A young nation in the making, deposing its leader and electing a foreign prince. The foreign prince would bring independence to his adopted nation and his long rule would secure its survival despite its diverse origins.
Story in the evening ...
Story in the evening ...
https://twitter.com/Arby_K/status/1331438082726318084
Prince Karl Eitel Friedrich von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was born in 1839 to Prince Karl Anton and his wife Josephine von Baden. His father was the last prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen before it was annexed by Prussia. 1/10 
Alexandru Ioan Cuza was a Moldavian noble who had become the Prince of the Ottoman Danubian principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia in 1859. By 1862, the two principalities has been combined to form Romania with Alexandru as the ruling Domnitor. 2/10
Moldavia and Wallachia were autonomous principalities in Hungary that came under Ottoman rule at different times. In 1812, a part of Moldavia (Northern Bessarabia) was acquired by Russia (and would form the present country Moldova). 3/10
In 1866, perceived as too autocratic, Cuza was deposed by a coalition of liberal and conservative political parties. Prince Karl, a relative of the French Emperor Napoleon III and son of a recent Prussian Prime Minister, was found to be an acceptable replacement. 4/10
Karl, now known as Carol, would take time being accepted by his adopted nation. But leadership at the Siege of Plevna during the Russo-Turkish wars of 1877-1878 would bring popular support for Carol. The siege would also lead the way for an independent Romania. 5/10
As the King of Romania, Carol would devote his time to develop the industry and infrastructure. Having redistributed farmland in 1864 to the peasants, he would be faced with a revolt by peasants who found their allocations unsustainable. The revolt was suppressed by force. 6/10
By 1914, Carol had been ruling Romania for 48 years. Favouring Hohenzollern ruled Germany in WWI, he would be forced to remain neutral by the Crown Council. With his death the same year, his nephew and heir, Ferdinand, would align with his wife's cousin, George V of the UK. 7/10
The First World War would bring Transylvania, till then part of Hungary, and the Russian part of Bessarabia to Romania. The enlarged Romania would last till 1940, when Russia would retake Bessarabia and some parts gained after WWI going to Bulgaria and Hungary. 8/10
The alignment of Romania with Germany coupled with the loss of territory would lead to the overthrow of Ferdinand's son, King Carol. His son, Michael, would become the new king, but with Conducător Ion Antonescu effectively running the country. 9/10
King Michael would eventually lead a coup against Antonescu with Soviet support in 1944 and switch sides in the war. But he would be forced to abdicate in 1947 formally ending the Kingdom of Romania. 10/10
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
