Mavrocordatos family

John Capodistria, (in Greek Ioannis Kapodistrias and in Italian Giovanni Capo d'Istria, Count Capo d'Istria) (February 11, 1776 - October 9, 1831), Greek-born diplomat of the Russian Empire and later first head of state of independent Greece, was born in Corfu (Kerkira) in the Ionian Islands, which were at the time of his birth a possession of Venice.

Capodistria was educated at Padua in Italy and inherited the Venetian title Count Capo d'Istria from his father, Antonio. (The title originates from the Cape of Istria at the head of the Adriatic Sea: now Cape Kamenjak in Croatia.) In 1803, when France under Napolιon Bonaparte conquered Venice, Capodistria was appointed Secretary of State of the Septinsular Republic, the French-controlled government of the Ionian Islands.

In 1809, however, Capodistria deserted the French cause and entered the service of Alexander I of Russia. He attended the Congress of Vienna as a Russian diplomat and helped negotia Graf johann kapodistrias biography wife!