Venizelos (va'-ne-za'-los), Eleutherios. Greek statesman. Born in Crete, 1864. Educated in law at Athens. Entering the Cretan legislature, he became active in politics and led the movement for uniting Crete with Greece. He removed to Athens about 1910, and became prominent in Balkan affairs, organizing the league which made war on Turkey in 1912. In 1914, as premier of Greece, Venizelos urged the nation to join the Allies, but was opposed by the pro-German king, Constantine, and resigned the premiership. Following the abdication of King Constantine in 1917, he again became premier and actively supported the allied cause. In 1919 he was a delegate from Greece to the peace conference at Versailles.

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