Michael I of Romania
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| Michael I of Romania | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Michael I |
| Title | King of Romania |
| Reign | 20 July 1927 – 8 June 1930, 6 September 1940 – 30 December 1947 |
| Predecessor | Ferdinand I (first reign), Carol II (second reign) |
| Successor | Carol II (first reign), Monarchy abolished (second reign) |
| Birth date | 25 October 1921 |
| Birth place | Foișor Castle, Sinaia, Kingdom of Romania |
| Death date | 5 December 2017 |
| Death place | Aubonne, Switzerland |
| Spouse | Anne of Bourbon-Parma (m. 1948) |
| Issue | Margareta, Elena, Irina, Sophie, Maria |
| House | Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen |
| Father | Carol II of Romania |
| Mother | Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark |
Michael I of Romania was the last King of Romania, reigning from 1927 to 1930 and again from 1940 until his forced abdication in 1947. His second reign was defined by the tumultuous events of World War II, during which he played a pivotal role in the 1944 King Michael's Coup that realigned Romania with the Allies. Following decades of exile after the communist takeover, he became a potent symbol of national identity and the pre-Iron Curtain era.
Early life and accession
Born at Foișor Castle in Sinaia, he was the son of Crown Prince Carol II of Romania and Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark. His early childhood was marked by the scandalous exile of his father, leading to his first accession to the throne in 1927 upon the death of his grandfather, King Ferdinand I. This period, known as the "Regency Years", was governed by a regency council led by his uncle, Prince Nicholas of Romania, and Patriarch Miron Cristea. In 1930, his father returned to Bucharest and deposed him, reclaiming the throne as Carol II of Romania.
Reign and World War II
Michael was restored to the throne in September 1940 following the abdication of his father, amid the crisis precipitated by the Second Vienna Award and the rise of the fascist Iron Guard. Real power, however, lay with the military dictator, Ion Antonescu, who aligned Romania with Nazi Germany and entered World War II on the Axis side, participating in the invasion of the Soviet Union. On 23 August 1944, in coordination with opposition politicians like Iuliu Maniu and Constantin Sănătescu, he executed the daring King Michael's Coup, arresting Antonescu and switching Romania to the Allied side. This action, praised by leaders like Winston Churchill, hastened the end of the war but also allowed the Red Army to occupy the country.
Exile and return
After the war, Soviet pressure and political maneuvering by the Petru Groza government steadily eroded the monarchy's power. Following the forced abdication on 30 December 1947, he was compelled into exile, initially living in London and later settling in Versoix, Switzerland. Forbidden from returning by the communist regime, he worked as a test pilot and farmer. He made his first, highly emotional return to Romania in 1992, after the 1989 Revolution, where he was greeted by massive crowds in Bucharest's Piața Universității.
Abdication and later life
His formal abdication, signed under duress in 1947, was never recognized as legitimate by the royal family or many Romanians. In exile, he married Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma in 1948, with whom he had five daughters, including his heir Princess Margareta of Romania. After the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu, he regained his Romanian citizenship and properties, including the Săvârșin and Peleș estates. He remained an active, respected figure in European royal circles, maintaining close ties with other former sovereigns like Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and the House of Bourbon.
Legacy and honors
Michael I is widely honored for his courageous action in 1944, which is considered to have shortened World War II by six months and saved countless lives. He received numerous accolades, including the Soviet Order of Victory and Romania's highest military award, the Order of Michael the Brave. In 2005, he addressed a joint session of the Parliament of Romania, a historic gesture of reconciliation. His death in 2017 prompted a state funeral with full military honors at the Patriarchal Cathedral and his burial at the Curtea de Argeș Cathedral, cementing his legacy as a unifying national figure and the last surviving head of state from the World War II era.
Category:Kings of Romania Category:1921 births Category:2017 deaths Category:House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen