Carol I of Romania - A Devoted King

A Devoted King

King Carol was reported to be a cold person. He was permanently concerned with the prestige of the dynasty he had founded. His wife, Elizabeth, claimed he 'wore the crown in his sleep'. He was very meticulous and he tried to impose his style upon everyone that surrounded him. Though he was devoted to his job as a Romanian prince and king, he never forgot his German roots.

In 48 years of rule--far and away the longest in Romanian history--he helped Romania gain its independence, he raised its prestige, he helped redress its economy and he established a dynasty. In the Carpathian mountains, he built Peleş Castle, still one of Romania's most visited touristic attractions. The castle was built in German style, as a reminder of the king's origin. After the Russo-Turkish war, Romania gained Dobrogea and Carol ordered the first bridge over the Danube, between Feteşti and Cernavodă, linking the newly acquired province to the rest of the country.

As a member of the German higher landed aristocracy (fuerst), Carol never managed to follow the much-needed liberal and poor-friendly policies initiated by his predecessor, Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Left unsolved, the grave social problems caused by the inequity of land ownership, ignited repeatedely peasant uprisings throughout the reign of Carol I. The crown-exploited peasant class was supressed ruthlessly during 1907 revolt, at the cost of 10,000 lives. Being under the detrimental influence of the local landlords, the king failed to put together a sound administration, as that envisioned by Prince Cuza, or to fight the endemic corruption and inefficient government.