Editing Constantine I of Greece (section)

===Macedonian Front===
[[File:Internationale geschiedenis, Eerste Balkanoorlog, SFA022816365.jpg|thumb|left|Constantine with [[George I of Greece|George I]] and the [[Greek Army]] enter [[Thessaloniki]]]]

Previously the Inspector General of the Army, Constantine was appointed commander-in-chief of the "Army of Thessaly" when the [[First Balkan War]] broke out in October 1912. He led the Army of Thessaly to victory at [[Battle of Sarantaporo|Sarantaporos]]. At this point, his first clash with Venizelos occurred, as Constantine desired to press north, towards [[Bitola|Monastir]], where the bulk of the Ottoman army lay, and where the Greeks would rendezvous their Serb allies. Venizelos, on the other hand, demanded that the army capture the strategic port city of [[Thessaloniki]], the capital of [[Macedonia (region)|Macedonia]], with extreme haste, so as to prevent its fall to the Bulgarians. The dispute resulted in a heated exchange of telegrams. Venizelos notified Constantine that "... political considerations of the utmost importance dictate that Thessaloniki be taken as soon as possible". After Constantine impudently cabled: "The army will not march on Thessaloniki. My duty calls me towards [[Bitola|Monastir]], unless you forbid me", Venizelos was forced to pull rank. As prime minister and war minister, he outranked Constantine and his response was famously three words long, a crisp military order to be obeyed forthwith: "I forbid you". Constantine was left with no choice but to turn east, and after defeating the Ottoman army at [[battle of Giannitsa|Giannitsa]], he accepted the surrender of the city of Thessaloniki and of its Ottoman garrison on 27 October (O.S.), less than 24 hours before the arrival of Bulgarian forces who hoped to capture the city first.

The capture of Thessaloniki against Constantine's whim proved a crucial achievement: the pacts of the [[Balkan League]] had provided that in the forthcoming war against the Ottoman Empire, the four Balkan allies would provisionally hold any ground they took from the Turks, without contest from the other allies. Once an armistice was declared, then facts on the ground would be the starting point of negotiations for the final drawing of the new borders in a forthcoming peace treaty. With the vital port firmly in Greek hands, all the other allies could hope for was a customs-free dock in the harbor.<ref>Eventually only Serbia achieved such status, which was rescinded after 1945. Bulgaria had this option forfeit after its defeat in the Second Balkan War.</ref>