Michael I
King of the Romanians
Reign	20 July 1927 – 8 June 1930 6 September 1940 – 30 December 1947
Coronation	6 September 1940
Born	October 25, 1921 (1921-10-25) (age 86)
Birthplace	Sinaia, Romania
Predecessor	Ferdinand I Carol II
Successor	Carol II Kingdom abolished
Consort	Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma
Issue	Margarita Elena Irina Sofia Marie
Royal House	Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Father	Carol II
Mother	Elena of Greece and Denmark
Religious beliefs	Romanian Orthodox

Michael I, King of the Romanians, Prince of Hohenzollern^[1][2][3] (born October 25, 1921), reigned as King of the Romanians (Romanian: Maiestatea Sa Mihai I Regele Românilor, literally "His Majesty Michael I King of the Romanians") from July 20, 1927 to June 8, 1930, and again from September 6, 1940, until forced to abdicate by the Communists on December 30, 1947. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Sinaia (/si'naja/ (population 14636 is a mountain resort in Romania. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Ferdinand I ( 24 August 1865 – 20 July 1927) was the King of the Romanians from October 10 1914 until his death Carol II of Romania ( 15 October / 16 October 1893 &ndash 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8 Carol II of Romania ( 15 October / 16 October 1893 &ndash 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8 Queen Anne of Romania, (born Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma on September 18, 1923) is the wife of the former Princess Margarita of Romania ( Margareta in the Romanian language) Princess of Hohenzollern (styled Crown Princess of Romania) (b Titles styles honours and arms Titles and styles 15 November 1950 - present: Her Royal Highness Princess Elena Princess Irina of Romania was born on 28 February 1953 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Princess Sophie/Sophia (Sofia of Romania was born on 28 October / 29 October 1957 in Tatoi, Greece, and is the fourth daughter of Princess Maria of Romania (b Hellerup, Denmark, 13 July 1964) is the youngest daughter and fifth child of Michael I (Mihai King The House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the Cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty less known than the Franconian Carol II of Romania ( 15 October / 16 October 1893 &ndash 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8 Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark ( 2 May / 3 May, 1896 - 28 November, 1982) was the wife of King Carol II of Romania and The Romanian Orthodox Church ( Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is a Autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar See also Kingdom of Romania King of the Roumanians (in Romanian Regele Românilor) rather than King of Romania (in Romanian Regele României Romanian or Daco-Romanian ( dated: Rumanian or Roumanian; self designation limba română, ˈlimba roˈmɨnə is a Romance Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Romanian Communist Party ( Romanian: ro Partidul Comunist Român, PCR was a communist political party in Romania. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria and a third cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, he is one of the last surviving heads of state from World War II^[4][5][6][7], another one being Simeon II of Bulgaria. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Royal history Simeon is the son of Tsar Boris III and Tsaritsa Giovanna di Savoia. ^[8]

Early life

Michael was born in the Foişor Castle, Sinaia, Romania, the son of the then-Crown Prince Carol and Princess Elena of Greece, and grandson of the then-reigning King Ferdinand I of the Romanians. Sinaia (/si'naja/ (population 14636 is a mountain resort in Romania. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Crown Princess redirects here for the ship see Crown Princess (ship. Carol II of Romania ( 15 October / 16 October 1893 &ndash 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8 Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark ( 2 May / 3 May, 1896 - 28 November, 1982) was the wife of King Carol II of Romania and Ferdinand I ( 24 August 1865 – 20 July 1927) was the King of the Romanians from October 10 1914 until his death When Carol eloped with his mistress Elena "Magda" Lupescu and renounced his rights to the throne in December 1925, Michael was pronounced the Heir Apparent. Elena Lupescu ( 15 September 1895 (? in Iaşi (Jassy Romania – 29 June 1977) better known as Magda Lupescu An heir apparent is an Heir who (short of a fundamental change in the situation cannot be displaced from inheriting the term is used in contrast to Heir presumptive He succeeded to the throne upon Ferdinand's death in July 1927. In August 1927 he appeared on the cover of Time magazine: he is the longest-surviving person to have appeared on the magazine's cover. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and

Rule

1930s and the Antonescu era

A Regency, which included his uncle, Prince Nicolae (Nicholas), Patriarch Miron Cristea and the country's chief justice (Gheorghe Buzdugan, from October 1929 on Constantin Sărăţeanu) functioned on behalf of the 5-year-old Michael. A regent, from the Latin regens "who reigns" is a person selected to act as Head of state (ruling or not because the ruler is a minor Biography Born in Peleş Castle, Sinaia, Nicholas was the younger brother of Carol, Heir apparent, who renounced his rights of succession Miron Cristea, ( monastic name of Elie Cristea; July 20, 1868 &mdash March 6, 1939) was an Austro-Hungarian ^[9] In 1930, Carol II suddenly returned to the country at the invitation of politicians dissatisfied with the Regency, and was proclaimed King by the Parliament, designating Michael as crown prince with the title "Grand Voievod of Alba-Iulia". Carol II of Romania ( 15 October / 16 October 1893 &ndash 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8 TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those Crown Princess redirects here for the ship see Crown Princess (ship. A voivode or waywode is a Slavic title that originally denoted the principal commander of a military force Alba Iulia ( Latin: Apulum, German: Karlsburg / Weißenburg, Hungarian: Gyulafehérvár, former Erdel Belgradı In November 1939, Michael joined the Romanian Senate, as the 1938 Constitution guaranteed him a seat there upon reaching the age of eighteen. The Senate of Romania ( romanian: "Senat" is the upper house in Romania 's Bicameral parliament. The 1938 Constitution of Romania was the fundamental law that established the authoritarian monarchic regime of King Carol II. ^[10] In September 1940, the pro-German régime of Prime-Minister Marshal Ion Antonescu staged a coup against Carol, whom the Marshal considered anti-German. Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers "Antonescu" redirects here For other persons with that surname see Antonescu (surname. Antonescu had the 18-year-old Michael proclaimed King by popular acclaim, without an oath on the Constitution and without a vote of the Parliament, initially suspended and reinstated only later, in 1946. Michael was instead crowned^[11] with the Steel Crown and anointed King by the Orthodox Patriarch of Romania, Nicodim Munteanu, in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest, on the very day of his second accession, September 6, 1940. The Steel Crown of King Carol I of Romania was forged at the Army Arsenal ( Arsenalul Armatei The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family Nicodim Munteanu ( December 6, 1864, Pipirig, Neamţ County, Romania &ndash February 27, 1948, Bucharest The Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral is located near the palace of the Patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on Dealul Mitropoliei, in Bucharest Bucharest ( Romanian: Bucureşti) is the Capital city, industrial and commercial centre of Romania. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[12] Michael, thus, reigned the second time as an absolute, unconstitutional King, solely "by the Grace of God",^[11] that is by divine right. Absolute monarchy is a monarchical Form of government where the king and queen have absolute power over everything The Divine Right of Kings is a general term that refers to the philosophy and ideas used to justify the authority and legitimacy of Monarchs in Medieval and However, legally, Michael could not exercise much authority besides some prerogatives such as being Supreme Head of the Army and designating a plenipotentiary Prime-Minister ("Conducător"). Conducător (literally in Romanian, "Leader" was the title used officially in three instances by Romanian politicians ^[13]

The young King Michael.

Turning against Nazi Germany

Main article: King Michael Coup

In 1944, World War II was going badly for the Axis, but military dictator Ion Antonescu was still in control of Romania. King Michael's Coup refers to the Coup d'etat led by King Michael of Romania in 1944 against the pro- Nazi Romanian faction of World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries On August 23, 1944, Michael joined with pro-Allied politicians including the Communists, in staging a coup d'état against Antonescu, and placed him under arrest. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. King Michael's Coup refers to the Coup d'etat led by King Michael of Romania in 1944 against the pro- Nazi Romanian faction of On the same night, the new Prime Minister, Lt. General Constantin Sănătescu, gave custody of Antonescu to the Communists, who delivered him to the Soviets on September 1. Constantin Sănătescu ( January 14, 1885, Craiova &mdash November 8 1947, Bucharest) was a Romanian statesman Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. ^[14][15] In a radio broadcast to the nation and army, Michael proclaimed Romania's loyalty to the Allies, announced the acceptance of the armistice offered by the USSR, Great Britain, and the United States, and declared war on Germany. The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[16] However, this did not avert a rapid Soviet occupation, and capture of about 130,000 Romanian soldiers transported to the Soviet Union, where many perished in prison camps. ^[17] The coup speeded the Red Army's advance into Romania. ^[17] The armistice was signed three weeks later on September 12, 1944, on terms the Soviets virtually dictated. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[17] According to some, the coup effectively amounted to a "capitulation",^[18] an "unconditional"^[19] "surrender"^[17][20] to the Soviets. King Michael was spared the fate of another former German ally, Prince Kyril, Regent of Bulgaria, executed by the Soviets in 1945, and was also the last monarch behind the Iron Curtain to lose his throne. The " Iron Curtain " was the symbolic ideological and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II until the end By some accounts, the coup may have shortened World War II by six months, thus saving hundreds of thousands of lives. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including At the end of the war, King Michael was awarded the highest degree (Chief Commander) of the Legion of Merit by U.S. President Harry S. Truman. The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by He was also decorated with the Soviet Order of Victory by Joseph Stalin "for the courageous act of the radical change in Romania's politics towards a break-up from Hitler's Germany and an alliance with the United Nations, at the moment when there was no clear sign yet of Germany's defeat," according to an official description of the decoration. The Order of Victory (Орден Победы was the highest Military decoration in the Soviet Union, and one of the rarest orders in the world Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[21] According to the Albanian Communist leader Enver Hoxha,^[22] Michael had earned the Order of Victory for his surrender to the Soviets in a situation in which he could do nothing else. (ɛnˈvɛɾ ˈhɔdʒa 16 October 1908 11 April 1985 was the leader of the People's Republic of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985 as the The Order of Victory (Орден Победы was the highest Military decoration in the Soviet Union, and one of the rarest orders in the world

However, some claim^[23] that Michael's coup afforded Stalin's troops a faster advance^[24] into Romania and Europe, to the detriment of that of the Western Allies. Some others^[25] even see in Michael's failure to be invited, with a few exceptions, to most of the V.E. Day celebrations in the West throughout the years, a tacit condemnation by the Western Allies of the consequences of his coup. Victory in Europe Day ( V-E Day or VE Day) was May 7 and May 8, 1945, the dates when the World War II Allies Michael was not invited to the 60th anniversary of the V. E. Day by any Western Ally. He was invited only to the celebrations in Russia and to some Czech and Slovak commemorations on the same occasion. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Czechs (Češi ˈt͡ʃɛʃɪ archaic Čechové) are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic } The Slovaks or Slovakians are a western Slavic People that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is ^[26]

Romanian Royal Family House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen

HM The King HM The Queen HRH The Crown Princess* HRH Prince Radu* HRH Princess Elena HRH Princess Irina HRH Princess Sophie HRH Princess Maria *titled accordingly in new family rules

The reign under communism

In March 1945, political pressures forced Michael to appoint a pro-Soviet government dominated by the Romanian Communist Party. Royal House of Romania redirects here The current Romanian Royal Family ( of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen) an integral part The House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the Cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty less known than the Franconian Queen Anne of Romania, (born Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma on September 18, 1923) is the wife of the former Princess Margarita of Romania ( Margareta in the Romanian language) Princess of Hohenzollern (styled Crown Princess of Romania) (b Radu Duda Prince of Romania, Prince of Hohenzollern -Veringen was born on 7 June 1960 Titles styles honours and arms Titles and styles 15 November 1950 - present: Her Royal Highness Princess Elena Princess Irina of Romania was born on 28 February 1953 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Princess Sophie/Sophia (Sofia of Romania was born on 28 October / 29 October 1957 in Tatoi, Greece, and is the fourth daughter of Princess Maria of Romania (b Hellerup, Denmark, 13 July 1964) is the youngest daughter and fifth child of Michael I (Mihai King The Romanian Communist Party ( Romanian: ro Partidul Comunist Român, PCR was a communist political party in Romania. Under the Communist régime Michael functioned as little more than a figurehead. Between August 1945 and January 1946, during what was later known as the "royal strike," Michael tried unsuccessfully to oppose the first Communist government led by Prime Minister Petru Groza, by refusing to sign its decrees. Petru Groza ( December 7, 1884 - January 7, 1958) was a Romanian politician best known as Prime Minister of the first In response to Soviet, British, and American pressures^[27], King Michael eventually gave up his opposition to the Communist government and stopped demanding its resignation.

He did not amnesty Ion Antonescu, later condemned as a war criminal^[28][29][30] or the leaders of the opposition such as Iuliu Maniu and the Bratianus^[31], victims of Communist political trials, as, some argue, the Constitution prevented him from doing so without the counter signature of the Communist justice minister, Lucreţiu Pătrăşcanu. "Antonescu" redirects here For other persons with that surname see Antonescu (surname. Iuliu Maniu ( January 8, 1873 &mdash February 5, 1953) was an Romanian politician Brătianu is a family of Romanian politicians founders of the National Liberal Party. Lucreţiu Pătrăşcanu ( November 4, 1900 &mdash April 17, 1954) was a Romanian communist politician and leading member of The memoirs of the King's aunt Princess Ileana^[32] quote the high-ranking Communist Party politburo member, Soviet spy, minister of defense,^[33] and alleged lover of the Princess^[34], Emil Bodnăraş, as saying: "Well, if the King decides not to sign the death warrant, I promise that we will uphold his point of view. Princess Ileana of Romania ( 5 January 1909 - 21 January 1991) was the youngest daughter of Ferdinand I of Romania, King of the Politburo, short for Political Bureau, Russian Politicheskoye Buro, is the executive organization for a number of Political parties, most notably Emil Bodnăraş (1904&ndash January 24, 1976) was an influential Romanian Communist politician an army officer, and a Soviet " Princess Ileana was skeptical that the King would have willingly signed an unconstitutional document such as a death warrant decided by unconstitutional political courts: "You know quite well (. . . ) that the King will never of his free will sign such an unconstitutional document. If he does, it will be laid at your door, and before the whole nation your government will bear the blame. Surely you do not wish this additional handicap at this moment!" The last cellmate of the most prominent Communist victim, Iuliu Maniu, the leader of the anti-Communist opposition and president of the National Peasants' Party (PNŢ), deprived of its victory in the general elections of 1946, which had been falsified by the Communist government, seemingly confessed under Communist interrogation, that Maniu "cursed Michael from behind the bars of the political prison where he died, for not having done anything in the defense of the PNŢ members, despite their many services rendered to the monarchy". Iuliu Maniu ( January 8, 1873 &mdash February 5, 1953) was an Romanian politician The National Peasants' Party ( Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc or PNŢ) was a Romanian Political party, formed in 1926 through the fusion The Romanian general election of 1946 was a General election held on November 19, 1946, in Romania. ^[35]

Forced abdication

The Standard of the King

In November, 1947 Michael traveled to London for the wedding of the future Queen Elizabeth II, occasion during which he met Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma, who was to become his wife. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II Queen Anne of Romania, (born Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma on September 18, 1923) is the wife of the former According to Romanian Royalist circles, King Michael did not want to go back, but American and British personalities present at the wedding encouraged him to do so;^[36] Winston Churchill is said to have counseled Michael to return because "above all things, a King must be courageous. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 " According to his own account,^[37] King Michael rejected any offers of asylum and decided to return to Romania. Right of asylum (or political asylum) is an ancient Judicial notion under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his

However, on December 30 of the same year, Michael was forced to abdicate Romania's throne. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Later the same day, the Communists announced the abolition of the monarchy and its replacement by a People's Republic, broadcasting the King's pre-recorded radio proclamation^[38] of his own abdication. People's Republic (rarely Popular Republic) is a title that is often used by Marxist-Leninist Governments to describe their State. On January 3, 1948, Michael was forced to leave the country, followed^[39] over a week later by Princesses Elisabeth and Ileana, who collaborated so closely with the Russians that they became known as the King's "Red Aunts. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For Queen Elisabeth of Romania, wife of Carol I, see Elisabeth of Wied. "^[40]

There are several accounts as to why Michael abdicated. As recounted by Michael himself, the Communist prime-minister Petru Groza had threatened him at gun point^{[41][42][43][44]} and blackmailed him that the government was to shoot 1,000 arrested students if Michael didn't abdicate. Petru Groza ( December 7, 1884 - January 7, 1958) was a Romanian politician best known as Prime Minister of the first ^[45] In an interview with The New York Times from 2007, Michael recalls the events: “It was blackmail. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. They said, ‘If you don’t sign this immediately we are obliged’ — why obliged I don’t know — to kill more than 1,000 students that they had in prison. ”^[7] According to Time magazine,^[1] the Communist government threatened Michael that it would arrest thousands and steep the country in blood if he did not abdicate. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and According to the book Special Tasks: The Memoirs of an Unwanted Witness -- A Soviet Spymaster, the autobiography of the former leader of the Soviet intelligence agency NKVD, major general Pavel Sudoplatov, the deputy Soviet foreign minister Andrey Vyshinsky personally conducted negotiations with King Michael for his abdication, guaranteeing part of a pension to be paid to Michael in Mexico^[46]. Special Tasks The Memoirs of an Unwanted Witness—A Soviet Spymaster is the Autobiography of Pavel Sudoplatov, who was a member of the Intelligence An autobiography, from the Greek αὐτός autos "self" βίος bios "life" and γράφειν graphein "to write" A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. Intelligence (also called intellect) is an Umbrella term used to describe a property of the Mind that encompasses many related abilities such as the capacities The NKVD ( НКВД, ru Народный Комиссариат Внутренних Дел ''Narodnyy Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del'') or People's Commissariat Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Pavel Sudoplatov (Пáвел Aнатóльевич Cудоплáтов ( July 7, 1907 – September 26, 1996) was a member of the Intelligence This page lists foreign ministers of Russian Empire, Soviet Union, and Russian Federation: Heads of Posolsky Prikaz, 1549-1699 Andrey Januaryevich Vyshinskiy (Андре́й Януа́рьевич Выши́нский Andrej Januar'evič Vyšinskij) ( Odessa &ndash November 22, 1954 A pension is a steady income given to a person upon Retirement, typically in the form of a guaranteed annuity. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. According to a few articles in Jurnalul Naţional,^[47][48] one of which quotes the Romanian Securitate archives^[47], Michael's abdication was the result of his negotiations with the Communist government, not of a blackmail, which allowed him to leave the country accompanied by the goods he requested and by some of the royal retinue. Jurnalul Naţional is a Romanian newspaper part of the Intact media group led by Dan Voiculescu, which also includes the popular TV station See also Serviciul Român de Informaţii The Securitate ( Romanian for Security; official full name Departamentul Securităţii Statului ^[48] Regarding the controversial episode of the then prime-minister Petru Groza's threat with a pistol, Queen-Mother Helen had apparently stated, according to the archives of Petru Groza's daughter, that Groza had behaved with the royal family "better than a father", and that on December 30, 1947, the day of the abdication, "the people got a divorce - both decent and elegant - from the monarchy. Petru Groza ( December 7, 1884 - January 7, 1958) was a Romanian politician best known as Prime Minister of the first Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark ( 2 May / 3 May, 1896 - 28 November, 1982) was the wife of King Carol II of Romania and Petru Groza ( December 7, 1884 - January 7, 1958) was a Romanian politician best known as Prime Minister of the first Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. " ^[49]

According to the Albanian Communist leader Enver Hoxha^[50], who recounts his conversations with the Romanian Communist leaders on the king's abdication, Michael was threatened with a pistol by the Romanian Communist Party leader Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej rather than Petru Groza so as to abdicate. (ɛnˈvɛɾ ˈhɔdʒa 16 October 1908 11 April 1985 was the leader of the People's Republic of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985 as the The Romanian Communist Party ( Romanian: ro Partidul Comunist Român, PCR was a communist political party in Romania. Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (born Gheorghe Gheorghiu; November 8 1901, Bârlad - March Petru Groza ( December 7, 1884 - January 7, 1958) was a Romanian politician best known as Prime Minister of the first He was allowed to leave the country accompanied by some of his entourage and, as confirmed also by the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev recounting Dej's confessions^[51], with whatever properties he desired, including gold and rubies^[50]. Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (April 17 1894 – September 11 1971 served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 following Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (born Gheorghe Gheorghiu; November 8 1901, Bârlad - March Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 A Ruby is a pink to blood-red Gemstone, a variety of the Mineral Corundum ( Aluminium oxide) Hoxha makes no mention of any Communist blackmail with any executions in his book, but says that the Romanian Communist leaders had threatened Michael with their loyal army troops, which had encircled the royal palace and its troops loyal to Michael. (ɛnˈvɛɾ ˈhɔdʒa 16 October 1908 11 April 1985 was the leader of the People's Republic of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985 as the

According to Time magazine,^[52] in early 1948 there had been negotiations between King Michael and the Communist government over the properties he left behind in Romania and those negotiations delayed his denunciation of the abdication as illegal. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and

There are reports^{[53][54][55][56][57]} that Romanian Communist authorities, obedient to Stalin, allowed King Michael to part with 42 valuable Crown-owned paintings in November 1947, so that he would leave Romania faster^[55]. Joseph Stalin ( ნამდვილი გვარი ჯუღაშვილი|Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili; March 5 1953 was General Secretary of the Communist Party Throughout the Commonwealth realms The Crown is an abstract metonymic concept which represents the legal authority for the existence of any government Some of these paintings^[58] were reportedly sold through the famed art dealer Daniel Wildenstein. Daniel Leopold Wildenstein ( September 11, 1917 - October 23, 2001) was a major international Art dealer and scholar as well One of the paintings belonging to the Romanian Crown which was supposedly taken out of the country by King Michael in November 1947, returned to the national patrimony in 2004 as a donation ^[59][53][60] made by John Kreuger, the former husband of King Michael's daughter Princess Irina. Princess Irina of Romania was born on 28 February 1953 in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 2005 Romanian Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu^[61] denied these accusations about Michael, stating that the Romanian government has no proof of any such action by King Michael and that, prior to 1949, the government had no official records of any artwork taken over from the former royal residences. Călin-Constantin-Anton Popescu-Tăriceanu ( konstan'tin an'ton po'pes However, according to some historians, such records exist as early as April of 1948, having been, in fact, officially published in June 1948. ^[62]

King Michael was awarded the Order of Victory (the highest Soviet order) for his personal courage in overthrowing Ion Antonescu in the August 23 coup and for putting an end to Romania's war against the Allies. The Order of Victory (Орден Победы was the highest Military decoration in the Soviet Union, and one of the rarest orders in the world "Antonescu" redirects here For other persons with that surname see Antonescu (surname. King Michael's Coup refers to the Coup d'etat led by King Michael of Romania in 1944 against the pro- Nazi Romanian faction of As of 2008 he is the only recipient alive

According to Ivor Porter's authorized biography,^[63] "Michael of Romania: The King and The Country" (2005), which quotes Queen-Mother Helen's daily diary, the Romanian royals took out paintings belonging to the Romanian Royal Crown on their November 1947 trip to London to the wedding of the future Queen Elizabeth II; two of these paintings, signed by El Greco, were sold in 1976. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark ( 2 May / 3 May, 1896 - 28 November, 1982) was the wife of King Carol II of Romania and El Greco' ("The Greek " 1541 &ndash April 7 1614 was a painter, sculptor, and architect of the Spanish Renaissance However, many other journalists deny any such Communist gift to the King, and call such accusations anti-monarchist Communist propaganda.

According to recently declassified Foreign Office documents, when he left Romania, Michael's only assets amounted to 500,000 Swiss francs. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO, is the British government department responsible for promoting The franc ( German: Franken, French and Romansh: franc, Italian: franco; code: CHF ^[64] Recently declassified Soviet transcripts of talks between Joseph Stalin and the Romanian Prime-Minister Petru Groza^[65][66] show that shortly before his abdication, King Michael received from the Communist government financial assets amounting to 500,000 Swiss francs. Petru Groza ( December 7, 1884 - January 7, 1958) was a Romanian politician best known as Prime Minister of the first The franc ( German: Franken, French and Romansh: franc, Italian: franco; code: CHF King Michael, however, repeatedly denied^[67][68][69] that the Communist government had allowed him to take into exile any financial assets or valuable goods besides four personal automobiles loaded on two train cars. However, during a visit to New York City in March 1948, the 26-year-old Michael shopped on what has been described as the most expensive boulevard in the world, Fifth Avenue, and enjoyed so much the plane in which he had just flown over the Statue of Liberty, that he thought he might buy it. The City of New York Boulevard ( French, from Bolwerk &ndash bolwark meaning bastion has several generally accepted meanings Liberty Enlightening the World (La liberté éclairant le monde commonly known as the Statue of Liberty (Statue de la Liberté was presented ^[70]

In March 1948, he denounced his abdication as forced and illegal. Time magazine alleged that it took Michael over two months to denounce his abdication because before then he had been negotiating with the Communists for the salvage of some of his Romanian properties. ^[52]

Some Romanian monarchists^[71], who consider Michael king solely by divine, not constitutional right, as he neither swore on the Constitution, nor was voted in office by the Parliament in his second reign, regard his 1947 abdication as null and void, arguing that it was a purely constitutional, not ecclesiastical act, which cannot depose him from a position in which he was appointed by God. The Divine Right of Kings is a general term that refers to the philosophy and ideas used to justify the authority and legitimacy of Monarchs in Medieval and A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is Ecclesiology (from Greek grc ἐκκλησίᾱ ekklēsiā, "congregation church" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of the God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. The same argue that, as an absolute, unconstitutional king of divine right, Michael incarnates alone the Romanian State in its entirety and that as such he has every right to dispose as he pleases of the State's properties, including the Crown paintings, which are his own and of whose "theft" he has been accused.

Life after the throne

Styles of King Michael I of Romania
Reference style	His Majesty
Spoken style	Your Majesty
Alternative style	Sir

In January 1948^[1], Michael started styling himself as "Prince of Hohenzollern"^[2][72] instead of using the title of "King of Romania," adopting a new title he had never used before and which the Romanian royals had lost during World War I, when the German Hohenzollerns withdrew them the right to bear it. A style of office, or honorific, is a term which by Tradition or Law precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or Title, or to the Majesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin Maiestas, meaning Greatness. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the Cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty less known than the Franconian Only after denouncing his abdication as forced and illegal in March 1948, Michael started using again the title "King of Romania. "

In June 1948 he married Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma in Athens, Greece. Queen Anne of Romania, (born Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma on September 18, 1923) is the wife of the former Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία They lived first in Britain and later settled in Switzerland. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Communist Romanian authorities stripped him of his Romanian citizenship in 1948. He became a commercial pilot and worked for an aircraft equipment company. He and his wife have five daughters.

In 1992, three years after the revolution which overthrew the Communist dictatorship, the Romanian government allowed Michael to return to his country for Easter celebrations, where he drew large crowds. The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a week-long series of increasingly violent riots and fighting in late December 1989 that overthrew the Communist regime of Nicolae Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. In Bucharest over a million people turned out to see him. ^[73] Michael's popularity alarmed the government of President Ion Iliescu so Michael was forbidden to visit Romania again for five years. Ion Iliescu (born March 3, 1930) is a Romanian politician He was the elected President of Romania for eleven years (three terms from 1990 In 1997, after Iliescu's defeat by Emil Constantinescu, the Romanian Government restored Michael's citizenship and again allowed him to visit the country. Emil Constantinescu (born November 19, 1939 in Tighina, currently in the Republic of Moldova) was President of Romania He now lives mostly in Switzerland at Aubonne and partly in Romania, either at his Săvârşin castle in Arad county or in an official residence in Bucharest—the Elisabeta Palace—voted by the Romanian Parliament by a law concerning arrangements for former heads of state. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Aubonne is a municipality in the district of Morges in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Arad (a'rad Hungarian: Arad, Serbian: Arad/Арад) is a county ( Judeţ) of Romania, in Crişana, with The Palace of Elisabeta ( Palatul Elisabeta) in Bucharest, Romania, is currently the home of the former king Michael I of Romania.

Michael has the following children:

• Margarita (born 1949)
• Elena (born 1950)
• Irina (born 1953)
• Sofia (born 1957)
• Maria (born 1964). Princess Margarita of Romania ( Margareta in the Romanian language) Princess of Hohenzollern (styled Crown Princess of Romania) (b Titles styles honours and arms Titles and styles 15 November 1950 - present: Her Royal Highness Princess Elena Princess Irina of Romania was born on 28 February 1953 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Princess Sophie/Sophia (Sofia of Romania was born on 28 October / 29 October 1957 in Tatoi, Greece, and is the fourth daughter of Princess Maria of Romania (b Hellerup, Denmark, 13 July 1964) is the youngest daughter and fifth child of Michael I (Mihai King

Both Elena and Irina have sons as well as daughters. Sophia, whose marriage was not accepted by her father, has a daughter.

For further details, see the genealogical listing^[74].

Because of the Romanian succession provisions of the kingdom's last democratic Constitution of 1923, upon the death of King Michael (assuming he dies without any male children, as it is likely now), in absence of a change of the said Constitution, which would first require the restoration of the monarchy, the succession will devolve back into the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen family, with its head, Frederick William, Prince of Hohenzollern, first in line (see "Line of succession to the Romanian throne"). A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity The House of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is the Cadet branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty less known than the Franconian Frederick William Prince of Hohenzollern (Friedrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Joseph Maria Manuel Georg Meinrad Fidelis Benedikt Michael Hubert von Hohenzollern (Born 3 February The Succession order to the Throne of Romania depends on the interpretation of the applicable laws either the Romanian kingdom's last democratic Constitution

On December 30, 2007, on the 60th anniversary of his abdication, King Michael signed the Fundamental Rules of the Royal Family of Romania^[11][75], by which he designated Princess Margarita as heiress to the throne with the titles of "Crown Princess of Romania" and "Custodian of the Romanian Crown. " According to the opinions of some Romanian politicians and editorialists, this act is undemocratic^[76], with an eminently symbolic importance in the absence of its approval by the Parliament^[77][78]. On the same occasion, Michael also asked the Romanian Parliament that, should it consider restoring the Monarchy, it should also abolish the salic law of succession. Salic law ( Lat Lex Salica) was an important body of traditional Law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the Early Middle Ages

Political positions

Michael has not encouraged monarchist agitation in Romania and royalist parties have made little impact in post-Communist Romanian politics. He takes the view that the restoration of the monarchy in Romania can only result from a decision by the Romanian people. "If the people want me to come back, of course, I will come back," he said in 1990. He said that "Romanians have had enough suffering imposed on them to have the right to be consulted on their future. " In spite of this, King Michael has not given up the hope for himself or his family of returning back on the throne: "We are trying to make people understand what Romanian monarchy was and what it can still do^[79]. "

Michael has undertaken some quasi-diplomatic roles on behalf of post-Communist Romania. In 1997 and 2002 he toured Western Europe, lobbying for Romania's admission into NATO and the European Union, and was received by heads of state and government officials. The North Atlantic Treaty The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

In December 2003, Michael awarded the "Man of The Year 2003"^[80] prize to the then-prime minister Adrian Năstase, leader of the PSD party, on behalf of a minor tabloid. Adrian Năstase (born June 22 1950 is a Romanian politician who was the Prime Minister of Romania from December 2000 to December 2004 The Social Democratic Party of Romania (in Romanian, Partidul Social Democrat, PSD is a major political party of Romania. Some monarchists regarded^[81] Michael's gesture as a break with the traditional political neutrality of the monarchy and a financially motivated compromise with his former Communist enemies.

Personality and personal interests

Michael has had a reputation for taciturnity. Silence is a relative or total lack of audible Sound you can not hear a thing it is quiet He once said to his grandmother, "I have learned not to say what I feel, and to smile at those I most hate. "

Before getting to know his future wife Anne of Bourbon-Parme, Michael had a romantic relationship with, among others,^[82] a Greek woman, Dodo Chrisolegos, a protégé of the Romanian Communist Party leader Ana Pauker. Queen Anne of Romania, (born Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma on September 18, 1923) is the wife of the former The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions The Romanian Communist Party ( Romanian: ro Partidul Comunist Român, PCR was a communist political party in Romania. Ana Pauker (born Hannah Rabinsohn; February 13, 1893 &ndash June 14, 1960) was a Romanian ^[83] Some claim that political influences had been exerted upon King Michael through this liaison. ^[83][84]

Michael is passionate about cars,^[85] especially military jeeps. ^[86][87] He is also interested in airplanes,^[88] having worked as a commercial flight pilot^[89] during his exile. In 1998 Michael gave his honorary patronage,^[90] together with King Juan Carlos of Spain, to the publication of a new version of the renowned Almanach de Gotha. Early life Juan Carlos was born in Rome, where his grandfather Alfonso XIII of Spain lived in exile after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic The Almanach de Gotha, was a respected directory of Europe's highest Nobility and Royalty.

On May 10, 2007, King Michael received the Prague Society for International Cooperation and Global Panel's 6th Annual Hanno R. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Ellenbogen Citizenship Award, previously awarded to Vladimir Ashkenazy, Madeleine Albright, Václav Havel, Lord Robertson, and Miloš Forman. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy ( Russian: Владимир Давидович Madeleine Korbel Albright (born Marie Jana Korbelová on May 15, 1937) was the first woman to become United States Secretary of State. Václav Havel, GCB, CC, ( (born October 5, 1936) is a Czech Playwright Writer and Politician This article is about the contemporary politician For the president of the Court of Session see James Robertson Baron Robertson George Jan Tomáš Forman (ˈjan ˈtomaːʃ ˈforman born February 18, 1932) better known as Miloš Forman (ˈmɪloʃ ˈforman is a Czech-American ^[91] On April 8, 2008, King Michael was inducted as honorary member of the Romanian Academy. Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Romanian Academy ( Romanian: Academia Română) is a cultural forum founded in Romania in 1866. ^[92][93]

Ancestors

See also

• Kings of Romania
• Communist Romania
• Line of succession to the Romanian throne

External links

• The official website of The Romanian Royal Family
• Semi-official Michael of Romania website
• Royal Family events, Official website of Radu Duda, Prince of Hohenzollern-Veringen
• "Bonny King Michael" (Michael at age 5), on the cover of Time, August 1, 1927
• "Michael of Romania", interview with Peter Kurth, 1990
• "King of Romania recalls sacrifices", The Prague Post, May 2005
• "We reigned in darkness", The Spectator, June 14, 1997
• "World War II -- 60 Years After: Former Romanian Monarch Remembers Decision To Switch Sides", Radio Free Europe, May 6, 2005
• "The King’s Revenge", Evenimentul Zilei, April 20, 2006
• "The King and The Jester", Evenimentul Zilei, December 18, 2003
• Oliver North, "A Lesson in Leadership", The Washington Times, April 17, 2006
• (Romanian) Costel Oprea, "Regele Mihai, retrocedare de un miliard de euro", România Liberă, April 27, 2007
• (Romanian) Costel Oprea, "Harta marilor retrocedări (II)", România Liberă, April 18, 2007

References