Figure 1.--King Michael and the future Prince Phillip (Duke of Edinburgh) at Mogosaia.

King Michael (1921- ) was born Michael Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen at Sinaia, Romania. His father was Carol II and his mother Helen Oldenburg. He was a child king, only 6 years old when he followed his grandfather, King Ferdinand, to the throne in 1927. His uncle, Prince Nicholas, was "senior regent". "I remember very little from those years," King Michael recalls. "There are mostly just 'images'. I can remember that my mother was there." (Princess Helen was divorced from King Michael's father, Prince Carol, in 1928). with a Royal Court. Another big mistake was to continue as a king his adolescent passion for a women--Elena Lupescu--instead of forgetting her once he stepped on the throne. He had abdicated in favor of his son Michael.

Parents

Prince Carol, Prince Michael's father, was the eldest son of King Ferdinand. He had had been debarred from the throne because of his lifestyle (1925). His mother was Helen Oldenburg, a Greek princess.

Childhood

King Michael (1921- ) was born Michael Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen at Sinaia, Romania.

Education

Figure 2.--King Michael in his red car which he called "The Bug" at the seaside resort of Mamaia in a photograph taken about 1928.

First Reign (1927-30)

Michael was a child king, only 6 years old when he followed his grandfather, King Ferdinand, to the throne in 1927. His uncle, Prince Nicholas, was "senior regent". "I remember very little from those years," King Michael recalls. "There are mostly just 'images'. I can remember that my mother was there." (Princess Helen was divorced from King Michael's father, Prince Carol, in 1928). with a Royal Court. Another big mistake was to continue as a king his adolescent passion for a women--Elena Lupescu--instead of forgetting her once he stepped on the throne. He had abdicated in favor of his son Michael. Of course the boy-king at this young age had nothing to do with actual government.

King Carol (1930-40)

King Carol returned to Romania unexpectedly (1930). He declared himself King Carol II. For the next 10 years Crown Prince Michael concentrated on his education. Carol II is described by his detractors as cruel and deprived. The "playboy" appelage is probanly more accurate. Carol's advocates insist that despite his sentimental adventures, the King was not the cruel, corrupted and imporal man that the monarchy's enemies were try to portray in order to compromise him. His first years as king were successful. He was enormously popular, perhaps more so than his father and grandfather. He made the same mistake as the Spanish Bourbons, however, surrounding himself with a group of people (Camarila) that shouldn't have had any connection with the monarchy.

Balkan Diplomacy

Hitler and The NAZI Party seized control of Germany (1933). Dark clouds gathered over Europe. Romania signed different non-agression pacts with it's neighbours and entered different alliances (Little Entente, Balkan Entente) to protect itself from growing NAZI power. Carol II was intoxicated by the poor advice received from Camarila. He established a dictatorship in 1938, abolishing the Constitution and asked that absolute powers be awarded in the new Constiution. The failure of the Allies to confront Hitler, especially the abandonment of Czehoslovakia at Munich (September 1938), however, left the country at the mercy of the NAZIs and their Fasict supporters in Romania--the Iron Guard.

Figure 5.--King Michael in a photograph taken about 1930. It shows the young Crown Prince Michael of Romania and fellow military cadets. Notice the outsize berets worn by the cadets of the Targoviste School. The King insisted that the prince be given no special treatment.

World War II (1939)

Romania declared neutrality in 1939 when the World War II began, the same policy as at the beginning of the World War I. Romania was partionioned, however, by the secret German-Soviet Ribbentrop-Molotov pact in 1939. Romania lost Bassarabia, Bukovina and Hertzaland. Bulgaria took southern Dobrogea, and part of Transylvania was ceded to Hungaria as an award following the Vienna dictate. Caroll II abdicated in favor of his son Michael I, still a boy. The teenage king had to contend with a military dictator, determined to enter the Axis and tie Romania's future to the NAZI star.

Second Reign (1940-48)

General Antonescu forced King Carol II to abdicate (1940). At the age of 19, Michael was declared King for the second time in his life. In practice the country was ruled by General Antonescu who placed Romania firmly in the NAZI camp. This was in part done to protect Romania from further Soviet depredations. Antonescu led Romania into World War II as a Axis ally of NAZI Germany. King Michael recalls, "The situation was extremely difficult. Europe was in flames. I was 19 years old. I was quite unprepared for the extremely difficult situation I took over. Amongst other things, I was uncertain as to which advisor I could trust. Luckily my mother came back. She was a great help to me." A military government was formed headed by General Ion Antonescu. He tried to involved the radical movement NAZI-like "Iron Guard Legion" in the new government, but following the Legionaires 1941 riot, he eliminated them from the politics life and, in a desperate try of getting back the lost provinces, he joined the Axis in the war against Russia (Soviet Union). The Romanian army stopped after they re-occupied Bassarabia and Bukovina. When the Germans were forced to retreat from Sevastopol, Antonescu and all the other political leaders (I.I.C. Bratianu, Iuliu Maniu) increased their efforts to take Romania out of this alliance with NAZI Germany.

Created: 3:58 AM 2/19/2009
Last updated: 3:59 AM 2/19/2009