The Governor of Greece Ioannis A. Kapodistrias was an iconic figure in modern Greek history. Although it has been one hundred and ninety years since his assassination, he continues to engage research and historiography. Criticism of his work focuses, for many, on the authoritarian way in which he exercised power. However, everyone acknowledges his fundamental work in the construction of the Greek state.

The book sheds light on a series of issues surrounding his actions, mainly his foreign policy, with many new elements about his efforts to establish friendly relations with the neighboring Ottoman Empire, which he considered "a basis for peace in the East" but also a necessary condition for the progress of the newly established Greek state.