Ferdinand IV of Asvarre

Ferdinand IV
Ferdinand c. 1945
King of Asvarre
Tenure	3 October 1907 – 17 February 1951
Coronation	16 April 1908
Predecessor	Ferdinand III
Successor	Maximillian V
Minister President(s)	See list
Born	Ferdinand Filips Karel Albert Maria Clemens 30 March 1879 Montsch, Department of Castasengen, Kingdom of Asvarre
Died	17 February 1951 (age 71) Kasteel Irishof, Department of Westerlo, Kingdom of Asvarre
Burial	Ferdinand IV Mausoleum, Selsaete Castle, Selsaete, Kingdom of Asvarre
Spouse	Countess Maria-Teresa van Montesquiou-Fezensac
Issue	Maximillian V Frans-Ferdinand Princess Franziska Princess Katherina Princess Teresa
House	Bourbon-Parma
Father	Prince Filips, Count of Florennes
Mother	Princess Marie of Ysenburg and Zwartenberg
Religion	Roman Catholic

Ferdinand IV (Frans Ferdinand Karel Albert Maria Clemens; 30 March 1879 – 17 February 1951), also known as the Knight-King (Dutch: De Koning-Ridder) was King of Asvarre from 3 October 1907 till his death in 17 February 1951.

Born during the reign of his grandfather King Ferdinand II, Ferdinand was third in line of succession behind his father Prince Filips, Count of Florennes, and his uncle Maximillian, Crown Prince, until the unexpected death of his father in 1903 put in direct line for the throne and subsequentially given the title of Count of Florennes. From 1897 to 1907, Ferdinand had served in the Atmoran Army achieving the rank of Luitenant-kolonel and command of the 3e Bataljon, 2e Garderegiment Dragonders. He became King of Asvarre upon the death of his uncle in 1907.

His reign saw the Second and the Third Voshan Wars, as well as leading Asvarre in the Atmoran Civil War on the side of High Queen Katherine I of Atmora in the Castaliense Confederation. Upon the defeat of Atmora in the Second Voshan War Chancellor Reinout E. Bolkesteijn sought to increase the effiency of the Atmoran Army with the passage of the National Defence Amendments Act of 1917 the Royal Asvarrese Army was dissolved along with other state armies and placed under the command of the Monarch of Atmora. Following the 1931 September Crisis, there was an attempt made by the Young Voshans to assassinate King Ferdindand IV for his alleged compliance in the Vozhsk ethnic genocides during the Voshan Wars.

Ferdinand IV was married to Countess Maria-Teresa van Montesquiou-Fezensac together they had 5 children; King Maximillian V, King Frans-Ferdinand, Princess Franziska, Princess Katherina, and Princess Teresa. His granddaughter Princess Alexandra of Asvarre from his son King Frans-Ferdinand would go on to marry High Queen Katherine I's son High King Willem III. Making Ferdinand IV the great-grandfather of the current High Queen Katherine II.

Ferdinand IV is widely considered as the greatest King of Asvarre, where he is affectionally known as the Knight-King or as the Soldier-King (Dutch: De Koning-Soldaat) for his role in leading Asvarre in the Atmoran Civil War. While in Atmora as a whole he is often called the Liberator (Dutch: De Bevrijder) for his instrumental role in the liberation of Atmora.

Early year

Affectionally was known by his family as Ferdi, Ferdinand IV was born as the only child of the Count and Countess of Florennes. His father Prince Filips, Count of Florennes was the younger brother to King Ferdinand III, following the death of his father the Count of Florennes in 1903 he was named his uncle's heir presumptive and given the title as Count of Florennes in 7 December 1903. In 30 September 1907 King Ferdinand III while visiting the spa town of Biarritz in Southern Asvarre, King Ferdinand III had a severe heart attack and later would die at 07:03 A.M. 3 October 1907. Upon his uncle's death, Prince Frans Ferdinand was proclaimed as King Ferdinand IV of Asvarre.

King of Asvarre

Third Voshan War

Following the Atmoran invasion of Vozh in 1941, Ferdinand IV had expressed his concerns to the High Queen believing that Chancellor Geuzendam was a fool who would lead to the destruction of Atmora. Tensions boiled over with Ferdinand IV following Chancellor Geuzendam's War Measures Act of 1941, that further devolved the powers of the states. Expressing his concern to the High Queen, that the states are sovereign and equal to eachother. For further intrusion upon the states rights and what he felt was the vassalisation of the states to Alexandria would lead to Asvarre's succession from the Confederation. In 19 January 1942, following the appointment of Michiel Seinen as Rijkstadhouder of Asvarre was the final straw for Ferdinand IV resulting in him and the Prince of Lippe and the Princess of Alsatia raising arms against the Chancellor in the Revolt of the Princes. Units within the Kingdom of Asvarre, Principalities of Lippe, and Alsatia along with armed civilian Landstorms were ultimately successful in overthrowing the fascist Rijkstadhouders in the three rebelling States.

Seeing the success of King Ferdinand IV's rebellion in the south, the High Queen along with units loyal to her attempted to overthrow the Chancellor during the Queen's Putsch of 1942. However within Central Atmora the Chancellor held enough control over the local garrisons that ultimately the High Queen's Putsch was a failure. Ferdinand IV seeing High Queen Katherine I as a valuble asset in the Atmoran Civil War offered her and other Federal Princes refuge within his Kingdom. Dispatching battleships HMS Hildebrand and HMS Verthandy along with several escorts to evacuate the High Queen's forces safely to Straasburg.

Atmoran Civil War

With the conclusion of the 1942 Conference of Princes, High Queen Katherine I was given sanctuary by Ferdinand IV. With the King the following day 5 February summoning the Asvarrese National Assembly directing the National Assembly to assist and follow the directives of the emergency government of the High Queen. Asvarre as the predominant state in the Castaliense Confederation, led the war effort against the Republic of Atmora.

Titles, styles and honours

Styles of King Ferdinand IV of Asvarre
Reference style	His Majesty
Spoken style	Your Majesty
Alternative style	Sire

Titles and styles

• 17 February 1951 – 7 December 1903: His Royal Highness Prince Frans-Ferdidnand of Asvarre
• 7 December 1903 – 3 October 1907: His Royal Highness Prince Frans-Ferdidnand, Count of Florennes
• 3 October 1907 – 17 February 1951: His Majesty the King of Asvarre

Military ranks

Military ranks of the Atmoran Armed Forces

Atmoran Army

	First Lieutenant, 19 August 1897
	Ritmeester, 1 October 1899
	Major, 1 September 1904
	Lieutenant Colonel, 1 July 1906
	General, 5 December 1943
	Field Marshal, 17 July 1945

Issue

Name	Birth	Death	Marriage		Children
			Date	Spouse
Maximillian V	7 June 1906	19 December 1978
Frans-Ferdinand	21 May 1913	11 June 2009	21 August 1935	Cecilia Wilmars de Moesenbroeck	Nikolaas II Prince Emiel Prince Maximillian High Queen Alexandra Frederika, Queen of Gallia
Princess Françoise	28 October 1914	7 July 1998
Princess Marie-Catharina	12 September 1916	23 March 1995
Princess Theresa	21 April 1919	15 May 2006