Finding a king to rule Greece was difficult. Finding someone to govern the country while the Great Powers looked for a monarch was even more challenging. The Greeks who overthrew the Ottomans also wasted excessive effort fighting among themselves. Therefore, it was natural that when the time came to elect a governor, they would look abroad for someone untainted by the civil strife that marred the Greek revolution. Ioannis Kapodistrias was an accomplished diplomat who had enjoyed a successful career in the Russian foreign service. In January 1828, he became Governor of Greece. The task seemed formidable, if not impossible. After seven years of war, the country was utterly ruined. There was no money, the Ottoman army remained an ominous threat, and the Greeks were reluctant to take orders.