|
Ferdinand I (1865-1927) was born Ferdinand Victor Albert Meinrad Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. His parents were Leopold Hohenzollern and Antonia Saxe-Coburg. He was born at Sigmaringen, Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany. He succeeded his uncle Carol I who died without a male heir in 1914. This could not have been a worse time to inherit the throne as it was the year World War I broke out in Europe. Ferdinand married in 1893 at age 27 to Mary Saxe-Coburg, age 17. The children included Carol II (King of Romania), Elizabeth Hohenzollern, Ileana Hohenzollern, Mary Hohenzollern, Mircea Hohenzollern, and Nicholas Hohenzollern. While at first declaring neutrality in World War I, Romania finally joined the Allies in 1916 despite the family relationship to the Germans. Romania suffered some serious defeats during the war, but in the post-war settlement gainedf territory. King Ferdinand died in 1927 at the age of 62 at Sinaia, Romania.
Ferdinand's father was Leopold Hohenzollern, a son of Charles Anthony Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. He was made Prince of Romania when his younger brother became King Carol I of Romania. I do not yet know who Prince Charles's father was. I also am unsure why Leopold's younger brother Carol was chosen to be Prince then King of Romania instead of Leopold.
Ferdinand's mother was Antonia Saxe-Coburg. She was the daughter of Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, King Consort of Portugal (1816- ) and Queen Maria II de Bragança of Portugal (1819- ).
Ferdinand had two brothers. Ferdinand was the middle brother. I am not sure why the oldest brother William did not suceed their Uncle Carol I.
William of Hohenzollern was born in 1864. He married Maria Theresia de Bourbon in 1889. They had one daughter Auguste Victoria de Hohenzollern who was born in 1890. I do not have the details at this time as to why William did not succeed his Uncle Carol as king instead of his yonger brother Ferdinand.
Charles Anthony Hohenzollern was born in 1868. He married Josephine of Belgium
in 1894. She was the daughter of Philip, Count of Flanders. They had three children, Marie Antoinette, Stephanie, and Albrecht. Charles Anthony died in 1919 immediately after World War I. We have no details on the children at this time.
Ferdinand I (1865-1927) was born Ferdinand Victor Albert Meinrad Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen at Sigmaringen, Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany.
Ferdinand married in 1893 at age 27 to Mary Saxe-Coburg, age 17. arie was born in 1875. She was the daughter of English Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg. Her mother was the Russian Princess Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna Romanav. She was known as Missy within the family. The English Prince George was quite smitten with her. Much to the relief of Princess of Wales Alexandra, Missy wanted nothing to do with him. [Battiscombe, p. 193.] She decided to marry instead Prince Ferdinand. I am not sure why she chose the Romanian crown over the English crown, presumably it was a question of the heart.
Ferdinand had six children. The children included Carol II (King of Romania), Elizabeth Hohenzollern, Ileana Hohenzollern, Marie Hohenzollern, Mircea Hohenzollern, and Nicholas Hohenzollern.
Carol II (1893-1953) was born Charles Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen at Sinaia, Romania. His father was Ferdinand, King of Romania and his mother Mary Saxe-Coburg. I don't have a great deal of information on Carol. The family was of German origin, the Hohenzollern were the Prussian ruling house and the ruling family of the new German Empire. Presumably the clothes selected for the children reflected the styles commonly worn in Germany.
Elisabeth became Queen of Greece.
Princess Marie was an excellent student and well educated. She spoke several languages. Queen Marie married King Alexander of Yugoslavia (1922). She was noted for humanitrian work as Queen and Queen mother. After the assasination of King Alexander (1934), Queen Marie became Queen Mother and participated in the regency of her eldest son who became King Peter II. The royal family fled Yugoslaviahen the Germsns invaded (1941)
Archduchess Anton of Austria
Ferdinand succeeded his uncle Carol I who died without a male heir in 1914. This could not have been a worse time to inherit the throne as it was the year World War I broke out in Europe.
Despite the familial relationship between the Romanian royal family and the German royal family, King Ferdinand I declared Romania as a neutral country when World War I started in 1914. When the allies promissed support for all Romanian provinces reunification (1916), Romania joined the War beside the Allies even though the army wasn't strong enough or well enough equipped to face a modern army. As a result of this, following the first successes recorded against the Austro-Hungarian army, they were forced to retreat into Moldavia where, together with the Russian troups organized the defense. There were some memorable battles like the one from Marasesti and Oituz won by a small but courageous army against the undefetead German army led by Marshal Von Mackensen. But Russians signed a separate peace treaty (March 1918) with the Central Powers, and even though the Allies tried to send equipment and instructors, Romania was forced to do the same thing. So, in May 1918, Romania signed a peace treaty, but in October, same year reentered thewar and participated at the final victory. Once again, there was a chance to fulfill the old dream - reunification of all Romanian Provinces into a single independent state, and the Romanians didn't loose it. The Country Council of Bassarabia voted to be unified with Romania (March 27/April 9, 1918), the National Council of Bukovina voted to unite that province to Romania ( November 15/28, 1918) while Transylvania voted on December 1, 1918 (at Cimpia Islaz) to join the rest of the Country. For the first time since Michael the Brave, all Romanian Provinces were unified into one body.
King Ferdinand died in 1927 at the age of 62 at Sinaia, Romania. He was succeded by his son Carol (1893-1953)
Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1969).
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site royal pages:
[Return to the Main Romanian royal page]
[Return to the Main royal pages]
[Austria]
[Belgium]
[Bulgaria]
[Denmark]
[France]
[Germany]
[German states]
[Italy]
[Japan]
[Jordon]
[Luxenburg]
[Monaco]
[Netherlands]
[Norway]
[Portugal]
[Russia]
[Saxe-Coburg]
[Spain]
[Sweden]
[United Kingdom]
[Yugoslavia]
