royal standard of Aethelnia
William XVII (born April 29, 233 as Cedric Llewelyn Merlin of Winsom and Killwilly, Prince of Aethelnia, Prince of Winsom, Duke of Killwilly, Duke of Aethenrey, Defender of the Faith, By the Grace of Cruis etc. etc.) was the King regnant of the Kingdom of Aethelnia from April 29, year 270 till his death on December 16, year 313.
HRM King William XVII, wearing the Order of Saint Thomas and the Order of the Blue Lion.
Lord Urquahart and HRM King William XVII, sharing a joke about the carrying and wearing of the crown.
Family relations[]
King William XVII was the first-born son of the late King William XVI and the late Queen Celestina of Aethelnia, Princess of Piolsa. King William XVII was a first cousin to the late King Timothy I of Merité King William XVII was also the first cousin of King Timothy I's sister Mélanie, Princess of Merité and Grand Duchess of Cimera. Mélanie was married to Carl II, Grand Duke of Cimera who was the grandfather of Carl III of Cimera, the present king of Cimera. Thus, Carl III of Cimera and William XVII were first cousins twice removed.
King Dazelio III of Piolsa and William XVII were cousins. King William XVII's mother was the late Princess Celestina (196-203), daughter of the then king Steniro of Piolsa (a kingdom that is nowadays a member state of the Lendosan Confederation), who lived from 155 AP to 248 AP. Of his 4 children, Princess Meria (184 - 275) inherited the throne, as her 2 brothers (Ebantro, Lario) both died before their father. The queen's younger sister, Princess Celestina of Piolsa, married William XVI and became Queen of Aethelnia. Queen Meria of Piolsa died without issue, thus, her nephew became king as Dazelio III of Piolsa (b.224). He reigns Piolsa as a constitutional monarch till this day.
A daughter of William XVII, HRH Angela of Aethelnia, Princess of Vingarmark, is married to Crown Prince Martainn of Vingarmark, son of King Josef of Vingarmark and Queen Helene of Vingarmark.
King William XVII had rights to the thrones of Merité, Piolsa, Cimera and Greater Angliyaa, but never actively pursued these rights during his lifetime.
Education[]
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Marriage[]
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Political involvement[]
It is important for kings to stay politically-neutral, and so the king didn't interfere much in daily politics. Nowadays, royal powers are limited by law and constitution, but the king's influence remained considerable.
One of the few post-301 occassions, the king interferred in politics in August 303 to prevent chancellor Lord Urquahart from declaring the Cruisian Democratic Party illegal as a non-secular party. It would have meant the end of any serious, effective oppostion against the sole-reigning Labour Party. After a private audience with the king onboard his yacht Aethelnica, the chancellor backed down.
King of Aethelnia[]
Cedric ascended the royal throne of the kingdom of Aethelnia in April 270. As royal custom dictated, and as his predecessors did before him, he chose to reign under the regal name William, followed by the Lilliani numerals XVII, him being the 17th king of Aethelnia to reign under that name. He adopted a new Royal Standard.
Being a staunch supporter of democracy and equality before the law, king William XVII signed away many royal privileges and powers, including the hitherto right of the kings of Aethelnia to not have to pay taxes. The king was determined to set an example.
The unprepared and inexperienced king overcame the troublesome and dangerous years in a chaotic pre-recognized Aethelnia leading up to the Pharoz Arroz military junta. His leadership in the struggle against this foreign-sponsored aggression led to the 301 Aethelnian Revolution. His subsequent embrace of democracy was critical to international recognition of Aethelnia in year 301.
In year 305, the king formally recognized the Gardlian and Hibernian minorities living within Aethelnia, which sparked the democratic transformation process from a centralized-governed, constitutional monarchy into a confederation of autonomous member states. It earned the king enormous popularity among his subjects.
In year 312 the king announced the heir presumptive was to reign as prince-regent, should he become (temporarily) incapacitated. Many took this as a sign of the aging king's declining strength and health.
Death[]
It was announced from the Office of the Royal Household on December 16 year 313 mornings at 6.30 am on the Aethelnian national news by the head of the Aethelnian federal government, Chancellor Andropopopopov, that: "..the life of His Royal Majesty King William XVII was drawn peacefully to its close during the wee hours of the night before."
King William XVII will be entombed in the royal crypt of Caernarfonne Castle, beside his wife, and parents King William XVI and Queen Celestina of Aethelnia. King William was succeeded by his daughter, HRH Princess Georgina of Aethelnia.
Succession[]
During his later lifetime, the matter of succession was the subject of much speculation. The king's children made clear they weren't too keen on following in their father's footsteps. The Duke of Winsom, the king's eldest son and designated heir apparent by right of birth, went as far as to renounce his birth right and emigrate to Utania. The frail king eventually made his nephew the new heir (presumptive). It remains to be seen if the king's nephew will actually accede as king.
Personal wealth[]
Despite William XVII being the first king of Aethelnia prepared to pay taxes, the king during his life was rumoured to be one of the richest men in Aethelnia, possibly even one of the richest men on the whole planet Vexillium. Fact is that the kingdom's main royal residences were always owned by the authorities, and not privately by individual royal family members.
Children[]
HRH William, Duke of Winsom (b.269), HRH Angela, Princess of Aethelnia and Vingarmark (b.270), HRH Georgina, Princess of Aethelnia (b.272), HRH Victoria, Duchess of Q'Leist (b.274), HRH Catherine, Princess of Aethelnia and Saint Samuel (b.278).
Titles[]
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