Constantine ascended the throne upon the death of his father, King Paul, in 1964. He inherited a country in political and economic turmoil. His clashes with the democratically elected Prime Minister George Papandreou led to a constitutional crisis in 1965. This ultimately resulted in a military coup in 1967, forcing Constantine into exile.
After seven years abroad, Constantine attempted a counter-coup in 1973 to restore himself to the throne. However, this failed and instead affirmed Greece as a parliamentary republic. A referendum in 1974 confirmed the will of the people - 69% voted against restoring the monarchy. Constantine accepted the result, formally stepping down and recognizing the new presidential republic.
