ZAIMIS, Alexander, Greek statesman: b. Athens, 1855. He was educated at the universities of Athens, Leipzig, Berlin, Heidelberg and Paris. He was elected to the Chamber of
Deputies in 1885; served as Minister of
Justice in 1890-92, and was president of the Chamber
of Deputies in 1895-97. He was Premier
in 1897-99, under King George, and again in
1901-02. He was High Commissioner of the
Powers in Crete in 1906-11 and was successful
in securing the annexation of that island to
Greece. He was appointed Premier to succeed
Venizelos in October 1915, but resigned a month
later when his government failed to receive a
vote of confidence. He was again appointed
Premier in June 1916, but was succeeded by
Lambros before the end of the year, only to
succeed Lambros in May 1917. Upon the
abdication of King Constantine, however, he
was asked to resign, and was succeeded by
Venizelos 25 June 1917. He was generally
supposed to favor neutrality for Greece in the
European War, but to be personally in favor
of the Allies.