×
Home Intro People Events Equipment Places Maps Books Photos Videos Other Reference FAQ About
     

World War II Database

Mihai I file photo [867]

Mihai I

Given NameMihai
HouseHohenzollern-Sigmaringen
Born25 Oct 1921
Died5 Dec 2017
CountryRomania
CategoryGovernment
GenderMale

Contributor:

ww2dbaseKing Mihai I, sometimes spelled in the Anglicized "Michael I", was born in Sinaia, Romania, to the then Crown Prince Carol and Princess Elena. He was a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. Because his father renounced his rights to the throne, when King Ferdinand died in Jul 1927, he became the king of Romania at the young age of six. In 1930, his father was invited back to the country and claimed the throne as King Carol II.

ww2dbaseIn Sep 1940, Ion Antonescu successfully overthrew Carol and installed Mihai as his puppet leader, and had himself named Conducător with dictatorial powers. Mihai allowed Antonescu to reign freely, but he reportedly told his grandmother that "I have learned not to say what I feel, and to smile at those I most hate", suggesting he was merely waiting for the right opportunity to gain revenge. Wilhelm Keitel of Germany met the king at this time during one of the many conferences between Germany and Romania, and described the young king as "a tall, slim and good looking youth, still rather awkward in his manner but not unlikeable." The opportunity came on 23 Aug 1944, when the war Antonescu started with Russia brought Russian troops at the Romanian borders. Mihai, backed by pro-Allied politicians, ordered the arrest of Antonescu and his entire government, then declared war on Germany after joining the Allies. Russian troops, however, still poured into Romania and did not sign an armistice (which strongly favored the Russians) until 12 Sep 1944. American leader Harry Truman later awarded him the highest degree of the Legion of Merit as a sign of appreciation for his efforts that aided the Allies in the Balkans region. Russian leader Joseph Stalin decorated him with the Soviet Order of Victory.

ww2dbaseIn Mar 1945, political pressure forced Mihai to select a pro-Russian government, which rendered him to be no more then a figurehead. After returning from London after attending the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain (who was his third cousin), he was forced to abdicate this throne on 30 Dec 1947. On 3 Jan 1948, he was forced to leave the country. He settled in London with his wife Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma and became a commercial pilot. The communist government in Romania stripped him of his Romanian citizenship, rendering him unable to visit his home country until the communist government was overthrown in 1989. In 1990, he said "[i]f the people want me to come back, of course, I will come back... Romanians have had enough suffering imposed on them to have a right to be consulted on their future", which alarmed Romanian President Ion Iliescu, though Mihai was not known to have any plans to return as a monarch. In 1992, Iliescu cautiously invited him to return to Bucharest for Easter celebrations. In 1997, President Emil Constantinescu restored Mihai's citizenship. He then acted on an unofficial diplomatic capacity for Romania. He passed away in his residence in Aubonne, Switzerland in Dec 2017.

ww2dbaseSources:
Wilhelm Keitel, In the Service of the Reich
Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: May 2006

Mihai I Interactive Map

Photographs

King Carol II of Romania and his son Prince Mihai inspecting, Romania, 10 May 1939Portrait of King Mihai I of Romania, circa 1940
See all 10 photographs of Mihai I

Mihai I Timeline

25 Oct 1921 Mihai was born at the Peles Castle in Sinaia, Romania.
27 Feb 1945 Soviet Deputy Commissar for Foreign Affairs Andrei Vyshinsky, sent to Bucharest, Romania by Joseph Stalin, forced King Mihai I to appoint Petru Groza as the new prime minister.
6 Jul 1945 King Mihai I of Romania was awarded the Soviet Order of Victory for his leadership role in the ousting of Ion Antonescu, making him the only civilian recipient of this award.
30 Dec 1947 King Mihai I of Romania was forced to abdicate the throne by the Soviet-backed communist government.
3 Jan 1948 The former King Mihai I of Romania was exiled out of the country.
2 Mar 2016 The Romanian Royal Council announced that Mihai, the former king of Romania, was to retire from public life.
5 Dec 2017 Mihai, the former King of Romania, passed away in his residence in Aubonne, Switzerland in the presence of his youngest daughter Princess Maria.




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds




Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type
Your Comments
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.

Change View
Desktop View

Search WW2DB
More on Mihai I
Event(s) Participated:
» Jassy-Kishinev Offensive and Romania's Surrender



Famous WW2 Quote
"You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terrors. Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival."

Winston Churchill


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!