Ferdinand of Romania
Ferdinand of Romania was born on August 24, 1865 in Sigmaringen, Germany. He was the son of Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and Infanta Antonia of Portugal. In 1881, Ferdinand's uncle, King Carol I of Romania, chose him as his successor to the throne. Ferdinand was educated in Germany at the Universities of Bonn and Leipzig. He became King of Romania in 1914, just before the outbreak of World War I. During the war, Ferdinand supported the Allies, and Romania joined the war on the side of the Entente in 1916. After the war, Ferdinand worked to modernize Romania and strengthen its democratic institutions. He supported women's suffrage and encouraged literacy and education. In 1925, Ferdinand was diagnosed with cancer and died on July 20, 1927. His son, Michael, succeeded him as King of Romania.
