Carol II of Romania

Carol II of Romania, (15 October 1893 – 4 April 1953) reigned as King of Romania from June 8, 1930 until September 6, 1940. Eldest son of Ferdinand I, King of Romania, and his wife, Queen Marie, a daughter of HRH Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second eldest son of Queen Victoria.

Exile

Forced under first Soviet and subsequently Hungarian, Bulgarian, Italian and German pressure to surrender parts of his kingdom to foreign rule, he was outmanoevred at last by the pro-German administration of Marshal Ion Antonescu, and abdicated in favour of Michael, settling ultimately in Portugal.

Related Topics:
Soviet - Hungarian - Bulgaria - Italian - German - Ion Antonescu - Portugal

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Carol left Romania in a train laden with royal treasure: paintings by Old Masters such as Titian, Rubens, and Rembrandt, hundreds of canvasses, jewels, the armor that had decorated the walls of the royal palaces of Peli?or and Pele?. A death squad of Iron Guard legionnaires fired on the royal train, but failed to stop it. The sale in Portugal of much of this treasure gave him enormous wealth, which he spent lavishly, living a life of wasteful luxury.

Related Topics:
Titian - Rubens - Rembrandt - Peli?or - Pele? - Death squad - Portugal

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He and Magda Lupescu were married in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 3 June, 1947, styling herself thereafter as Princess Elena von Hohenzollern. He remained in exile for the rest of his life.

Related Topics:
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil - 3 June - 1947

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