Pavlos Kountouriotis was a politician who had a most important role in Greece's military and political activity during the period of both the Balkan and the First World War. He was born in Hydra in 1855 and died in Palaio Faliro in 1935. He was a student of the "Navy College" and joined the Navy in 1874. As the years passed, he entered upon higher and higher offices of the Navy. Therefore, in 1897 he was appointed to be the captain of the ship "Alpheios" and in cooperation with Miaoulis had a most important role in the unfortunate War between the Greeks and the Turks.

Just before the Balkan War broke out, as a chief of the General Navy he was appointed to be commander of the Aegean fleet, which was consisted of all Greek navy forces, and with the cruiser "Averof" as the flag ship, he succeeded in decimating the Turkish fleet in Limnos. Just before the second Balkan war ended he was promoted to vice admiral. He was opposed to the policy of neutrality that Greece had adopted between 1914-1916 and followed Eleftherios Venizelos to the temporary "Government of the Three" that was created, as a member of its committee which was consisted of three members.

After King Constantine was removed from his throne, and the government of Eleftherios Venizelos was established in Athens, Pavlos Kountouriotis served his duties as the First Lord of Admiralty. In 1920 he was awarded with the rank of the Admiral and undertook his duties of regent when the Republic was proclaimed by the resolution of the fourth Consistent Assembly, he was entrusted to adjust the constitution with the title of "Governor". In 1926 Kondilis who was Major-General, subverted the dictatorship of Pagalos and again undertook the duties of the President of Democracy. Lastly, in 1927 he was forced to resign from his political duties due to health problems. The Parliament and the Senate with a common resolution, expressed to the former President the "National Gratitude".

Although Kountouriotis was involved in politics and temporarily or regularly took over the position of the "Superior Ruler of the State", he never acted as a professional politician. He served his duties with absolute formality, without interfering in the political conflicts. However we should notice that even though his political measures expressed the General Policy of the Eleftherios Venizelos government, he obtained deep respect not only from the entire body of officials in the Navy but also from the entire Greek people. He was definitely brave and foolhardy mariner, the one who kept up the old Hydrian marine tradition and of course very proud of his family origin. He was honored with many medals and was the first Greek citizen whose figure was printed on a stamp while he was still alive.