was when the island of Crete was joined to the country, again previously being under ottoman rule, and before that for aeons under venetian rule.
The first and second balcan wars (1912-1913) was when Greece doubled its size, adding southern Macedonia and Epiros. The addition of the city of Thessalonike (Salonika/Solun) alone led to the greek GNP to be more than doubled overnight.
Following the occupation of present day Albania, the western powers threatened intervention, and so Greece was asked to either abandon its claims on the northern aegian islands, or to move out of Albanian territory. It decided the second, and so the islands of Mytilene (Lesbos), Chios and some smaller ones were also now part of the Greek republic, at 1912, at the expense of more expansion to the north of Epiros.
On the sidenote: the bulgarian urge to add Thessalonike to their own country led to a race of troops to the city, during the first balcan war. Originally the greek forces planned to first marched to the north, and add Monastery/Vitola (in present day FYR Macedonia) but they were tipped off of the bulgarian plan to reach Thessalonike, and so had to give up Vitola, which was taken by the Serbs.
Following ww1, and the break up of the ottoman empire, Greece was given western Thrace, in 1920, however it was also promissed eastern Thrace (the status of Constantinople was not clear, but it could become greek at this point) and a peacekeeping role in Smyrna, with the plan to have a referendum, which would inevitably lead to that city, and a part of coastal asia minor, to also become part of Greece. The schism between republicans and monrachists, which already existed in the balcan wars, and more visibly in the first world war, this time proved detrimental for Greece, and after a series of wrong moves, bad planning, but also backstabbing from displeased western powers which made deals with the new turks, led to a disastrous end to the greek-turkish war of 1920-1922, with the burning of Smyrna. The treaty of Sevres, which effectively gave Greece eastern Thrace and coastal asia minor, was canceled, and replaced by the Lausannes treaty, and the exchange of populations. Eastern Thrace was simply given back to Turkey. This was the end of the "megale idea" (great idea) which was the epitomy of nationalistic aspiration for the Greek state, but on the other hand was founded on the populations in those places being largely greek. It was ofcourse an idea linked to the revival of a byzantine empire as well. After 1922 this idea died.
The final expansion happened after ww2, when Italian ownership of the southern aegian islands (Rhodes most importantly) was canceled, and they became part of Greece.
In conclusion
Like the other main countries in the balcans, Serbia and Bulgaria, Greece too in the 19th and early 20th centuries was driven by the ambition to include all people of its race within its borders. As in the Bulgaria of the treaty of San Stefano, the Greece of the treaty of Sevres (1920) had virtually managed to become what it wanted: a hegemonic power in the region. However, as with Bulgaria, and as later on with Yugoslavian Serbia, in the end this will for supremacy, which on the other hand can be seen as simply a will to be on par militarily and industrially/ economically with the "great powers" of the time, was not materialised. The reasons for the failure were both internal and external, however it is certain that the main powers never wanted anyone to be a clearly strong power in the balcans, and this fact also explains why the people in all countries in the region are very cautious of outside involvement.
It would seem though that with time the various bad emotions are not so strong, and co-operation between the countries in the region is always increasing. Relations between Greece and Serbia historically are good, and in the past years the relations of Greece with Bulgaria are also very good.
*this is an added section to the post, influenced by Rambuchan's comments*
a brief biography of Venizelos, with links to other events of the era can be found here: http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/V/Venizelo.asp
The location of Thessalonike/Salonica in a map of southeastern europe: http://www.allempires.com/empires/venice/salonica.jpg
And, finally, a pic of Venizelos himself, looking a lot like a character out of Jules Verne work
Brief background: After 1453 (fall of Constantinople) and the fall of Trebizond a few years later, no greek territory remained under greek (byzantine) rule, but either was part of some minor latin kingdoms which were formed after the 4rth crusade (1204) in southern Greece, or was part of the ottoman empire.
The philhellenic movement in the west, which was not only supported by greek emigre's and minorities in western countries but also from non greek scholars and famous writers (like Lord Byron and Victor Hugo) was helpfull in assuring that England, France and Russia in the end gave help to the revolutionary movement, which was fragmented and left on its own possibly wouldnt have been able to be successful, given the era and the lack of care for civilian casualties from the waring sides. The naval battle of Navarino (Navarone), in which a combined fleet of Russia, England and France destroyed utterly the ottoman fleet, was a turning point in the war of independance.
The new greek state was recognised by treaty at 1830, and was made up from the provinces of the Pelloponesos (Pelloponese) Attica and the cyclades.
In 1863 the ionian islands (Corfu/Kerkyra, Cephalonia, Leukas and Ithaca) which before that were part of Britain, and shortly were independant, as being the "ionian republic", were given to Greece.
In 1883 Thessaly was granted to Greece, from the ottoman empire, so as to limit the urge for a new war, sentiment for which was gaining popularity due to the reality that most of the greek people were still outside the country of Greece.
1908 was when the island of Crete was joined to the country, again previously being under ottoman rule, and before that for aeons under venetian rule.
The first and second balcan wars (1912-1913) was when Greece doubled its size, adding southern Macedonia and Epiros. The addition of the city of Thessalonike (Salonika/Solun) alone led to the greek GNP to be more than doubled overnight.
Following the occupation of present day Albania, the western powers threatened intervention, and so Greece was asked to either abandon its claims on the northern aegian islands, or to move out of Albanian territory. It decided the second, and so the islands of Mytilene (Lesbos), Chios and some smaller ones were also now part of the Greek republic, at 1912, at the expense of more expansion to the north of Epiros.
On the sidenote: the bulgarian urge to add Thessalonike to their own country led to a race of troops to the city, during the first balcan war. Originally the greek forces planned to first marched to the north, and add Monastery/Vitola (in present day FYR Macedonia) but they were tipped off of the bulgarian plan to reach Thessalonike, and so had to give up Vitola, which was taken by the Serbs.
Following ww1, and the break up of the ottoman empire, Greece was given western Thrace, in 1920, however it was also promissed eastern Thrace (the status of Constantinople was not clear, but it could become greek at this point) and a peacekeeping role in Smyrna, with the plan to have a referendum, which would inevitably lead to that city, and a part of coastal asia minor, to also become part of Greece. The schism between republicans and monrachists, which already existed in the balcan wars, and more visibly in the first world war, this time proved detrimental for Greece, and after a series of wrong moves, bad planning, but also backstabbing from displeased western powers which made deals with the new turks, led to a disastrous end to the greek-turkish war of 1920-1922, with the burning of Smyrna. The treaty of Sevres, which effectively gave Greece eastern Thrace and coastal asia minor, was canceled, and replaced by the Lausannes treaty, and the exchange of populations. Eastern Thrace was simply given back to Turkey. This was the end of the "megale idea" (great idea) which was the epitomy of nationalistic aspiration for the Greek state, but on the other hand was founded on the populations in those places being largely greek. It was ofcourse an idea linked to the revival of a byzantine empire as well. After 1922 this idea died.
The final expansion happened after ww2, when Italian ownership of the southern aegian islands (Rhodes most importantly) was canceled, and they became part of Greece.
In conclusion
Like the other main countries in the balcans, Serbia and Bulgaria, Greece too in the 19th and early 20th centuries was driven by the ambition to include all people of its race within its borders. As in the Bulgaria of the treaty of San Stefano, the Greece of the treaty of Sevres (1920) had virtually managed to become what it wanted: a hegemonic power in the region. However, as with Bulgaria, and as later on with Yugoslavian Serbia, in the end this will for supremacy, which on the other hand can be seen as simply a will to be on par militarily and industrially/ economically with the "great powers" of the time, was not materialised. The reasons for the failure were both internal and external, however it is certain that the main powers never wanted anyone to be a clearly strong power in the balcans, and this fact also explains why the people in all countries in the region are very cautious of outside involvement.
It would seem though that with time the various bad emotions are not so strong, and co-operation between the countries in the region is always increasing. Relations between Greece and Serbia historically are good, and in the past years the relations of Greece with Bulgaria are also very good.
*this is an added section to the post, influenced by Rambuchan's comments*
a brief biography of Venizelos, with links to other events of the era can be found here: http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/V/Venizelo.asp
The location of Thessalonike/Salonica in a map of southeastern europe: http://www.allempires.com/empires/venice/salonica.jpg
And, finally, a pic of Venizelos himself, looking a lot like a character out of Jules Verne work
I guess i will have to, at some time in the future, but it is still sad, although i am not nationalistic myself. Greece was very much as ultra-nationalistic as everyone else in the region in that age though 
Good point! 
You are quite right about the backstabbing of the Western Powers. If they did not draw the Milne Line Ankara(and beyond) would be Greek. Turks should also thank USSR for giving huge support in war.
