King of the Romanians

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King of the Romanians (Romanian: Regele Românilor)^[1] rather than King of Romania (Romanian: Regele României) was the official title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947 when Romania was proclaimed a republic.

The state had been called the Principality of Romania since 1862, after the Ottoman vasal states of Wallachia and Moldavia had been united in 1859 under Alexander John Cuza as Prince of Romania, or Domnitor. Cuza had become the prince of the separate principalities in 1859. He was deposed in 1866 by the Romanian parliament which then invited a German prince of the Hohenzollern family, Carol (Charles) of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, to become the new Prince of Romania.

Romania's independence from the Ottoman Empire was recognized in 1878 at the Congress of Berlin; the principality became a sovereign kingdom in 1881, with Prince Carol as King Carol I.

Romania was a constitutional monarchy for most of its existence as a kingdom with the exception of 1938-1939, when Carol II deposed his government and instituted a royal dictatorship.

In 1927, King Ferdinand died and left the country to Prince Mihai despite Carol being his father. Carol had no desire to rule Romania, and was frequently out of the country exploring the rest of Europe with his mistress. Mihai's first rule of two would be short lived at a span of only three years until his father came back to accept the title at the behest of dissatisfied politicians.

After ten years of rule, King Carol II gave up his royal title and all accoutrements attached to move from Romania and marry Elena Lupescu. They ultimately settled in Portugal, and the 'playboy king' was never called back to Romania.

Mihai's short years were about to seem much longer as 1944 brought the Soviet forces close to the east of Romania. Despite being polically aligned with the Allied forces after withdrawing Romania from its alliance with the Nazis due to the Ion Antonescu's politics, the Soviet occupation soon began. In December of 1947 the communists announced the abolition of the monarchy, so Mihai abdicated and left the country.

After the fall of communism in 1989 Mihai visited Romania to some of the largest crowds recorded in the streets of Bucharest.

[edit] List of the Kings of the Romanians

For the list of rulers prior to 1866 see List of rulers of Wallachia, List of rulers of Moldavia and List of rulers of Transylvania. See Presidents of Romania for the list of presidents after 1947.

Affiliation	Years	Ruler	Remarks	Years as King
Hohenzollern	1881-1914	Carol I	previously ruled as Domnitor (Prince) of Romania from 1866	33 out of a total of 48 of reign
Hohenzollern	1914-1927	Ferdinand	--	13
Hohenzollern	1927-1930	Mihai	1st rule; regency	3
Hohenzollern	1930-1940	Carol II	--	10
Hohenzollern	1940-1947	Mihai	2nd rule	7