HRH King Leopold
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| HRH King Léopold of Kanjor | |
|---|---|
| His Royal Highness Roi de Kanjor, Prince of Meriath | |
| |
| Biography | |
| Born | 12 May 2640, Rildanor |
| Died | 23 October 2683 (aged 42), Kanjor |
| Reign | 1 January 2682 - 23 October 2683 |
| Predecessor | Monarchy Established |
| Successor | HRH Alexandre (as Regent), HRH Queen Louise-Elisabeth |
| Consort | HRH Queen Madeleine Desjardins Orléans-Vasser |
| Issue | HRH King of Kanjor |
| Imperial Dynasty | House of Orléans-Vasser |
HRH King Léopold of Kanjor (also known as Léopold the Younger) (b. 2640 - d. 2683) was the King of Kanjor. A brash and hot-headed man, many believed Léopold to be a poor choice of King due to his controversial lifestyle and relationship with the tabloid press. Many key figures within the Monarchist Movement were believed to prefer his father, Léopold, Prince of Meriath, as the candidate to reforge the monarchy in Kanjor. Despite this, he won the respect of his former critics upon coronation for his determination to refound the Monarchy and put his divisive past behind him. He was crowned King in 2682, and assassinated a year later.
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[edit] Early Life
Born into the House of Orléans-Vasser, to Léopold, Prince of Meriath and Antonia Af Ehjnhelm of Darnussia. Léopold the Younger was never expected to ascend to the throne. As third in line, he was allowed more freedom than many members of the Orléans-Vasser House.
Never an exceptional student, Léopold was more notorious for his 'party hard' attitude, and as a youth was known for his regular appearances in the Rildanorienne tabloids for his excessive drinking and partying. Despite his unexceptional performance at school, Léopold did pursue a successful career in the boardroom of several major corporations and a short stint as an aid to fashion designer Louis de Palm.
[edit] Marriage
In 2772, due to the insistence of his father, Léopold married Madeleine Desjardins, a wealthy heiress from Kanjor, and distant cousin within the House of Orléans-Vasser.
Léopold had previously been notorious for his string of highly-publicised relationships, most notably with alternative musician, Antoinette Chamblez, with whom he pursued an eight year on-off relationship. Their relationship ended amicably in 2670, and Léopold acted as Best Man at her wedding to director Francois Emile-Vartan in 2676.
Léopold also courted controversy by refusing to deny allegations that he was bisexual and had been romantically linked with Kanjorien movie actor Fanch Reichberg. Rumours also circulated that Léopold and Reichberg had planned an elopement, yet their two-year relationship ended acrimoniously once Léopold's father introduced him to Madeleine Desjardins. In an interview with 'Le Gardien', when asked about his sexuality, Léopold responded, "I don't think I ever gave up on men, circumstances simply changed."
His marriage to Desjardins represented a change in his public appearance as he toned down his reputation for partying, and became active within the charity circuit. In 2678, Léopold founded the 'Léopold Foundation for the Fashion Arts', a charity to help amateur fashion designers and models.
The same year, his wife gave birth to their first and only child, Louise-Elisabeth.
[edit] Ascendency to the Throne
In 2682, after his father had been deemed unsuitable for the role of King of Kanjor due to his marriage to Antonia Af Ehjnhelm, Léopold was reluctantly offered the role of King by the fledgling Monarchist Movement. Despite initial disinclination to the role, Léopold accepted the position after seeking his father's counsel. He was crowned in Atyr, Silliers, in Kanjor.
[edit] King of Kanjor
As King, Léopold actively began reforging the monarchistic institutions which had been abolished in Kanjor. He set to work doing this with relative vigour, and won praise from previous detractors for the mettle and hard-work he demonstrated in the task. Although not an intellectual leader, Léopold was recognised as possessing great empathetic skills, and was generally seen as a 'People Person'. He readily held rallies in Kanjor, and met ordinary people on a large scale.
[edit] Assassination
On 23 October 2683, as King Léopold addressed a group of reporters on the steps of the newly rechristened États-Généraux building he was shot multiple times at close range by an assassin showing a forged press pass. He was rushed to the nearest hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The assassin, Gustav Genoit, was quickly apprehended by police and the King's bodyguards. Through his interrogation by police it was proved that he had worked alone and had killed the King in order to bring about the second coming of Jesus and the rapture. Genoit was convicted of regicide and given life in prison without the possibility of parole in accordance with Kanjorien law.
Léopold's cousin, the recently deposed King Alexandre I of Rildanor, assumed the position of Regent of Kanjor, until Louise-Elisabeth came of age.
[edit] Legacy
Léopold was never seen as the preferred choice of King, and his private life often dogged him with controversy. However, during his one year as King, he won the respect of previous critics, and he set into motion the reformation of the Monarchy in Kanjor. Through his efforts, the Monarchy of Kanjor was no longer a position of spectacle or pomp but rather one of statesmanship. One of the biggest departures from other House of Orléans-Vasser monarch, especially in Rildanor, is the absence of a crown in Kanjor; of which Léopold was adament about doing without.
He was also recognised as one of the greatest patrons of fashion and art within Kanjor, which his daughter, Louise-Elisabeth continued.
| Preceded by Monarchy Established | King of Kanjor 2682 - 2683 | Succeeded by HRH Queen Louise-Elisabeth |
