The First Balkan War ended in 1913 with the defeat of the Ottoman Empire by the Greek, Bulgarian, Serbian and Montenegrin coalition.
The Kingdom of Greece was greatly expanded after the conflict but disagreements soon arose between the Allied powers: Greece and Bulgaria competed for possession of Thessaloniki and its surrounding region.

To affirm the sovereignty of the Greeks over the main city of Macedonia, King George I moved to the city soon after its conquest by the Diadochos, on 8 December 1912.
During his long stay in the city, the King went out every day to walk unescorted in the streets, as he had become accustomed to doing in Athens.
On 18 March 1913 a Greek anarchist named Alexandros Schinas shot him in the back from a distance of two paces while he was walking in Thessaloniki near the White Tower.

Sophia was in Athens when she learned of the murder of her father-in-law, the king.
Now, as Queen Consort of the Hellenes, the responsibility fell upon her to break the news of the murder to her mother-in-law.
Together with her eldest daughter, Princess Helen, both comforted the now Dowager Queen, who received the news stoically.
The next day, members of the royal family who were present in the capital went to Thessaloniki.
Arriving in the Macedonian city, they visited the scene of the murder and collected the remains of the King to escort them back to Athens, where he was buried at Tatoi.

In this difficult context, the death of George I sealed the possession of Thessaloniki to Greece.
Still, the Second Balkan War broke out in June 1913 over the division of Macedonia between the former allies of the first conflict.
Victorious again, Greece came out of this war considerably enlarged, with the prestige of King Constantine I and Queen Sophia also increased.
The First Balkan War ended in 1913 with the defeat of the Ottoman Empire by the Greek, Bulgarian, Serbian and Montenegrin coalition. The Kingdom of Greece was greatly expanded after the conflict but disagreements soon arose between the Allied powers: Greece and Bulgaria competed for possession of Thessaloniki and its surrounding region.
To affirm the sovereignty of the Greeks over the main city of Macedonia, King George I moved to the city soon after its conquest by the Diadochos, on 8 December 1912. During his long stay in the city, the King went out every day to walk unescorted in the streets, as he had become accustomed to doing in Athens. On 18 March 1913 a Greek anarchist named Alexandros Schinas shot him in the back from a distance of two paces while he was walking in Thessaloniki near the White Tower.
Sophia was in Athens when she learned of the murder of her father-in-law, the king. Now, as Queen Consort of the Hellenes, the responsibility fell upon her to break the news of the murder to her mother-in-law. Together with her eldest daughter, Princess Helen, both comforted the now Dowager Queen, who received the news stoically. The next day, members of the royal family who were present in the capital went to Thessaloniki. Arriving in the Macedonian city, they visited the scene of the murder and collected the remains of the King to escort them back to Athens, where he was buried at Tatoi.
In this difficult context, the death of George I sealed the possession of Thessaloniki to Greece. Still, the Second Balkan War broke out in June 1913 over the division of Macedonia between the former allies of the first conflict. Victorious again, Greece came out of this war considerably enlarged, with the prestige of King Constantine I and Queen Sophia also increased.
Sophia of Prussia