Nikolaos Plastiras was born on 4 November 1883 in Karditsa, Greece, to parents from Morfovouni, a village in the Agrafa mountains. He joined the 5th Infantry Regiment as a volunteer in 1904 and participated in the Macedonian Struggle. After entering the NCO School in 1910, he was promoted to 2nd lieutenant in 1912 and distinguished himself in the Balkan Wars, earning the nickname 'The Black Rider.' He gained further prominence during World War I by supporting the Movement of National Defence led by Eleftherios Venizelos and fought valiantly at the battle of Skra-di-Legen, leading to his promotion to lieutenant colonel.In 1919, Plastiras commanded the 5/42 Evzone Regiment in Ukraine as part of an Allied force. His unit was later transferred to Smyrna during the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922. Following the Greek defeat, he played a key role in the 11 September 1922 Revolution, which deposed King Constantine I. Plastiras became a prominent figure in the military-led government that followed, which lasted until January 1924, when power was transferred to an elected National Assembly that declared the Second Hellenic Republic. He faced significant challenges, including managing the influx of 1.3 million refugees and addressing a devastated economy.During the interwar period, Plastiras remained a committed Venizelist and republican. He attempted two coup d'états in 1933 and 1935 to counter the rise of the royalist People's Party, both of which failed, resulting in his exile in France. During the Axis Occupation of Greece in World War II, he was the nominal leader of the EDES resistance group while in exile in Marseilles. After the occupation, he returned to Greece and served as Prime Minister three times, often in coalition with the Liberal Party. His last two governments aimed to reconcile the divisions caused by the Greek Civil War, but he was largely unsuccessful.Plastiras' political career began after the establishment of the Second Hellenic Republic, which was marked by instability and conflict between Venizelists and Royalists. He attempted a coup in March 1933 but was forced to flee after facing backlash. He returned to Greece in 1945 and was appointed Prime Minister following the December events of 1944. His moderate policies, including the Varkiza Agreement, aimed to balance the interests of the British and the leftist guerillas but led to his dismissal after three months in office.In 1949, after the Greek Civil War, Plastiras founded the Progressive Liberal Party, which later became the National Progressive Centre Union for the 1950 elections. He formed a coalition government with Sofoklis Venizelos and George Papandreou, focusing on national reconciliation and economic recovery. His government initiated significant projects, including the construction of a dam on the Tavropos River, which now bears his name. However, his conciliatory approach faced criticism from both the right and left, and his government was marked by the controversial execution of Nikos Belogiannis in 1952. After losing the elections in November 1952, Plastiras' political career ended, and he died in poverty on 26 July 1953 in Athens.