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FerdinandIOfRomania

Ferdinand I (August 24? 1865? – July 20? 1927?) was the king of Romania from October 10? 1914? until his death. thumb|left|Ferdinand I of Romania? Born in Sigmaringen? in southwestern Germany?, the originally catholic Prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen? was a son of Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen? and princess Antonia? of Portugal? (1845-1913), daughter of Queen Maria II? and her consort, Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha?. Following the renunciations of his father and elder brother, young Ferdinand became the heir to the throne of his childless uncle, King Carol I of Romania in November 1888?.

Ferdinand's mother's first cousin Ferdinand I of Bulgaria? sat on the throne of the neighboring Bulgaria? since 1889 and was to become the greatest opponent of the kingdom of his Romanian cousins. The neighboring Emperor Francis Joseph, ruler of Austria-Hungary?, was Ferdinand's grandmother's first cousin.

In 1893?, Crown Prince Ferdinand married his distant cousin, Princess Marie of Edinburgh?, daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh? and Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia?. Her paternal grandparents were Victoria of the United Kingdom? and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha?. Her maternal grandparents were Alexander II of Russia? and Marie of Hesse and by Rhine?. The reigning Emperor of the neighboring Russia? was Marie's first cousin Nicholas II.

Their marriage produced three sons (one of whom died in infancy) and three daughters, his wife being reportedly adulterous in later stages of the marriage, so Ileana and Mircea are surmised children of Barbu Stirbey? and Maria sired by Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich of Russia?. Ferdinand reportedly wanted to avoid scandal and did not repudiate the legal paternity.

Ferdinand succeeded his uncle as King of Romania on 10 October?, 1914?, reigning until his death on 20 July?, 1927?.

thumb|left|Wilhelm and Ferdinand (British [[World War I|WWI? poster)]]

Though a member of a cadet branch of Germany's ruling Hohenzollern? imperial family, Ferdinand presided over his country's entry into World War I? on the side of the Triple Entente? powers against the Central Powers? on August 27?, 1916?. Thus he gained the nickname the Loyal, respecting his oath when sworn in before the Romanian Parliament? in 1914?:

{{cquote|I will reign as a good Romanian.}}

Also as a consequence of this "betrayal" of his German roots, the Kaiser Wilhelm II? had his name erased from the Hohenzollern? House register and moreover had him excommunicated by the Pope Benedict XV?. [http://www.evz.ro/article.php?artid=258749]

Despite the setbacks after the entry into war, when Dobruja? and Wallachia? were occupied by the Central Powers?, Romania fought on in 1917? and stopped the German? advance into Moldavia?. When the Bolsheviks? sued for peace? in 1918?, Romania was surrounded by the Central Powers? and forced to conclude the Treaty of Bucharest, 1918?. However, Ferdinand refused to sign the treaty. When the Allied? advance on the Thessaloniki? front knocked Bulgaria? out of the war, Ferdinand ordered the re-mobilization of the Romanian Army? and Romania re-entered the war on the Triple Entente? side.

The outcome of Romania's war effort was the union of Bessarabia?, Bukovina? and Transylvania? with the Kingdom of Romania? in 1918?. Ferdinand became the ruler of a greatly enlarged Romanian state in 1918-1920 following the Entente?'s victory over the Central Powers?, a war between the Kingdom of Romania? and the Hungarian Soviet Republic?, and the civil war? in Russia?, and was crowned King of Romania? in a spectacular ceremony on October 15?, 1922? at the historic princely seat of Alba Iulia?.

Domestic political life during his reign was dominated by the conservative National Liberal party? led by the brothers and . The acquisition of Transylvania? ironically enlarged the electoral base of the opposition, whose principal parties united in January 1925-October 1926 to form the National Peasant Party.

Ferdinand died in 1927?, and was succeeded by his grandson Michael?, under a regency?. The regency had three members, one of whom was Ferdinand's second son, Prince Nicholas?.

Although it is said that during his life King Ferdinand was not a very strong-minded person and had no will, he remains Romania's most important monarch, a true ruler of "România Mare?", who, opposite to Carol I, loved Romanian people and their country with all his heart.