Kingdom of Romania 297151 224667567 2008-07-09T21:55:55Z Zorrobot 7218328 robot Adding: [[nn:Kongedømet Romania]] {{seealso|Kings of Romania}} {{Mergefrom|Romanian Old Kingdom|date=November 2007}} {{Cleanup|date=December 2006}} {{Infobox Former Country |native_name = ''Regatul României'' |conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Romania |common_name = Romania |continent=Europe |continent=Europe |region = Romania |country = Romania |era= Interwar period |year_start = 1881 |date_start = 13 March |event_start = Kingdom established |year_end = 1947 |date_end = 30 December |event_end = Monarchy abolished |event1 = [[Treaty of Trianon|Territorial expansion]] |date_event1 = [[December 1]], [[1918]] |p1 = Romanian principalities |flag_p1 = Flag of Romania.svg |p2 = Moldavian Democratic Republic |flag_p2 = R D Moldova.png |p3 = Bukovina |flag_p3 = Flag of Bukowina.svg |p4 = Transylvania |flag_p4 = Flag of Austria-Hungary 1869-1918.svg |s1 = Communist Romania |flag_s1 = Flag of Romania (1948-1952).svg |s2 = Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic |flag_s2 = Flag of Moldavian SSR.svg |s3 = Izmail Oblast |flag_s3 = Flag of Ukrainian SSR.svg |s4 = Chernivtsi Oblast |flag_s4 = Flag of Ukrainian SSR.svg |image_flag = Flag of Romania.svg |image_coat = Kingdom of Romania - Big CoA.svg |flag_article= Flag Of Romania |image_map = Romania_MASSR_1920.png |image_map_cpation = Romania 1918-1940 |national_anthem = Trăiască Regele |common_languages = [[Romanian language|Romanian]] |capital = Bucharest |government_type = Constitutional monarchy |title_leader = [[King of Romania|King]] |leader1 = [[Carol I of Romania|Carol I]] |year_leader1 = 1881-1914 |leader2 = [[Ferdinand I of Romania|Ferdinand I]] |year_leader2 = 1914-1927 |leader3 = [[Michael I of Romania|Michael I]] <small>(1st reign)</small> |year_leader3 = 1927-1930 |leader4 = [[Carol II of Romania|Carol II]] |year_leader4 = 1930-1940 |leader5 = [[Michael I of Romania|Michael I]] <small>(2nd reign)</small> |year_leader5 = 1940-1947 |legislature = Parlamentul (Reprezentanţa Naţională, or Corpurile Legiuitoare) |house1 = Senatul |house2 = Adunarea Deputaţilor |currency = Romanian Leu }} From [[1859]] to [[1877]], [[Romania]] evolved from a [[personal union]] of two vassal principalities ([[Moldavia]] and [[Wallachia]]) under a single prince to a full-fledged independent kingdom with a [[Hohenzollern]] monarchy. In 1918, at the end of [[World War I]], [[Transylvania]], Eastern Moldavia ([[Bessarabia]]), and [[Bukovina]] united with the Kingdom of Romania, resulting in a "[[Greater Romania]]". In 1940, at the beginning of [[World War II]], Northern [[Transylvania]], [[Bessarabia|Basarabia]] and [[Cadrilater]] were ceded to [[Hungary]], [[Soviet Union]] and [[Bulgaria]] respectively, only Northern Transylvania being recovered after World War II ended. In 1947 the monarchy was replaced by a communist regime. __TOC__ == Unification and monarchy == {{seealso|National awakening of Romania|Romanian War of Independence}} The 1859 ascendancy of [[Alexander John Cuza]] as prince of both Moldavia and Wallachia under the nominal [[suzerainty]] of the [[Ottoman Empire]] united an identifiably Romanian nation under a single ruler. On [[February 5]], [[1862]] ([[January 24]] [[Old Style and New Style dates|Old Style]]) the two principalities were formally united to form Romania, with [[Bucharest]] as its capital. On [[February 23]], [[1866]] a so-called ''Monstrous coalition'', composed of Conservatives and radical Liberals, forced Cuza to abdicate. The German prince [[Carol I of Romania|Carol (Charles) of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen]] was appointed as Prince of Romania, in a move to assure [[Germany|German]] backing to unity and future independence. His descendants were to rule as the [[kings of Romania]] until the rise of the communists in 1947. [[Image:Carolu Iiu.jpg|thumb|left|200px|King [[Carol I of Romania|Carol I.]] (ruled 1866 - 1914)]] [[Image:Actul proclamarii Regatului Romania.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Romanian Kingdom Proclamation Act]] In 1877, following a [[Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878|Russian-Romanian-Turkish war]], Romania was recognized as independent by the [[Treaty of Berlin, 1878]], and acquired [[Dobruja]], although she was forced to surrender southern Bessarabia ([[Budjak]]) to Russia. Charles was crowned as Carol, the first King of Romania, in 1881. The new state, squeezed between the Ottoman, [[Austro-Hungarian Empire|Austro-Hungarian]], and [[Imperial Russia|Russian]] empires, with Slavic populations on its southwestern, southern and northeastern borders, the Black Sea due east, and [[Magyars|Magyar]] neighbors on its western and northwestern borders, looked to the West, particularly [[France]], for its cultural, educational and administrative models. Abstaining from the [[First Balkan War|Initial Balkan War]] against the Ottoman Empire, Romania entered the [[Second Balkan War]] in June 1913 against Bulgaria. 330,000 Romanian troops moved across the Danube and into Bulgaria. One army occupied Southern Dobrudja and another moved into northern Bulgaria to threaten Sofia, helping to bring an end to the war. Romania thus acquired the ethnically-mixed territory of Southern Dobrudja, which it had desired for years. In 1916 Romania entered [[World War I]] on the [[Triple Entente|Entente]] side, but was quickly defeated and occupied by German and Austro-Hungarian forces. Although the Romanian forces did not fare well militarily, by the end of the war the Austrian and Russian empires were gone; governing bodies created in Transylvania, Bessarabia and Bukovina chose union with Romania, upheld in 1919 the [[Treaty of Saint-Germain]] and in 1920 by the [[Treaty of Trianon]]. ==Romanian Old Kingdom (1881-1918)== {{main|Romanian Old Kingdom|Romania during World War I}} [[Image:Rumaenien 1901.JPG|thumb|300px|1901 German map of the Old Kingdom]] The '''Romanian Old Kingdom''' ([[Romanian language|Romanian]]: ''Vechiul Regat'' or just ''Regat''; [[German language|German]]: ''Regat'' or ''Altreich'') is a colloquial term referring to the territory covered by the first independent Romanian [[nation state]], which was composed of the [[Danubian Principalities]] &mdash; Wallachia and Moldavia. It was achieved when, under the auspices of the [[Treaty of Paris (1856)]], the [[ad hoc Divans]] of both countries - which were under [[Ottoman Empire|Imperial Ottoman]] [[suzerainty]] at the time - voted for [[Alexander John Cuza]] as their prince, thus achieving a ''[[de facto]]'' unification. The region itself is defined by the result of that political act, followed by the inclusion of [[Northern Dobruja]] in 1878, the proclamation of the [[Kingdom of Romania]] in 1881, and the annexation of [[Southern Dobruja]] in 1913. The term came into use after World War I, when the Old Kingdom was opposed to [[Greater Romania]], which included Transylvania, [[Banat]], Bessarabia, and Bukovina. Nowadays, the term mainly has a historical relevance, and is otherwise used as a common term for all regions in Romania included in both the Old Kingdom and present-day borders (namely: Wallachia, Moldavia, and Northern Dobruja). ==World War I== {{main|Romania during World War I}} The [[Romanian Campaign (World War I)|Romanian military campaign]] ended in disaster for Romania as the [[Central Powers]] conquered two-thirds of the country and captured or killed the majority of its [[Romanian Army|army]] within four months. Nevertheless, [[Moldova]] remained in Romanian hands after the invading forces were stopped in 1917. Since by the war's end, Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire had collapsed, Bessarabia, Bukovina and Transylvania were allowed to unite with the Kingdom of Romania in 1918. [[Image:Ferdinand of Romania.jpg|thumb|left|100px|King [[Ferdinand I of Romania|Ferdinand]] (ruled 1914 - 1927}]] ==Union with Transylvania, Bessarabia and Bukovina== [[Image:Romanians before WW1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Territories inhabited by Romanians before the territorial acquisitions from 1918]] {{main|Union of Transylvania with Romania|Union of Bessarabia with Romania}} After World War I, during 1918, Transylvania, part of Banat, Bessarabia (Eastern Moldavia between Prut and Dniester rivers) and Bukovina unite with Romania. Except for some territories across the [[Dniester river]], all the territories inhabited by Romanians were united in a single state. By the 1920 [[Treaty of Trianon]], [[Hungary]] renounced in favour of Romania all the claims of the [[Austro-Hungarian Monarchy]] over Transylvania.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://wwi.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Treaty_of_Trianon|title=Text of the Treaty of Trianon|publisher=World War I Document Archive|accessdate=2007-12-07}}</ref> The union of Romania with [[Bukovina]] was ratified in 1919 in the [[Treaty of Saint Germain]],<ref>{{citebook|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ox_gXq2jpdYC&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq=treaty+of+st+germain+text+bukovina&source=web&ots=naxO-x01Oy&sig=JK8wTD6USXqEM_L_1yqw7C_f6wM#PPA162,M1|title=Europe Since 1945: An Encyclopedia|author=Bernard Anthony Cook|page=162|isbn=0815340575|year=2001|publisher=Taylor&Francis|accessdate=2007-12-07}}</ref> and with Bessarabia in 1920 by the [[Treaty of Paris (1920)|Treaty of Paris]].<ref>{{citejournal|title=The Legal Status of the Bukovina and Bessarabia|author=Malbone W. Graham|journal=The American Journal of International Law|date=Oct. 1944|volume=38|issue=4|pubisher=American Society of International Law|url=http://www.jstor.org/view/00029300/di981654/98p0431z/2?frame=noframe&userID=83d7a986@caltech.edu/01c0a80a6a00501cd629c&dpi=3&config=jstor|accessdate=2007-12-08|format={{dead link|date=June 2008}} &ndash; <sup>[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3A+intitle%3AThe+Legal+Status+of+the+Bukovina+and+Bessarabia&as_publication=The+American+Journal+of+International+Law&as_ylo=&as_yhi=&btnG=Search Scholar search]</sup>}}</ref> == The interregnum years == {{main|Greater Romania}} The Romanian expression România Mare (literal translation "Great Romania", but more commonly rendered "Greater Romania") generally refers to the Romanian state in the [[interwar period]], and by extension, to the territory Romania covered at the time (see map). Romania achieved at that time its greatest territorial extent (almost 300,000 km² <ref>{{ro icon}}[http://media.ici.ro/history/ist08.htm STATUL NATIONAL UNITAR (ROMÂNIA MARE 1919 - 1940)]</ref>), managing to unite all the historic Romanian lands. [[Image:Romania territory during 20th century.gif|thumb|right|Romanian territory during the 20th century: purple indicates the Old Kingdom before 1913, orange indicates Greater Romania areas that joined or were annexed after the [[Second Balkan War]] and [[World War I]] but were lost after [[World War II]], and rose indicates areas that joined Romania after World War I and remained so after World War II.]] [[Image:Romania1939physical.jpg|250px|left|thumb|Kingdom of Romania 1939, physical]] [[Image:Greater Romania 1930.svg|thumb|left|250px|Administrative map of Greater Romania]] [[Image:Greater Romania histprov.svg|thumb|left|250px|Administrative map of Greater Romania with historical provinces]] The resulting "Greater Romania" did not survive World War II. Until 1938, Romania's governments maintained the form, if not always the substance, of a liberal constitutional monarchy. The [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|National Liberal Party]], dominant in the years immediately after World War I, became increasingly clientelist and nationalist, and in 1927 was supplanted in power by the [[National Peasant Party]]. Between 1930 and 1940 there were over 25 separate governments; on several occasions in the last few years before World War II, conflict between the [[Iron Guard]] and other political groupings approached the level of a civil war. [[Image:King Mihai I of Romania postcard.jpg|thumb|right|100px|King [[Michael I of Romania|Michael]] during his first rule (1927-1930)]] Upon the death in 1927 of his father [[Ferdinand of Romania|Ferdinand]], [[Carol II of Romania|Prince Carol]] was prevented from succeeding him because of previous marital scandals that had resulted in his renunciation of rights to the throne. After serving three years in exile, with his brother Nicolae serving as regent and his young son [[Michael I of Romania|Michael]] as king, Carol changed his mind and with the support of the ruling National Peasant Party he returned and proclaimed himself king. [[Image:King Carol II of Romania.jpg|thumb|left|100px|King [[Carol II of Romania|Carol II]] (1930-1940)]] [[Iuliu Maniu]], leader of the National Peasant Party, engineered Carol's return on the understanding that he would forsake his mistress [[Magda Lupescu]], and Lupescu herself had agreed to the arrangement. However, it became clear upon Carol's first re-encounter with Elena that she had no interest in a reconciliation, and Carol soon arranged for Lupescu's return to his side. Her unpopularity in Romania, no doubt due in large part to her having a [[Jew]]ish father, was to be a millstone around Carol's neck for the rest of his reign, particularly because she was widely viewed as his closest advisor and confidante. The [[Great Depression|1929 economic crisis]] greatly affected Romania and the early 1930s were marked by social unrest, high unemployment, and strikes. In several instances, the Romanian government violently repressed strikes and riots, notably the 1929 miners' strike in [[Valea Jiului]] and the strike in the [[Grivita|Griviţa]] railroad workshops. In the mid-1930s, the Romanian economy recovered and the industry grew significantly, although about 80% of Romanians were still employed in agriculture. As the 1930s progressed, Romania's already shaky democracy slowly deteriorated toward [[fascism|fascist]] dictatorship. The constititution of 1923 gave the king free rein to dissolve parliament and call elections at will; as a result, Romania was to experience over 25 governments in a decade. Increasingly, these governments were dominated by any of a number of [[anti-Semitism|anti-Semitic]], ultra-nationalist, and mostly at least quasi-fascist parties. The [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|National Liberal Party]] steadily became more nationalistic than liberal, but nonetheless lost its dominance over Romanian politics. It was eclipsed by parties like the (relatively moderate) National Peasant Party and its more radical [[Romanian Front]] offshoot, the [[League of National-Christian Defense]] (LANC) and the [[Iron Guard]]. In 1935 LANC merged with the [[National Agrarian Party]] to form the [[National Christian Party]] (NCP). The quasi-mystical fascist Iron Guard was an earlier LANC offshoot that, even more than these other parties, exploited nationalism, fear of communism, and resentment of alleged foreign and [[Jew]]ish domination of the economy. Already, the Iron Guard had embraced the politics of assassination and various governments had reacted more or less in kind. On [[December 10]], [[1933]], Liberal prime minister [[Ion Duca]] "dissolved" the Iron Guard, arresting thousands; 19 days later he was assassinated by Iron Guard legionnaires. Throughout the 1930s, these nationalist parties had a mutually distrustful relationship with King Carol II. Nonetheless, in December 1937, the king appointed LANC leader (and poet) [[Octavian Goga]] as prime minister. Around this time, Carol met with [[Adolf Hitler]], who expressed his wish to see a Romanian government headed by the Iron Guard. Instead, on [[February 10]], [[1938]] King Carol II used the occasion of a public insult by Goga to toward Lupescu as a reason to dismiss the government and institute a short-lived royal dictatorship, sanctioned seventeen days later by a new constitution under which the king named not only the prime minister but ''all'' ministers. [[Image:Mihai.jpg|thumb|left|100px|right|King [[Michael I of Romania|Michael]] during his second rule (1940-1947)]] On [[February 10]], [[1938]], in order to prevent the formation of a government that would have included Iron Guard ministers, and in direct confrontation to Adolf Hitler's expressed support of the Iron Guard, King Carol II dismissed the government and instituted a short-lived royal dictatorship, raising the stakes on both sides. In April 1938, Carol had Iron Guard leader [[Corneliu Zelea Codreanu]] arrested and imprisoned. On the night of [[November 29]]-30, [[1938]], Codreanu and several other legionnaires were killed while purportedly attempting to escape from prison. It is generally agreed that there was no such escape attempt, but that they were murdered in retaliation for a series of assassinations by Iron Guard commandos. The royal dictatorship was brief. On [[March 7]], [[1939]] a new government was formed with [[Armand Călinescu]] as prime minister; on [[September 21]], [[1939]], three weeks after the start of World War II, Călinescu, in turn, was assassinated by legionnaires avenging Codreanu. In 1939 Germany and the [[Soviet Union]] signed the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact]], which stipulated, among other things, the Soviet "interest" in Bessarabia. == Timeline (1859 - 1939)== {{History of Romania}} <table> <tr><td valign="top">1859 </td><td>[[Alexander John Cuza]] unites [[Moldavia]] and [[Wallachia]] under his personal rule. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1862 </td><td>Formal union of Moldavia and Wallachia to form principality of Romania. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1866 </td><td>Cuza forced to abdicate and a foreign dynasty is established. Carol I signed the first modern Constitution. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1877 </td><td>[[16 April]]. Treaty by which the Russian troops are allowed to pass through Romanian territory [[24 April]]. Russia declares war to the Ottoman Empire and its troops enter Romania <br> [[9 May]]. Romanian independence declared by the Romanian parliament, start of [[Romanian War of Independence]]<br> [[10 May]]. [[Carol I of Romania|Carol I]] ratifies independence declaration </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1878 </td><td>Under [[Treaty of Berlin, 1878|Treaty of Berlin]], Ottoman Empire recognizes Romanian independence. Romania ceded southern Bessarabia to Russia. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1881 </td><td>Carol I was proclaimed [[King of Romania]] on [[March 26]]. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1894 </td><td>Leaders of the Transylvanian Romanians who sent [[Transylvanian Memorandum|a Memorandum]] to the Austrian Emperor demanding national rights for the Romanians are found guilty of treason. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1907 </td><td>[[1907 Romanian Peasants' Revolt|Violent peasant revolts]] crushed throughout Romania, thousands of persons killed. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1914 </td><td>Death of Carol I, succeeded by his nephew [[Ferdinand of Romania|Ferdinand]]. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1916 </td><td>(August) Romania enters [[World War I]] on the [[Entente]] side.<BR> (December) [[Romanian Treasure]] sent to Russia for safekeeping, but was not returned after the war. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1918 </td><td>[[Greater Romania]] is created. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top"> </td><td>By the [[Treaty of Versailles]], Romania agreed to grant citizenship to the former citizens of Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires living in the new Romanian territories. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1919 </td><td>A military conflict occurs between Romania and Hungarian Soviet led by [[Béla Kun]]. The Romanian Army takes over [[Budapest]] on [[August 4]], 1919. The city is ruled by a military administration until [[November 16]], 1919. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1920 </td><td>The [[Treaty of Trianon]] upholds Romanian unification. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1921 </td><td>A major and radical [[agrarian reform]]. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1923 </td><td>The 1923 Constitution is adopted based on a National Liberal Party project.<br /> [[Christian National Defense League]] (LANC) founded. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1924 </td><td>LANC member (later [[Iron Guard]] founder) [[Corneliu Zelea Codreanu]] assassinates the Prefect of Police in [[Iaşi]], but is acquitted. <tr><td valign="top">1926 </td><td>Liberal Electoral Law adopted.<br /> "[[Little Entente]]" with [[Czechoslovakia]] and [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] and Franco-Romanian Treaty. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1927 </td><td>The National Peasant Party takes over the government from the National Liberal Party.<br /> The Legion of the Archangel Michael, later the Iron Guard, splits from LANC.<br /> [[Mihai of Romania|Michael]] (Mihai) becomes king under a [[Regent|regency]] regime. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1929 </td><td>Beginning of the [[Great Depression]]. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1930 </td><td>Carol II crowned King. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1931 </td><td>First ban on Iron Guard.</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1933 </td><td>(February 16) Griviţa Railcar Workshops strike violently put down by police.<br /> (December 10) Prime Minister [[Ion Duca]] "dissolves" the Iron Guard, arresting thousands; 19 days later he is assassinated by Iron Guard legionnaires. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1935 </td><td>LANC and National Agrarian Party merge to form the fascist National Christian Party (NCP). </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1937 </td><td>Electoral "non-aggression pact" between National Peasant Party and Iron Guard, later adding the Agrarian Union. Romanian Communist Party denounces pact, but, in practice, supports the National-Peasants.<br /> LANC forms government, but is rapidly in conflict with Carol II over [[Magda Lupescu|his Jewish mistress]]. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1938 </td><td>[[February 10]]. Royal dictatorship declared. New constitution adopted February 27.<br /> (November 29-30) Iron Guard leader Codreanu and other legionnaires shot on the King's orders. </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top">1939 </td><td>[[March 7]]. [[Armand Călinescu]] forms government.<br /> [[August 23]]. [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact]] stipulates Soviet "interest" in Bessarabia.<br/> [[September 1]]. Germany invades Poland. Start of World War II.<br /> [[September 21]]. Călinescu assassinated by Iron Guard legionnaires. </td></tr> </table> ==References== * Lampe, John R. [http://books.google.com/books?id=OtW2axOSn10C&pg=PA350&ots=BTEb2k1FVt&dq=%22Romanian+Old+Kingdom%22&sig=9DgjwUEA_GdVbFoRnWh1wO-G2FQ Balkan Economic History, 1550-1950: From Imperial Borderlands to Developing Nations], 1982, ISBN 0253303680. {{reflist}} ==See also== * [[Romanian War of Independence]] *[http://www.the-map-as-history.com/demos/tome03/index.php Video with the redrawing of the borders after the First World War] <div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <hr noshade size="4" width="100%"/> &lt; '''[[National awakening of Romania|National Awakening]] | [[History of Romania]] | [[Greater Romania]] ''' &gt; <hr noshade size="4" width="100%"/> </div> {{Romanian topics}} [[Category:Romanian historical regions|Old Kingdom]] [[Category:History of Romania]] [[es:Reino de Rumania]] [[ko:루마니아 왕국]] [[os:Румынийы къаролад]] [[it:Regno di Romania]] [[he:המלוכה ברומניה]] [[nl:Koninkrijk Roemenië]] [[nn:Kongedømet Romania]] [[pl:Królestwo Rumunii]] [[pt:Reino da Romênia]] [[ro:Regatul României]] [[ru:Королевство Румыния]]