The Crown Council ( ro, Consiliul de Coroană) was an institution that advised the

King of Romania The King of Romania (Romanian: ''Regele României'') or King of the Romanians (Romanian: ''Regele Românilor''), was the title of the monarch of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947, when the Romanian Workers' Party proclaimed the Romanian ...

. Informal between 1866 and 1938, it was formalized by the 1938 Constitution, in effect for two years. The forum met on occasions of great national importance. It had a purely advisory role, and was convoked by the King on the government's advice.Ioan Mamina, ''Consilii de Coroană'', pp. 7-9. Editura Enciclopedica, 1997, In 2010, the council was once again re-established by

King Michael I Michael I ( ro, Mihai I ; 25 October 1921 – 5 December 2017) was the last King of Romania, reigning from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930 and again from 6 September 1940 until his forced abdication on 30 December 1947. Shortly after Michael's ...

on October 10, which succeeded the Political and Advisory Committee’ set up by the King during his exile and after 1989 Romanian Revolution.

List of Crown Councils

The Crown Councils that took place and the issues discussed were the following:

Institutionalization of the Crown Council

At the beginning of 1938,

King Carol II Carol II (4 April 1953) was King of Romania from 8 June 1930 until his forced abdication on 6 September 1940. The eldest son of Ferdinand I of Romania, Ferdinand I, he became crown prince upon the death of his grand-uncle, King Carol I of Roman ...

decided to abolish the parliamentary regime and established a regime of personal authority, enshrined in law by drafting, approving by

plebiscite A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

and then promulgating a new Constitution. Several measures were taken to reorganize the state, which included: censorship, suspension of the immovability of magistrates and the stability of civil servants, dissolution of political parties, creation of a "mass" party (

National Renaissance Front The National Renaissance Front ( ro, Frontul Renașterii Naționale, FRN; also translated as ''Front of National Regeneration'', ''Front of National Rebirth'', ''Front of National Resurrection'', or ''Front of National Renaissance'') was a Romani ...

), professional organization in guilds, reform administrative etc. Against this background, on March 30, 1938, a decree-law was issued establishing the Crown Council as a distinct political organism. According to the decree-law, the members of the Council were to be appointed by royal decree, from current or former dignitaries of the state, church, army and royal court or from prominent personalities of the country, the number of members not being limited. The Council maintained its consultative status.

Members

Historical members

The members of the Council bore the title of royal adviser, and received a monthly allowance of 50,000 lei. These were the following (those for whom the date is not specified were appointed on March 30, 1938): * Patriarch Miron Cristea, who died on March 6, 1939 *

Marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...

Alexandru Averescu Alexandru Averescu (; 9 March 1859 – 2 October 1938) was a Romanian marshal, diplomat and populist politician. A Romanian Armed Forces Commander during World War I, he served as Prime Minister of three separate cabinets (as well as being ''inter ...

, who died on October 30, 1938 * Marshal

Constantin Prezan Constantin Prezan (January 27, 1861 – August 27, 1943) was a Romanian general during World War I. In 1930 he was given the honorary title of Marshal of Romania, as a recognition of his merits during his command of the Northern Army and of the ...

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Artur Văitoianu Artur or Arthur Văitoianu (14 April 1864 in Izmail – 17 June 1956) was a Romanian general who served as a Prime Minister of Romania for about two months in 1919 (27 September – 30 November). During his mandate, the first elections of ...

Gheorghe Mironescu Gheorghe G. Mironescu, commonly known as G. G. Mironescu (January 28, 1874 – October 8, 1949), was a Romanian politician, member of the National Peasants' Party (PNȚ), who served as Prime Minister of Romania for two terms. Biography Born in ...

Nicolae Iorga Nicolae Iorga (; sometimes Neculai Iorga, Nicolas Jorga, Nicolai Jorga or Nicola Jorga, born Nicu N. Iorga;Iova, p. xxvii. 17 January 1871 – 27 November 1940) was a Romanian historian, politician, literary critic, memoirist, Albanologist, poet ...

Constantin Angelescu Constantin Angelescu (10 June 1869 – 14 September 1948) was a Romanian politician who served as ad interim/ acting Prime Minister of Romania for five days, between 30 December 1933 and 3 January 1934. He was: Doctor of Medicine in Paris, Pleni ...

Gheorghe Tătărescu : ''For the artist, see Gheorghe Tattarescu.'' Gheorghe I. Tătărescu (also known as ''Guță Tătărescu'', with a slightly antiquated pet form of his given name; 2 November 1886 – 28 March 1957) was a Romanian politician who served twice as P ...

Constantin Argetoianu Constantin Argetoianu ( – 6 February 1955) was a Romanian politician, one of the best-known personalities of interwar Greater Romania, who served as the Prime Minister between 28 September and 23 November 1939. His memoirs, ''Memorii. Pentru ...

* General * Alexandru C. Cuza, from June 16, 1939 *

Victor Iamandi Victor Iamandi (February 15, 1891 – 26 November 1940) was a Romanian politician who served as the Romanian Minister of Justice in 1938–1939, in several successive cabinets. He was born in Hodora, Iași County, the son of Ion and Lucreția Ia ...

, from November 23, 1939 *

Ion Mihalache Ion Mihalache (; March 3, 1882 – February 5, 1963) was a Romanian agrarian politician, the founder and leader of the Peasants' Party (PȚ) and a main figure of its successor, the National Peasants' Party (PNȚ). Early life A schoolteacher bor ...

, from April 17, 1940, resigner on June 26 *

Victor Antonescu Victor Antonescu (September 3, 1871, Antonești, Teleorman County – August 22, 1947, Bucharest) was a Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic po ...

, from April 18, 1940 * Patriarch Nicodim Munteanu, from August 20, 1940 * Metropolitan of Transylvania

Nicolae Bălan Nicolae Bălan (; April 27, 1882 – August 6, 1955) was an Austro-Hungarian-born Romanian cleric, a metropolitan bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The son of a priest, he graduated from Czernowitz University and taught theology at Sibiu fro ...

, from August 20, 1940 * Metropolitan of the

Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic The Romanian Greek Catholic Church or Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic ( la, Ecclesia Graeco-Catholica Romaniae; ro, Biserica Română Unită cu Roma, Greco-Catolică), sometimes called, in reference to its Byzantine Rite, the ...

Alexandru Nicolescu Alexandru Nicolescu (8 July 1882—5 June 1941) was a Romanian bishop of the Greek-Catholic Church. Born in Tulgheș, Harghita County, Transylvania, he studied at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome from 1898 to 1904, ea ...

, from August 20, 1940.

2010-2017

King Michael I of Romania Michael I ( ro, Mihai I ; 25 October 1921 – 5 December 2017) was the last King of Romania, reigning from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930 and again from 6 September 1940 until his forced abdication on 30 December 1947. Shortly after Michael's ...

* Crown Princess Margareta of Romania * Prince Radu * Archduke Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este

Current members

* Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania *

Princess Elena of Romania Princess Elena of Romania (born 15 November 1950) is the second eldest daughter of King Michael I and Queen Anne of Romania. Elena would have been first in the line of succession to the former Romanian throne and headship of the House of Rom ...

* Archduke Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este

Bibliography

*Ion Mamina, ''Consilii de Coroană'', Editura Enciclopedică, București, 1997

References

{{reflist

External links

Crown Council of Romania
Kingdom of Romania House of Romania Political history of Romania Romanian monarchy 1866 establishments in Romania 1938 establishments in Romania 1940 disestablishments in Romania