Current Date: 22 Feb, 2026
{{entry.title}}

How Greek prime minister in 1830’s tried to spread the potato in Greece

A Greek prime minister in 1830’s tried to spread the potato in Greece but people weren’t interested so he put armed guards in front of shipments of potatoes so people would think they were important. People later started stealing these potatoes a lot which spread the crop to all of Greece.

According to legend, Sir Walter Raleigh brought potatoes to Elizabethan England. Antoine-Augustin Parmentier is credited with starting the potato industry in 18th-century France, while Ioannis Kapodistrias helped this vegetable gain popularity in Greece soon after the 1821 Revolution.

The Potato

For many years, one of the most significant foods has been the potato. Around the time of the Discoveries in the 16th century, it was imported from South America to Europe.

Before the potato made its way to Europe, Native Americans in the Andes of Bolivia and Peru were said to have known it for some 4,000 years. The first known evidence of potato importation into Europe is a document dated 28 November 1567 from a potato exporter from the Canary Islands to a merchant in Antwerp.

Farmers in Europe were immediately interested in the new plant when they realized that it would be much simpler to raise and would yield a far larger crop than wheat and oats. By 1650, it had a significant impact on Irish food and mostly supplanted cereal crops. The potato was first introduced to North America by Irish settlers.

How Greek prime minister in 1830s tried to spread the potato in Greece 1
photo credit: corfuguidedtours.com

By the end of the eighteenth century, potatoes were extremely common in France and the surrounding nations. To spread the word about the potato, people in Greece had to wait till the Revolution was ended and the first Governor, Ioannis Kapodistrias, had arrived. Kapodistrias had tried it on his travels through Europe and thought it was a basic and wholesome diet for the wintering Greeks in the years following the Revolution. In the Tiryns region, potatoes were initially experimentally grown on a modest scale. Growing potatoes was crucial throughout the trying times of the World Wars because it provided food and kept many people alive. Today, one of the basic foods of the Greek population is the potato.

Kapodistrias and the potatoes in Greece

In an effort to raise the standard of living for the populace, Kapodistrias restored the local government and brought potato farming to Greece. It is said that when he placed an order for a shipment of potatoes, he first instructed that they be distributed to everyone who expressed an interest. The farmers, however, reacted coldly to the potatoes, and the plan appeared to be failing. However, Kapodistrias had a strong understanding of his countrymen’s psychology and moods and mimicked Frederick the Great of Prussia, who had employed similar tactics. Kapodistrias gave the order for the entire consignment of potatoes to be unloaded and secured by guards on the Nafplion docks for public viewing. Soon, it became common knowledge that the potatoes had to be extremely valuable to be guarded with such vigilance. People would gather to view the crucial potatoes, and some would soon try to steal them. In the end, all the potatoes were “taken,” making Kapodistrias’s plan to import them to Greece a success. The guards had been instructed to ignore this activity.

How Greek prime minister in 1830s tried to spread the potato in Greece 2
photo credit: corfuguidedtours.com

There are writings that inform everyone that potatoes were produced in Greece before Kapodistrias brought them, despite the fact that many people think he began the practice. For instance, the Irish agronomist Stevenson, who immigrated to Greece in 1828 and made a substantial contribution to the spread of several agricultural crops and tree plantations, wrote about the spread of the potato in his articles in the “General Gazette of Greece.”

The spreading of the potato is another topic covered in writing about the Greek agronomist Greg Paleologos. In 1830, potatoes were grown on the Tiryns estate, where he served as the director. HW William, an English explorer who visited the Ionian Islands and mainland Greece in 1817, passed in Zakynthos on his way home and said, “There I observed the first marks of civilization: potatoes, fresh butter, and gallows! ”

Similar Stories
Why was the Eiffel Tower almost demolished

Why was the Eiffel Tower almost demolished

The Eiffel Tower was intended to be a temporary structure for the World's Fair in 1889, but it was nearly dismantled and sold for scrap metal. It was saved because of its potential use as a radio antenna, and it now serves as a tourist attraction as well as a working broadcast tower.

The World’s First Seismograph: How Ancient China Detected Earthquakes 1,800 Years Ago

The World’s First Seismograph: How Ancient China Detected Earthquakes 1,800 Years Ago

Over 1,800 years ago, long before modern technology, the ancient Chinese astronomer and inventor Zhang Heng created the world’s first seismograph in 132 AD. This ingenious bronze device could detect distant earthquakes by releasing small balls from dragons’ mouths into toads’ mouths—each indicating a different compass direction. Its historic detection of an earthquake 400 miles away astonished the imperial court and transformed the way societies understood and responded to seismic events.

The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry

The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry

Before women were allowed to enroll in medical school, Margaret Ann Bulkley studied medicine and assumed the identity of Dr. James Barry for 56 years while dressing as a man. After 46 years of service as an army doctor officer, her secret was not made public until after her death in 1865.

How Sleep Deprivation Was Once Used as Torture

How Sleep Deprivation Was Once Used as Torture

Sleep deprivation, long before modern interrogation techniques, was considered a “clean” and effective form of torture—leaving no physical scars, yet breaking minds with haunting silence. Victims endured days and nights without rest, leading to vivid hallucinations, disorientation, and psychological torment. This article traces the dark history of sleep deprivation as a weapon, examines the science behind its effects on the brain, and shines a light on the painful balance between human endurance and cruelty in the annals of coercion.

The day Iceland's women went on strike

The day Iceland's women went on strike

Icelandic women went on strike for equal rights on October 24, 1975. 90% of women walked out of their jobs and homes, effectively shutting down the entire country. The men were struggling to keep up. The following year, Parliament passed a law requiring equal pay. Iceland elected the world's first female President five years later. Iceland now has the highest gender equality rate in the world.