The End of The Reign
The long rule of Carol helped the quick development of the Romanian state. But, towards the end of his reign and the start of the World War I, Carol wanted to enter the war on the side of the Central Powers. However, Romanian public opinion was overwhelmingly Francophile and sided with the Triple Entente. Carol had signed a secret treaty in 1883 which had linked Romania with the Triple Alliance (1882). Although the treaty was to be activated only if Russia attacked one of the signatories, Carol was convinced that the honourable thing to do was to enter the war supporting the German Empire and his cousin, Emperor William II.
An emergency meeting was held with members of the government where Carol told them about the secret treaty and shared his opinion with them. Prime Minister Ionel Brătianu sided with the king; although Brătianu was known to be a Francophile, he was as anti-Russian as Carol. However, the rest of the cabinet strongly disagreed. This opposition is said to have brought on his sudden death on 10 October 1914. The future King Ferdinand, under the influence of his wife, Marie of Edinburgh, a British princess, was more willing to listen to public opinion.
Read more about this topic: Carol I Of Romania
Famous quotes containing the words the end, the and/or reign:
“As life runs on, the road grows strange
With faces new,—and near the end
The milestones into headstones change,
‘Neath every one a friend.”
—James Russell Lowell (1819–1891)
“The great, the jewel and the mother of battles has begun.”
—Saddam Hussein (b. 1937)
“Nature seemed to have adorned herself for our departure with a profusion of fringes and curls, mingled with the bright tints of flowers, reflected in the water. But we missed the white water-lily, which is the queen of river flowers, its reign being over for this season.... Many of this species inhabit our Concord water.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)