Carol I, Ruler and King of Romania (b.1839 - d.1914)

In 1858-59 the people of Moldova and Valachia decided to unite the two principalities under the same administration and have as ruler a prince from a foreign noble family. For a short time, Alexandru Ioan Cuza ruled the new country called Romania. In 1 866 the government asked the 27 years old Carol of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen to be the new ruler of Romania.

Carol was born in Sigmaringen (south of today's Germany) on April 7/20, 1839, son of Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and his wife Josephine. After completing the secondary school, Carol graduated the military school in Munster and later, in 1857 the artillery school in Berlin. As a lieutenant he had a remarkable activity in the Austrian-German-Danish, participating in the siege of Fredericia Castle.

In 1866, the Count Phillipe of Flandra refused the Romanian throne and the I.C. Bratianu went to Germany to ask Prince Carol to accept it. He did and then traveled to Romania by train and by boat on the Danube, crossing Dusseldorf, Bonn, Freiburg, Zuri ch, Vienna and Budapest. Germany was in tense relations with Austria, thus Carol had to travel with a false passport pretending to be a businessman.

On May 10, 1866 Carol arrives in Bucharest welcomed by happy crowds and the political personalities. It is considered the birth day of the Romanian Royal Dynasty. Prince Carol received the title of 'Domnitor' (ruler, hospodar) and took an oath in front of the Parliament. Romania was not an independent country at that time. It was under Ottoman dominance.

On November 3^rd, 1869 Carol married Elisabeth of Wied, known later as Carmen Sylva. On September 27, 1870 Princess Maria is born the first Romanian princess in the Hohenzollern Dynasty. Unfortunately she died four years later. Carol and Elis abeta had no more children.

The first few years as ruler of Romania were very difficult for Carol. He had to adapt to a new culture and language, to Balkanian ways of doing politics and he was about to abdicate in 1870. Few years later however, he was commanding the Russian-Roman ian troops in the Russian-Ottoman war. This war brought the independence of Romania. May 10, 1877 is a historical landmark in the development of modern Romania: the Declaration of Independence. Carol name is forever linked with the event and his role was a very important one.

From then on Romania was a new independent state in Europe. Its status as principality had to be changed. Thus in 1881 Romania becomes Kingdom and Carol I becomes the first King of Romania. He designates Ferdinand as his heir, assuring the continuity of the Hohenzollern Dynasty on the Romanian throne.

King Carol I had a 48 years long reign. These years brought major changes to Romania. The King was a severe, disciplined person, with very high standards of morality. He tried all his life to impose his precise and meticulous living style on those surr ounding him. Queen Elisabeth said "he is wearing the crown even while sleeping".

When the WWI begun, the Crown Council decided that Romania should not join Germany in the war. King Carol did not oppose this but it was a hard personal burden for him. On September 27, 1914 he dies being 75 years old. He left his nephew to carry on wh at he did not have the chance to do. Fight in the war, commanding the Romanian troops, to integrate Transilvania as part of Romania.

King Carol I rests in the Church at Curtea de Arges Monastery, where only two years later was buried his wife too, Queen Elisabeth.

Note: for exact dates and other events consult the chronology.