Widespread revanchism and anger at the failure of the government to achieve the national dream, combined with an economic slump due to the failed war effort coupled with failing cereal prices and a worsening rural situation led to a widespread feeling of ennui combined with anger, eventually leading to a meteoric rise in support for previously-fringe ultranationalist parties and movements. He would be often represented by his son Carol, a known womanizer, which would lead to Carol slowly settling down from his excessive lifestyle as he began to get a grasp of his royal duties. Ferdinand, disgraced by his own decision to join the war, withdrew from the public, showing himself only on rare occasions.

However, it was still enough to deeply humiliate the Romanian nation and cause revanchist thoughts among the population. After the war the Treaty of Bucharest was even renegotiated in Romania's favour, as oil from Azerbaijan could be acquired much cheaper and to more convenient terms. While Romania was allowed to keep Bessarabia from the remnants of the Russian Revolution, the oil fields in Ploiesti were placed under a joint Romanian-German-Austrian consortium.Īll in all, the treaty turned out to be relatively benign, especially in comparison to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and most 1919 treaties the Central Powers forced upon their enemies. Romania was forced to cede Dobruja to Bulgaria and a border strip around the Carpathians to Austria-Hungary. Romania decided to sign an armistice and soon after, in May 1918, the Treaty of Bucharest was signed. However, in 1917/18, disaster struck as Russia first was plunged into a Civil War and soon after exited the war, de facto ending the war on the Eastern Front and leaving the small Kingdom to its fate. German propaganda showing the Conquerers of Romania, August von Mackensen and Erich von Falkenhayn

The Royal Family also stood by the country during this time, doing their best to keep morale high. While it seemed all hope was lost, Romania gained support from Russian troops and a French Military Mission under General Henri Berthelot. After only three months in the war, Bucharest was under foreign occupation and the government evacuated to Iași. While the army had some initial successes in Transylvania and the navy conducted a successful raid on Austrian ships on the Danube, things began to detoriate quickly soon after Ī detachment of German, Bulgarian, Austrian and Ottoman troops overwhelmed the smaller country by invading the Dobruja and starting a counteroffensive in Transylvania. Therefore, many were surprised when he proclaimed the following during his inauguration before the Romanian Parliament: 'I will reign as a good Romanian.'įerdinand indeed would turn his rhetoric into action in 1916, joining the war on side of the Entente. His paternal nephew Ferdinand succeeded to the throne in a dire time for Europe The Weltkrieg was raging, and many expected Ferdinand to join his German relatives on the side of the Central Powers. Carol was celebrated as a national hero, but he would die only one year later in 1914, aged 75. Under King Carol, Romania successfully participated in the Second Balkan War of 1913 and conquered Southern Dobruja from the Bulgarians.

The orientation towards the West was secured, Russian influence lost its appeal. In 1881 the Romanian Prince took the title of King Carol I. Southern Bessarabia was ceded to Russia, while Romania gained Dobrogea.īustling Bucharest, the 'Paris of the East', shortly before the devastating Weltkrieg After the 8th Russian-Turkish War 1877/78, which saw Romania fighting alongside Russia, the country's sovereignty was recognized on the Berlin Congress of 1878. However, due to a quirk in the procedure, Ioan Alexandru Cuza was elected Domnitor in both principalities, thus becoming first Prince of the United Principalities (1859-1866), to be followed onto the throne by the German prince Karl Eitel Friedrich von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen after a coup staged by the so called 'Monstrous Coalition'. Following the Peace of Paris, concluding the Crimean War (1853-1856), the unification of Moldavia and Wallachia was expressly forbidden.

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