Ioannis Valaoritis, the eldest son of Greek poet Aristotelis Valaoritis and Greek-Venetian mother Eloisia Typaldou, was born on the family-owned islet of Madouri, off Lefkada, on 17/29 June 1855. He was the eldest son of the family and the only child out of seven to survive beyond the age of twenty-eight.
He studied Law at the University of Athens, and after practicing law in Lefkada and serving in managerial posts in the booming business sector in Athens, he entered the world of the National Bank of Greece. In 1911, he was elected its Governor. Representing the Greek Government, he concluded two major foreign loans, one in 1910 and one in 1914 that helped Greece finance the military operations of the two Balkan Wars (1912-1913).
He died in a boating accident in the harbour of Piraeus on 16/28 March 1914.
Archival material, primarily from the large collection of Valaoritis family papers and other private and official correspondence, is the main source of my research. He led an adventurous life marked by family tragedies and a constant battle against ill health, in the face of which he demonstrated tremendous perseverance, sound judgement, a sense of humour and a humanity that was only limited by an unwavering commitment to family, social class and nation. His unexpected death at the height of his career was regarded as a national tragedy by all the political leaders of the time, including prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos.
In this section, during the course of my research, I will provide information about its progress that might be of general interest.