In 1821, the renowned Greek statesman Joannis Kapodistrias (1776–1831) spent almost half a year in Ljubljana, where he represented Russia at the great power congress. He was accommodated in the house of Josepha and Joseph Laurin, at the current address Mestni trg 19. At the congress, Kapodistrias attempted in vain to stop the military intervention against the liberal revolution in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The view of Clemens Metternich, his political rival, prevailed and the revolution was suppressed militarily. In the time of the congress, the Greek revolution broke out as well. Due to the danger it posed to the Greeks within the Ottoman Empire, Capodistrias considered it a catastrophe. During the congress, he maintained contact with his compatriots both personally and in writing. Soon after the congress, Kapodistrias retired from active service to Russia. His next public function was the presidency of the new Greek state.
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