Michael I of Romania

Romanian Royalty. Son of Carol II and Helen of Greece and Denmark, he was the King of Romania from July 20, 1927 to June 8, 1930 and from September 6, 1940 to December 30, 1947. As a young boy, he was proclaimed king under a three -member regency upon the death of his grandfather Ferdinand on July 20, 1927. His father Carol had been formally excluded from the line of succession by an act of state the year before. He served as king until 1930 when his father came back from exile to take over the throne. In 1940 he again assumed the throne when his father abdicated after a military coup led by pro-German Marshal Ion Antonescu. For several years during the Second World War, he was basically a "prisoner" to the real power held by Antonescu. In 1944 he had Antonescu arrested, which ended the military dictatorship. After the end of the Second World War, he strongly opposed the Communists' accession to power and was forced to abdicate in 1947. After his abdication,