Ferdinand I of Romania Facts for Kids

Ferdinand I (born Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad; August 24, 1865 – July 20, 1927) was the King of Romania from 1914 until his death. He was known as Întregitorul, which means "the Unifier". This nickname shows his important role in making Romania much larger.

Ferdinand was born in Germany. His family was part of the Hohenzollern royal family. They were a Catholic branch of the Prussian royal family.

In 1889, Ferdinand became the Crown Prince of Romania. This happened because his father and older brother gave up their rights to the throne. He then moved to Romania and continued his military career. In 1893, he married Princess Marie of Edinburgh. She was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. She was also the granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II of Russia.

Ferdinand became King of Romania on October 10, 1914. This was after his uncle, King Carol I, passed away. He led Romania during World War I. He chose to join the Triple Entente against the Central Powers. This decision was important for Romania's future. After the war, Romania grew much larger. New regions like Transylvania joined the country. In 1922, Ferdinand was crowned King of "Greater Romania".

Ferdinand died in 1927 from cancer. His grandson, Michael, became king. Michael was very young, so a group of three people ruled for him.

Becoming King of Romania
- Early Life and Family Background
- Marriage and Royal Life
Ferdinand's Reign as King
Death and Succession
Honours and Awards
Images for kids
See also

Becoming King of Romania

Early Life and Family Background

Ferdinand as a teenager, 1878

Prince Ferdinand Viktor Albert Meinrad was born in Sigmaringen, Germany. His family name was Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. This was later shortened to Hohenzollern. His family had ruled a small principality until 1850. Then it became part of Prussia.

Ferdinand's father was Leopold, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. His mother was Infanta Antónia of Portugal. She was the daughter of Queen Maria II of Portugal.

Ferdinand became the heir to the Romanian throne in 1889. His uncle, King Carol I, had no children. So, Ferdinand's father and older brother gave up their claims. The Romanian parliament officially recognized him as a prince of Romania. He was allowed to remain Catholic. However, his children had to be raised in the Orthodox faith. This was the main religion in Romania.

Marriage and Royal Life

Wedding Medal of Ferdinand I of Romania 1893 by Anton Scharff. Obverse

On January 10, 1893, Prince Ferdinand married Princess Marie of Edinburgh. They were distant cousins. Marie's grandparents included Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Her other grandparents were Alexander II of Russia and Marie of Hesse and by Rhine.

Ferdinand and Marie had six children together. They had three sons and three daughters. Their children were Carol, Nicholas, Mircea, Elisabeta, Maria, and Ileana.

Ferdinand's Reign as King

On October 10, 1914, Ferdinand became King of Romania. He was known as Ferdinand I. He took over after his uncle, King Carol I, passed away.

Romania in World War I

Ferdinand led Romania during World War I. He decided that Romania would join the Triple Entente. This alliance included France, Britain, and Russia. They fought against the Central Powers, which included Germany. Ferdinand chose to fight alongside the Entente. He kept his promise to "reign as a good Romanian." Because of this, the German Emperor removed Ferdinand's name from the Hohenzollern family register.

Wilhelm and Ferdinand (British World War I poster)

$Ferdinand I depicted on a 50 bani fractional note (1917)$

Ferdinand I depicted on a 50 bani fractional note (1917)

Romania faced tough times early in the war. Parts of the country were occupied by the Central Powers. But in 1917, the Romanian army fought back. They stopped the German advance into Moldavia. When Russia left the war in 1918, Romania was surrounded. They were forced to sign a peace treaty. However, Ferdinand refused to officially approve it.

Later, the Allied forces pushed back the Central Powers. Ferdinand ordered the Romanian army to rejoin the war. Romania helped the Triple Entente win the war.

Creating Greater Romania

After the war, Romania became much larger. Regions like Bessarabia, Bukovina, and Transylvania joined the country. This created what was called "Greater Romania." This was a huge achievement for the country.

On October 15, 1922, Ferdinand was crowned King of "Greater Romania." The ceremony was held in Alba Iulia. This city is in Transylvania. It was a very important moment for the country.

Changes After the War

After the war, Romanian society changed a lot. There were major reforms, like land reform. This helped many farmers get their own land. Also, universal voting was introduced. This meant more people could vote.

In 1925, Ferdinand's oldest son, Prince Carol, gave up his right to the throne. This caused a problem for who would be the next king. The next in line was Carol's young son, Prince Michael. Ferdinand then removed Prince Carol from the royal family.

Death and Succession

Ferdinand died from cancer on July 20, 1927, in Sinaia. His grandson, Michael, became the new king. Because Michael was only four years old, a group of three people ruled for him. This group was called a regency. One member of the regency was Ferdinand's second son, Prince Nicholas of Romania.