Burg Hohenzollern Off The Beaten Path

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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 (Bassarabia), and Bukovina united with the Kingdom of Romania, resulting in a "Greater Romania". In 1940, at the beginning of World War II, Northern Transylvania, 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.

The King of Romania was the title of the ruler of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947 when Romania was proclaimed a republic. The state was previously the Principality of Romania from 1862 when the Ottoman suzerainties of Wallachia and Moldavia were formally united under Alexander John Cuza as Prince of Romania. Cuza had become the prince of the separate principalities in 1859. He was deposed in 1866 by the Romanian parliament which then invited a German prince of the Hohenzollern family,Carol (Charles) of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, to become the new Prince of Romania. Romania's independence from the Ottoman Empire was recognized in 1878 at the Congress of Berlin; the principality became a sovereign kingdom in 1881, with Prince Carol becoming King Carol I.

Romania was a constitutional monarchy for most of its existence as a kingdom with the exception for 1938-1939 when Carol II deposed his government and instituted a royal dictatorship.

List of the Kings of Romania

• Carol I (1881-1914) (previously ruled as Prince of Romania from 1866)
• Ferdinand (1914-1927)
• Michael (1927-1930)
• Carol II (1930-1940)
• Michael (1940-1947)

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All around you can see the marvelous stained glasses of different shapes and sizes ! The light help them to maximize their beauty . I wanted to find detailed informations about them but I think you could saw it only in a special art or historical album !